And Other Roads In Bong County Hindering Trade And Disrupting Normal Transportation
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
KOKOYAH, Bong, Liberia–Residents of Kokoya road have expressed serious concern over the poor condition of the Kokoyah road and are appealing to the government through the Ministry of Public Works to intervene in improving it to meet international standard.
The Kokoyah road is one of the key accessed roads in this country and it connects Bong County to Grand Bassa County. This is in addition to other roads within this central Liberian County. Currently, there are no cars plying the road due to its complete deployable condition.
Local produce aren’t easily reaching to the market, some residents told our reporter in despair.
According to them, they usually face skyrocketing transportation fares from motorcyclists who are aiding them to transport their produce into the general market.
Due to the current condition, pregnant women aren’t using the route.
“We are finding it very difficult. This road is a complete death trap because cars aren’t using this road anymore” the road users intoned.
“Since June of this year, four cars are stalled on the road. They can’t come out.We have to use motorbikes with a very high cost. We are suffering” the Kokoya road inhabitants added.
“MNG Gold is using the road, others are also using this same road, but it’s very bad. Not a single day a plan has been made on when and how the rehabilitation will start. They are just mining their gold” the Kokoyah road residents told our reporter.
The Kokoyah road connects Bong County to Grand Bassa, River Cess, Grand Gedeh and Nimba Counties.
While using the road, there’s an access to Montserrado County and the Republic of Guinea.
They explained that other leaders will visit or ply the road during electioneering periods filled with cosmetic promises, but won’t reap anything from them after the elections.
Currently, the government of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai hasn’t outlined a definite plan for major roads rehabilitation or construction in the North Central region.
Apart from this route, other major roads in Bong County are deplorable.
Other roads in Gbarnga
Apart from the famous Kokoyah Road, other streets and community roads in Gbarnga are becoming increasingly inaccessible as a result of lack of rehabilitation.
Motorists often bump up and down in potholes that continue to plague the various streets and community roads especially in Gbarnga.
Some of the communities include: Frank Joe, Chief Compound, Sugar Hill community, VI community, Far East, Bassa Community, LPMC road, amongst others.
What is of most frustration for residents and road users is that there are road building equipment that should routinely rehabilitate these roads, but the equipment have been broken down for a prolonged period of apparent poor maintenance.
During the just ended County Council Sitting, twenty five thousand United State Dollars was allocated for repairing earth moving equipment what will be borrowed from good friends and partners to help open roads in Gbarnga.
In 2012, Bong’s leadership negotiated a US$662,300 deal with a vendor to procure a front end loader, a motor grader, and a dump truck to rehabilitate existing roads and open new ones in the county. The money was taken from the County Social Development Funds.
The vendor was paid upfront US$634,300 for the front end loader and the motor grader, with a balance of US$28,000 to complete payment for the dump truck. The county is yet to pay the vendor his balance to take delivery of the truck.
The front end loader and motor grader were refurbished, even though the then-chairman of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, George Mulbah argued that the machines were brand new.
“The roads are bad and they are even narrow. When we are riding on the roads and encounter vehicles from the opposite side, we need to stop and park the motorcycles off the road to enable the car to pass” some of the road users stated.
They however want the government of President Joseph Nyumah Boakai through the Ministry of Public Works to recondition these roads to ensure better access.
The Joseph Boakai government has since vowed to tackle road network across the country under his ARREST agenda- Agriculture, Rule of Law, Road, Education, Sanitation and Tourism.
Lawmaker’s silence
Up to press time, there’s no definite statement from the district’s representative-James M. Kolleh.
After separate messages sent to inquire whether he’s contemplating on heating the executive’s feet to the fire as their leader, he has since remained hushed.
Many residents see the lawmaker’s silence and abandonment as a blatant attempt to ignore their developmental concern in the district.
Prior to his re-election in 2023, residents of the districts argued that the lawmaker’s five months in office portrayed himself as a man who had no plans before ascending into the office with most of his actions far looking more spontaneous than pre-planned.
He was previously elected during the 2021 by-election in Bong County.
Representative James Kolleh is still facing a backlash for abandoning a greater portion of the district including Gbanshea, Seanshue and Montah.
He has gotten little attraction from Yandiwoan- his home clan and one of four clans constituting electoral district #2 in Bong County.