Monrovia — The Ministry of Public Works (MPW) has embarked on a massive demolition exercise in District #7, Montserrado County, to clear alleys and facilitate the free flow of water and sewerage in the area.
Speaking to The Liberian Investigator on Gurley Street near the famous "World Trade Center," Abraham Bility, Assistant Minister for Planning at the MPW, noted that the exercise is being jointly executed by the Ministry of Public Works and the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC).
"This exercise will continue beyond Monrovia and extend to Bushrod Island to ease the flooding that residents of those areas usually experience during the rainy season," Bility stated.
According to him, the demolition exercise aims to mitigate flooding and improve drainage in affected areas. He emphasized that residents of Gurley Street welcomed the ongoing demolition led by the MPW and LWSC in central Monrovia.
It can be recalled that during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf under the Unity Party (UP), a similar large-scale demolition exercise was conducted across Monrovia and its environs. However, more than a decade later, many of the demolished areas remain undeveloped.
Bility warned individuals who have rebuilt structures in previously demolished areas under the Unity Party-led government to prepare for another round of demolition, as the MPW is determined to reclaim and develop those spaces.
He revealed that residents of Gurley Street were given a five-month ultimatum to vacate the area before the demolition exercise commenced. However, many refused to leave.
According to him, individuals who built illegally in alleys will not receive compensation, as they were given sufficient notice to relocate from government-owned properties.
The Ministry has sent a clear message to those occupying alleyways to begin vacating to avoid unnecessary embarrassment, as the demolition team will soon extend its operations to other areas.
The ongoing demolition exercise on Gurley Street in central Monrovia was carried out peacefully, with officers from the Police Support Unit (PSU) providing security.
