— Nat’l Gov’t Needs to Urgently Act or Else
By: Jonathan O. Grigsby, Snr.
Historic Location of Rivercess County and Other InformationRivercess County is one of the fifteen sub-political divisions of Liberia, which is border by Grand Bassa County to the West, Nimba County to the Northeast, Sinoe County to the Southeast, with the Southern part lying on the Atlantic Ocean.
The County was a District, later it arose to a Territorial status in 1956, under Grand Bassa County, and in 1985 during the presidency of Liberia’s slain leader, Samuel Kanyan Doe, became county, known as Rivercess County, with the capital name remaining as Cestos City.
Rivercess County covers an area of 2, 160 square miles and has a population of approximately 72 thousand people according to 2022 National Census Report. It history is marked by colonization, resistance, and survival, reflecting the complex historical past of Liberia.
The County comprises of Eight (8)l Districts and two original Districts, which include: Bearwor District, Central Rivercess District, Doedain District, Fen River District, Jo River District, Norwein District, Sam Gbalor District, and Zartlahn District, with the two original Districts, Morweh and Timbo .
The Atlantic Ocean and the Cestos River is Gradually Overtaken Cestos Cestos, the Capital of Rivercess County is situated on the coast where the Cestos River flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
It is approximately one hundred miles Southeast from Monrovia, Liberia’s Capital and fifty-two miles from Buchanan, Grand Bassa County.
The population of Cestos City according to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census conducted is two thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight (2,578) people.
“Cestos”, is a word which originated for the Portuguese Language translated in English as “Baskets”. And from oral and written history, we are told that when the Portuguese landed in Rivercess on their expeditions, saw residents then setting Baskets in a little stream flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, led them to name the stream “Cestos”. So Cestos is the “City of Baskets.”
But today, the little stream has termed out to be a large body of water taken more of the land space of the City.On the other side, the Atlanta Ocean, years back was far-away from the City.
There were towns and houses along the Ocean, including coconut, palm, and plum, as well as ammo trees and a grave site that was between the residence of the Superintendent and the Administrative Building (Bowier’s House).
Residents of the City used to walk several minutes before reaching the Atlantic Ocean from different points. Giving you a picture of today’s scene of the Atlantic Ocean, the Diggs, Sawray, Morris, Harmon, and lists are endless including Fanti, Popo Town, Kru Town, and along the mini airstrip toward Kaye Town there were large coconut, palm and plum trees but are all taken away by the sea erosion.
Yester–years they were all there.But as the year passes-by, the Atlantic Ocean keep pushing inward little-by-little, until all the trees and towns and houses that were mentioned above are no more.
However, and interestingly, the past few days, I made a brief stop in Cestos City, and did a panoramic looks of the City, where I grown up as a child to my teen from the Cestos River, along the Atlantic Ocean, and ended up at the running of the airstrip.
My visit was because of the growing climate change phenomena that is hitting many coastal countries of the world including Liberia, which is affecting the counties along coastal line of Liberia, and Rivercess County, Cestos City, is no exception.Currently, residents living behind the City General Market, the Jackson, Toe and Ghanaians (Fanti people) are threatened by the Atlantic Ocean and those along the Cestos River, OAC Building, the Late Garlo Roberts’ areas and others too are also threatened.
With the occurrences, yet residents are going about their normally businesses like everything is fine.Moreover, I am wondering what the local authorities of Rivercess County, with various offices in the City, who are administering the affairs of National Government, are saying too about Cestos River and the Atlantic Ocean gradually taking over the City landscape that one day could lead to disaster for residents of that City.
While in the City, I was told that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other private organizations were in that county, particularly in Cestos City and conducted some awareness with residents on Climate Change Resilience. That is very good, which I say hats up to EPA and those organizations, but more needs to be done.
Also in that County, I made an inquiry on the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) whether it has made a visit in Rivercess County to alert the residents on disaster preparedness and response, but no information could be provided, except on the 2024 Rivercess County flooding in ITI and Glanyah Town, including the Chio Town Mudslide disaster that the NDMA teams were there.
National Government Needs to Take Urgent Action or Else. From the gradual sea erosion that is currently taking place in Cestos City with the population around two thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight (2,578) people, national government needs to take prompt action.
Last year, specifically in the month of June 2025, several residents in the Big Fanti Area behind the General Market and behind the Lonestar Tower were uprooted, including coconut and ammo trees destroyed because of the rapid advancement of the Atlantic Ocean.
Again the Rainy Season has already stepped in, and we do not know what may happened.In the same June 2025, it was more than fifty years from the Cestos River to overflow its banks to enter the kitchens and the local fish dryers of residents in Cestos City on side of the Garlo Roberts.
The lower part of the Cestos River continues to enlarge daily. So amongst the actions for the relevant government ministries and agencies, like EPA and NDMA need to take; are to carry out feasibility studies to determine the gravity of the threats the Atlantic Ocean and the Cestos River are posing or will pose to the residents of that City, now and in the future.
The studies will show if the threats are short, medium, or long-term and what, will be government’s plans for residents of the Cestos City? This will put the residents of the area on the alert. In some instances, residents who wanting to be on the save side will start planning to either migrant.
I am indeed rising the “Red Flag”, because I want government to save lives. Disasters can happen anytime of the day, either night, morning, afternoon or in the evening, so the residents of Cestos City not to be caught un-aware.
Besides, my personal observation, I spoke to cross sector of people who recent confirmed that indeed, the sea erosion is gradually pushing in-ware, but it could push deeper and deeper, and if nothing is done, they are afraid, something, disastrous could take place in the coming years ahead.
That is why I am pleading that government needs to do something to save lives, than for the disaster to take place and for countless numbers of people to die before actions are taken, which amongst the primarily actions will be evacuation and migration.
This is my little thought on my recent visit to Rivercess County on: Cestos City is gradually taken-over by the Atlantic Ocean and the Cestos River: “National Gov’t needs to urgently Act or Else.
