PHOTO: Commercial motorbike riders braving the risk to maneuver across the damaged bridge
As damage of a key bridge linking River Gee County and Grand Kru Counties in southeastern Liberia worsens and becomes a death trap, citizens in both counties are pleading with the CDC government urgent intervention, in order to safe lives and properties.
Grand Kru is the home town of President George Manneh Weah.
As the rainy season sets in and ahead of the 2023 general elections, the citizens are pleading with the Liberian government through their counties’ caucuses to bring relief to them by constructing a modern bridge to replace the dilapidated damaged Joquiken bridge situated in River Gee.
This deplorable bridge is in the middle of Joequiken, a densely populated gold mining camp of Nyeniwliken administrative district that connects several communities in River Gee and Grand Kru Counties.
Prominent citizens speaking to newsmen said the bridge was constructed in the early 70s and has been in a deplorable state in the town for over a decades with no intervention by local and national government.
Despite many SOS calls to past and current leaders of the two sisterly counties and national government, there has so far been no efforts to bring relief to them, the citizens noted.
Kebeh Johnson, a local trader in the area, said besides posing threat to life, the the situation is embarrassing them as business community and worsening the already difficult economic conditions.
Madam Johnson said there are major challenges in transporting their goods from getting to Grand Kru County for business purposes due to the appalling situation of the bridge.
According to our reporter, all Steel plates and poles on the bridge are all falling apart, something that is posing a serving as a death track for both pedestrians and vehicles’ users.
The damaged bridge from another angle
“Look we are risking our lives on a daily basis just for our families to survive and to send our children to school,” said Prince Trawilly, marketer who was traveling to Grand Kru County.
“Forpoh Parluken, and Buah Geeken in Grand Kru County are not that far by means of passing through Joequiken, but this damaged bridge is putting us into more expenses, we are suffering so let the government see about this bridge,”. Prince said looking visibly frustrated.
Nyenwiliken District Motorcycles transport union president, Mountain Weah said they are finding it difficult to make living.
He indicated that damaged bridge is a complete setback to motorbike riders operations, because they are running traffic within the district and can’t go to Grand Kru County as they used to do.
The commercial motorcyclists indicated that when the bridge is repaired, it will ensure free movement of people and promote trade between the two neighboring counties.
In the wake of the ongoing situation, the traveling cost has sharply increased from Barclayville, Grand Kru to River Gee Karweaken or Fish Town. Commuters now pay seven thousand Liberian dollars per person.
The motorcyclists President is therefore, appealing to the government “to reconstruct the Joequiken bridge for free movement and promote trade’s between the two counties.”
He urged President George Weah and his CDC government to make a timely intervention, in order to restore hope for people in the two counties.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Nyenwiliken District Administrative Commissioner, Mr. Sylvester S. Toe said discussions are ongoing with the Legislative Caucuses and central government to rehabilitate the damaged bridge, but mentioned that it will require more funding.
The Weah administration has repeatedly declared that road construction is its number one priority since taking office in January 2018, with the President repeatedly drawing local and international media attention to the challenges of the sector.
However, most of the road projects the administration had undertaken in the last year have all been concentrated in the capital, Monrovia. And it has vowed to recondition roads in the southeast as well. Report by Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com