By Moses M. Tokpah,mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia-In an effort to address the educational needs of several Liberian students in Margibi and its environs, the Chairman of the Salala Agricultural Workers Union (SAWU) in Weala, Margibi County says he is providing about L$1.3M scholarship for over three hundred students.
Mr. Old-man Kollie in an interview with newsmen in Weala over the weekend disclosed that the scholarship scheme is a way of developing the minds of the young people.
According to Mr. Kollie, he came from poor background and as such his own way of giving is to invest in the education of people and not to give money to any individual for pleasure.
“That will make a mark; if you educate a man they will not continue to come to you for money they will get their own education and they will get their own job that will carry them too, if I take the one million dollar today I divide it to everybody it will not make a mark so if I pump it in the education sector it will make a mark,” he explained.
The SAWU Chairman predicts that Liberia will not progress when the educational needs of the young people are not addressed. If the minds of the people are developed, they will change their way of doing things stating, ‘if you don’t do it like that you will not have anything done as a leader’, the head of the Salala Agricultural Workers Union said.
Mr. Kollie stated that unlike during the 2018/2019 academic year that he paid about one million Liberian dollars for over two hundred students, the amount has risen to approximately L$1.3M this academic year for three hundred students because the desirous of students wanting to acquire education continues to increase every year.
This year’s scholarship scheme covers kindergarten, high school and University students indicating that students that are attending the Cuttington Junior College in Kakata, the State run University (University of Liberia) and a newly established University in Salala are benefiting from the initiative.
Old-man Kollie has meanwhile revealed that since his ascendency as Chairman of the Salala Agricultural Workers Union, his leadership has negotiated with the management of the Salala Rubber Corporation on several issues. They include the provision of Ambulance, extension of the Clinic and the construction of a canteen for due payers (staff).
Through their negotiation, the Company is expected to construct 27 Units pit latrine.