By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
YELEQUELLEH, Liberia—A major bridge connecting several towns and villages in Yelequelleh district in the central Bong County is at the verge of collapse, posing a serious threat to lives.
Speaking to this news outlet, Garyea Clan Chief Singbah Kollie lamented that the bridge is currently posing threats to the lives of citizens who are using motorcycle and vehicles for commuting via the Gbartala-Fenutoli route.
According to him, the “Yele Bridge” was constructed in the early 1960s.
Since then, he continued, it has not been renovated, thus describing it as a death trap in the district.
“This bridge is a complete death trap for my people here considering the time it got constructed. Everything you see is very old; in fact, it has expired,” Clan Chief Kollie told this Reporter.
Health implications
The Garyea Clan Chief expressed fears of losing more lives due to the devastating condition of road.
The Bong County district #5 local leader explained that they are “facing extreme difficulties in transporting sick patients to the Phebe Referral Hospital in Suakoko District, as well as getting their locally produced commodities to the market due to the eminent disconnection.
Citizens’ efforts
To ply the road, Chief Kollie mentioned that they occasionally place planks on the road enable them transport their goods to the rest of the district.
He described the alternative rehabilitation method as unsafe.
“Every time we will put planks on the road as alternative just to enable us commute on a daily basis. Although it’s unsafe, but that’s the best because it’s what we have,” he laments.
Also speaking to our reporter, Yellequelleh District Motorcyclist Union President James Dukuly, thinks “residents of the area are being abandoned by leaders”.
Dukuly, a motorcyclist, calls on leaders to immediately intervene.
He also thinks they will “experience disaster in the near future if nothing is done by national government to remedy the situation”.
“Let me tell you, if this bridge isn’t rehabilitated, we will use it against anyone will intend to canvass in this district in 2029 because they can’t keep excluding us, and they expect us to be happy.”
The district is being represented at the National Legislature by Mr. Eugene J.M. Kollie. His office has not spoken to this development.
However, both Clan Chief Singbah Kollie and James Dukuly further called on the Joseph Nyumah Boakai led government through the Ministry of Public Works to swiftly intervene into the situation.
Economic conditions
The two local leaders indicated that commuters are being over charged due to the condition of the bridge.
They also added that their local commodities are being decayed over fear by motorcyclists to frequently cross the bridge.