PHOTO: Partial view of Kpolokkpala Town
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Many citizens in Kpolokpala Town, Jorquelleh District #2, Bong County say they have been neglected by the county authorities as they vowed to stay away from the pending by-election in the district and other future elections.
Kpolokpala is approximately 16 miles from Gbarnga City, with thousands of registered voters. And Bong County itself is situated 169 kilometers east of Monrovia.
The citizens, speaking through their Town Chief, Kollie Flomo stated that for too long, residents of Kpolokpala and nearby towns and villages have voted politicians into power, but all they get at the end is pains from the very people they elect in return.
Chief Flomo said it’s very disappointing to elect people into public positions and forget those that get them in such positions.
“After consultations with our chiefs, elders, women groups, youths and other stakeholders here, we have decided to stay away from the pending by-election and any other future elections until our local county authorities and the central government can adequately address our plight,” said the Kpolokpala Town Chief.
“We can’t continue to stands in the sun and rain electing people that are not in our interest. When problem comes our way they abandoned us. We are sick and tired with this nonsense.”
So, there will be no votes for the pending Representative by-election in Jorquelleh District#2 in Kpolokpala Town. Chief Flomo and his town people, family, friends and neighbors will stay home, returning the same treatment they have been receiving from the elected officials, complete abandonment.
Gormah Kollie, a resident of Kpolokpala, confirmed that she and her family, friends, and neighbors have unanimously agreed to stay away from any future election due to what she called complete marginalization by the local and central government.
Their more recent grievance is the recent violent storm that hit and caused a serious humanitarian situation in the area, leaving over 150 residents homeless.
The storm disaster according to community dwellers was followed by a torrential rainfall and thunder strikes that lasted for several hours.
At least 48 houses in Kpolokpala were left damaged with occupants now displaced. Many families affected are sleeping outdoor as locals struggle to deal with its aftermath.
Since the incident happened early March 2021, according to them the county authorities are yet to render some assistance to the community, something they described as heartless.
Despite the refusal of the county authorities to provide the Kpolokpala storm victims assistances, three sons of the district have visited and aided the residents.
Edward Emmanuel Gboe presented to the community 10 bundle of zine, James Tartor, 10,000.00 Liberian dollars, Joe Better 8,000.00 Liberian dollars including a nongovernmental organization operating in the county provided them the sum of 20,000.00 Liberian dollars as an initial contributions with a promised to do more.
Just besides the violent storm disaster, Kpolokpala twom lacks several others developments including the lacks of safe drinking water, bad road connectivity, among others.
This www.newspublictrust.com Reporter, who toured the terrain quoted the citizens as saying, pregnant women are carried in hammocks or on motorbikes to nearby clinics for delivery; this situation sometimes leads to the deaths of the pregnant women during childbirth.
Nyamah Mulbah, a resident of Kpolokpala town said that a pregnant woman was recently transported from the area to the C.B. Dunbar Maternity hospital in Gbarnga due to the lack of a health facility and while on their way, the woman gave birth in the middle of the road.
Many other women will face the same fate if nothing is done to remedy the situation.