By Alexander Piah
Buchanan, Liberia – More local government officials around Liberia are being inducted into official, following their appointments by President George Manneh Weah, who took office on January 22, 2018.
In Grand Bassa County, south east of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, the Assistant Superintendent for Development of Grand Bassa County in south east of the Liberian capital, Mr. Flee Glay has inducted the Commissioner of the Harlandsville Township Benjamin Greaves into office.
The induction ceremony took place last Saturday, December 15, 2018 at the Big Joe Town Hall in the Township outside of the provincial capital, Buchanan.
Performing the ceremony on behalf of the Superintendent of Grand Bassa County, Mr. Janjay Baikpeh, the Assistant Superintendent for Development urged the Commissioner to be a leader but not a ruler.
He said once the Commissioner performs his role as a leader, his working relationship will always be in the interest of his people that he is leading.
The Development Superintendent said in order for a nation to develop, it depends on good leaders that govern the people.
The Harlandsville Township Commissioner, Mr. Ben Greaves vowed to work in the interest of the township and the citizens.
He said that his leadership will not be a weak one but a strong one that will work in the interest of his people.
Mr. Greaves promised to extend his leadership in all the towns and villages because Big Joe Town is not only Harlandsville.
The Commissioner further stated that he will fully work on the regulation that governs the township and at the same time, work to address the many constrains the people are facing in the township.
“My fellow citizens, I know the many constrains you are facing in the Upper Harlandsville, there are many companies operating in the Harlandsville Township but their presence cannot be felt,” the newly inducted Commissioner stated.
“I have come to help in the process that these companies in the township will be able to employ the young people and train them. I will not sit here and my people continue to suffer, the road should be in a good condition for the next rainy season,” Mr.. Greaves added.
According to him, there is no record from his predecessor that showed that those logging companies have placed one hand pump in any village, “I stand to be corrected but I have received numerous complaints from all these villages that those companies are not doing anything for them.”
The Commissioner further said that he is aware that his people do not sleep at night along the road when those logging companies are transporting their logs to the port of Buchanan.
“We say this time”, according to the Commissioner, “this administration is going to implement the law on the book by assigning time limit to you so that our people along this Big Joe Town road can have bed rest.”, Mr.. Greaves stressed.
“We have come to work with every community leader, the youth group, the elders, the chiefs and the women group to make sure the Pro –Poor Agenda under this administration is achieved”, the Commissioner added.
Also speaking, Grand Bassa County District # 3 Representative Matthew Joe called on the Commissioner to make his leadership an inclusion of the people.
Rep. Joe said that making the leadership inclusive will promote his activities and foster development in the township.
The Lawmaker said once the citizens are willing to work with him, he should include them for the development of the township.
He urged the Commissioner to make the citizens to be involved in the decision making process of the township.
Citizens Views on the induction
Mr. Alfred Zondoe, Acting Superintendent of the Buchanan Red Light Market gave thanks and appreciation to Hon. Ben Greaves for his induction as Commissioner of the Township.
“I am very happy for him to become Commissioner of the Township. I want to assure him that my marketers and I will support his administration,”,Mr. Zondoe said.
Mr. Eugene U. Tarr of Watco Camp Community commended the Commissioner for speaking on the corporate social responsibility of these companies especially the logging companies operating in the township.
“I think those companies will be challenged on what to do like for example in providing safe drinking water for the people. These are things we been pushing in the past for those affected villages and towns to get some just benefits from those companies,” said the community leader, Eugene.
For his part, Mr. Francis Z. Myers of Tarr Bar Community expressed appreciation to the commissioner for excelling to this position and promised that they will work with him to develop the township.
Also speaking was Mr. J. Paygar Jackson of New Buchanan Community. He expressed the hope that the Commissioner will be able to implement the law he met on the book to benefit them.
President George Weah in March 2018 appointed Mr. Benjamin Greaves as Commissioner of the Harlandsville Township in Grand Bassa County.
Hon. Greaves was confirmed by the Liberian Senate on September 17, 2018.
He succeeded Mr. Robert Hodges who served as Commissioner of the Harlandsville Township under the regime of Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.