By Tokpa Tarnue, tarnue82@gmail.com
VOINJAMA, Liberia- Residents of Voinjama City in Liberia’s northwestern Lofa have cheerfully greeted the return of the bus service of the National Transit Authority (NTA), after a long period of absence.
People in this area, which is situated 244 miles or 387 kilometers from Monrovia, were on Friday, January 31, 2020 seen celebrating the return of the much anticipated Voinjama – Monrovia “NTA Bus”.
A used bus from the NATIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (NTA), surprisingly entered Voinjama City over the week end.
According to officials of the NTA, the resumption of the NTA services to the county is to help ease the high cost of transportation from Voinjama to Monrovia, which is currently at $4,000 to $4,500 Liberian Dollars.
The NTA service is expected to be provided on a weekly basis for now, with plans to increase the number of buses based on the intake of passengers.
Commuters are currently being charged the amount of $3,000 Liberian Dollars from Voinjama City to Monrovia and $2,500 Liberian Dollars from Zorzor City to Monrovia.
The jubilant citizens in upper Lofa County thanked the Liberian Government headed by Dr. George Weah for easing their transportation difficulties, recently.
They lamented that the arrival of the bus will minimize taxi drivers over charge them on a daily basis from Voinjama to Monrovia.
The locals here however pleaded with the government for additional bus on the Voinjama to Foya highway, which they said will be a big boost to the economy.
The residents also told this Reporter that they’ll ensure that the NTA bus plying their route is maintained and that trouble makers are turned over to Liberian National Police the (LNP).
The NTA Bus had been out of the route for more than a year, as a result of the deplorable road condition at the close of President Sirleaf’s regime.
President George Weah’s CDC government recently benefited from a donation of 45 new buses from India. Officials say this was made possible through his intervention and advocacy to solve the transportation problems of the Liberian Populace.
At a recent visit to the county, a team from the National Transit Authority, headed by its Managing Director Harbie McCauley, disclosed that the resumption of the NTA service is part of government’s decentralization policy.