Grand Cape Mount County Senator, Dabah Varpilah has called for immediate intervention of the Senate to address the alarming invasion of farming activities by elephants.
In her communication to the Senate on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, Senator Varpilah highlighted that elephant invasion in Gola Konneh District are undermining farming activities and instilling fear among the local population.
She recounted that there have been repeated increase in elephant invasions in towns and villages over the years, causing damage to water sources and food supplies.
The Grand Cape Mount County lawmaker reminded her colleagues of the existing laws that prohibit the killing of wildlife in Liberia. She noted that residents have remained compliant with these laws despite relying heavily on subsistence farming and gardening for their livelihoods.
“I believe those who follow social media have seen three to four elephants entering a village. Research on elephant attacks in other parts of Africa shows that in some countries, elephants have even killed over two hundred people because they become aggressive when threatened by humans,” Senator Varpilah asserted.
She emphasized that if this situation is not brought under control, it could lead to serious food shortages and plunge the citizens into abject poverty.
“In view of the above, I humbly request the indulgence of this honorable Senate to initiate an investigation into the cause of these wild animals’ invasions in the mentioned communities and to find a solution to restore the security of our farming activities and food supply,” Senator Varpilah urged.
According to her, some of the affected communities are major food producers in Cape Mount. However, the current situation has instilled so much fear that residents are afraid to go to their farms. She added that during the campaign period, people were advised not to move into nearby villages around 6:00 PM because that was when the elephants typically emerged.
Senator Varpilah stressed that government’s failure to protect these wildlife animals immediately will have devastating consequences for the citizens.
Meanwhile, the communication has been forwarded to the Senate Committee on Agriculture to initiate an investigation and report back to Plenary within one week.
