Despite claims by the government of Liberia that it is committed to a coastal defense plan in order to save the city of Buchanan from sea erosion, beach sand mining in Central and Upper Buchanan continues on a weekly basis. A FrontPage Africa investigation has uncovered that the sand mining in the port city was sanctioned by the county authority after the Ministry of Lands and Mines (LME) approved its request to extract beach sand to implement several of its development projects including the modernization of the Doris Williams Sports Stadium which is ongoing. Some of the residents of towns in Upper and Central Buchanan say the county administration often order trucks to extract sand from the beaches, a move which has been greeted with resistance from residents determine to prevent the mining of sand and insisting that authorities are violating the coastal defense law. Timothy James, a resident of Henry Town in Central Buchanan explained: "Sometime the county people (county administration) come here to take sand from the beach and when we want to talk about it they threaten to take us to the police, so we don't have the power to stop them." Peter Zoegar, a resident of Zoko Town, Central Buchanan asserts that the government's passage of the Sea Erosion Law is paradoxical because they are the ones violating the rules they made. "They were the very government that made the law (coastal defense law) but every time they send people here to collect sand from this beach," Zoegar says. "I'm not happy because when this sea comes, here it will carry my town," he adds. Residents of both Henry and Zoko Towns explained to FPA that trucks belonging to the county are seen loading sand from the beach three to four times a week. Eddie Williams, Grand Bassa County Information Officer, confirmed to FPA that the county, under the advice of the Lands, Mines and Energy Ministry, decided to mine sand in the area. He did not explain whether the LME is monitoring the way the sand is being mined in the area, but justified that the county collaborated and consulted with both the LME and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before selecting the sites in Upper and Central Buchanan. Despite the county's justification for ordering frequent sand mining on beaches, residents are wary about the future environmental threat it may pose for their communities. Vicky Horace, a female zone leader in Upper Buchanan, says the community has reported the situation to the local authority but to no avail. Horace is hoping that the national government will intervene since the local government has repeatedly ignored their concerns, especially with sand mining activities now on an increase in the area. "The sand mining will surely affect our community in the future because every day seven to eight trucks come here to mine sand night and day," she said. Citizen Threaten Court Action Recently, an eminent citizen of the Upper Buchanan community raised concern over the frequent beach sand mining in the area and threatened to take court action against the city corporation and the county administration if dialogue over the issue doesn't resolve it. Dr. Lawrence K. Bropleh, in an interview with FPA said: "What is happening is wrong. People are still coming and they are taking truckloads of sand; it's erosion, so we are going to work with the superintendent and the mayor to designate other areas in Buchanan where people can mine sand. If that doesn't happen, as a citizen, we will file a rate of injunction against the city and the county officials." The former Information boss, who is also an attorney at law, says he will also engage the Minister of Lands and Mines and the local authorities so that the LME can identify a safe area for sand mining or create a river sand mining area. "We cannot sit and allow Upper Buchanan to end up like Fanti and Kor-Kor Wein towns; that's what the coastal defense fund is about. We all push for that and now we want to ensure the same thing does not happen in Upper Buchanan. We hope they will stop. But if they don't stop, we are going to court," the Ex-MICAT boss warned. Unlike, the county administration that is quite aware of the sand mining activities, Buchanan City Mayor has distanced herself from the controversy, claiming that her city corporation has always frowned against beach sand mining but laments that it remains an uphill task for her to implement without interference. Mayor Julia Bono, in a brief cellphone chat with FPA hinted that she's finding it rough to fully implement the coastal defense policy in a case like the Upper and Central Buchanan's beach sand mining situation. GOL-Partners Coastal Defense Efforts Liberia's coastal defense effort is aimed at helping coastal communities in Grand Cape Mount, Montserrado and Grand Bassa Counties develop defensive ideas against the effects of climate change. The project was launched in 2010 by the United Nations Development Program and the Government of Liberia. It has focused on reducing weaknesses and build the spirit of local communities and socio-economic sectors to withstand the threats of climate change in Liberia's coastal areas. In 2012, Grand Bassa Lawmaker, Gabriel Smith introduced a coastal defense bill which was later enacted into law to establish a framework for effective response to the challenges of Coastal Erosion that is encroaching Liberia's Coastal Communities. In December 2013, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf along with Lands and Mines Minister, Patrick Sendolo, assessed the coastal defense project in Buchanan City. The president, at the time praised the work and promised to continue ensuring that the strategy against sea erosion is prioritized by her government. Minister Sendolo, during the assessment, promised to press for a more robust method similar to what is used in Monrovia; in a bid to curb the situation in Buchanan, adding that heavy sand mining activities will be shifted from the beach to the river. The first phase of the coastal defense project for Buchanan was expected to be completed February 2014 but work was decelerated, while concerns are now being raised about further sand mining in other parts of the city.