Government to Demolish Illegal Structures

PRESS RELEASE

IT HAS COME TO THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT THAT THERE ARE MASSIVE ENCROACHMENTS INTO WETLANDS THAT ARE HOME TO A LARGE VARIETY OF MARINE LIFE AND BIRDS AND PROVIDE SAFE BREEDING GROUNDS FOR MANY SPECIES. IN PARTICULAR, THE ABERDEEN CREEK HAS BEEN INVADED BY SQUATTERS WHO HAVE CONSTRUCTED MAKESHIFT AS WELL AS PERMANENT STRUCTURES IN THE MANGROVE SWAMPS WITH DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT INCLUDING POLLUTION AND OTHER RISKS FOR THE LUMLEY AND ABERDEEN COMMUNITIES.                                         

GOVERNMENT WISHES TO MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT ALL WETLANDS ARE THE PROPERTY OF GOVERNMENT AND SHOULD BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED. THEREFORE, CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, EMBANKMENTS, HOUSES AND OTHER STRUCTURES ON WETLANDS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IS BANNED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. ACTION WILL SOON BE TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO DEMOLISH ILLEGAL AND UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES WITHIN THE ABERDEEN CREEK, AND TO STOP PEOPLE FROM DESTROYING THE ENVIRONMENT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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STATE HOUSE, FREETOWN                                                                                                      11^TH APRIL, 2014