The problem of urban drift has been felt heavily both in the rural and urban areas and the most affected areas are the maritime islands.

It has been noted that populations of villages have dramatically dropped, forcing school closures, businesses to shut down and crippling village activities.

The trend has led to the increase in squatter settlements, criminal activities and unemployment.

Commissioner Eastern Colonel Netani Rika told FBC News the Government is trying its best to reverse the trend.

“First of all we are trying to put infrastructure projects like jetty, roads to generate income in island, these are the very things we need to pull them back.”

Colonel Rika says reversing the trend can’t be done overnight, it’s a long term process and will cost a lot of money and development.