By Tokpa Tarnue- tarnue82@gmail.com
Foya – An opposition Lawmaker from Lofa County representing District #1 in House of Representatives, Francis Sakila Nyumalin has made a passionate call for the promotion of peace and reconciliation.
Foya is more than 453 kilometers northwest of the Liberian capital, Monrovia.
Rep. Nyumalin, who is a nephew of former Vice President Joseph Boakai, made the call in Foya in northwestern Liberia on January 3, 2019, when he presented his legislative report to his constituents.
He recounted the rift brought about over contestation of the previous bi-elections in his district that preceded the October 2017 representative and presidential elections.
He said following the February 28, 2018 representative bi-election and the subsequent resolution of the protest filed to the National Elections Commission (NEC) by one of the candidates, which lasted for nearly a month, he finally joined the House during the 53rd National Legislature in its 6th session on March 23, 2017.
He underscored the crucial need for peace and reconciliation both locally and nationally, in order to pursue various development projects.
“I am immensely grateful to the people of this electoral district for the furtherance of their demonstrated confidence previously reposed in my by overwhelmingly giving me a new mandate for a period of six years, following the presidential and legislative elections which witnessed a difficult and unprecedented moment in the young democracy of our Nation Liberia,” the Lofa County Lawmaker noted.
Mr. Nyumalin informed his people that during the period under review, there were a total of 106 Sittings by the 53rd National Legislature.
“Of that number, we had 57 Regular Open Sittings, 43 Executive Sittings and 6 Special Sittings,” he told his people.
He said during the period under review, and in fulfillment of his campaign promises, he was able to have undertaking few infrastructure development interventions to improve the social and economic standard of his people.
The Foya Community Bank (MC 2), the construction of the Central New Foya Bridge, Hand Pumps located in Kparndonia and Kpasialoe communities and the ongoing construction of a three (3) class room junior high annex in Sadou Town, Luankorlee Clan were among development initiatives the Lofa District #1 Rep cited.
Touching on his Scholarship Scheme, Rep. Nyumalin informed the gartering that he has succeeded in the recruitment of ninety-five (95) young man and women who are currently enrolled at various institutions of higher learning. They include the Lofa County Community College, with 53 Students; Cuttington University has one student; nine scholarship students are at the Booker Washington Institute (BWI); 30 at the University of Liberia; and the Smyth Institute of Management and Technology has 2 students.
According to him, it is important to seriously pursue reconciliation and peacebuilding at the end of every electoral cycle, adding that this cannot be overemphasized.
The Lofa District #1 Rep. expressed thanks to Paramount Chief Momo Taylor and his chiefs for their timely intervention in organizing dialogue fora that have helped in keeping Foya District peaceful.
Rep. Nyumalin was optimistic about the future of both Lofa County and Liberia at large.
He went on to explain what he means by that:
“It is also my dream, my desire and my ultimate objective and goal to see the Liberian Government, this administration, under the gavel of authority of His Excellency President George Manneh Weah, through annual fiscal budgetary appropriations, in collaboration with our national and International development partners and the people of Foya District, accomplish the following; (1) construction and full-fledged establishment of the Foya Polytechnic Institute; (2) construction of a modern standard administration building and a Statutory Superintendent Compound; (3) establishment of three additional government high schools in the strategic locations of Upper Waum Clan, Upper Tengia Clan and Lower Tengia Clan respectively; (4) the layout of Foya City consistent with modern city standards; the creation of modern cemetery so as to end the burial of human corps between houses in the city; (6) construction of modern water facility that will provide pipe born water to the residence of Foya city; (7) expansion of the Bayama Health Center (maternity waiting hall and inpatient department) to cope with the influx of patients and to improve the health care delivery system of the district; (8) the establishment of a centralized science laboratory for all high schools in the district; (9) the electrification of at least Foya City; (10) the acquisition of low level technology agricultural machinery so as to improve the agriculture sector, food production being a priority; (11) the acquisition of earth moving equipment to improve and expand our farm to market roads network; (12) the construction of a modern sports and recreation center so as to address the growing needs of our young people who account for the largest portion of our population” He outlined.
In separate remarks, Chiefs, elders, youth and women of Foya praised Rep. Nyumalian for his report that they said reflected all parts of the district.
They promised to work in line with their Lawmaker in his dreams a reality for the betterment of their district.
The program was held at the Tamba Lamin Taylor Council Hall in Foya city.