Bong Citizens Laud NTA

Exactly one year and two weeks since it opened the Gbarnga-Monrovia route, hundreds of Bong County Citizens are commending the National Transit Authority or NTA for what they called rescuing them from the exploitation they endured under the Federation of Road Transports Union or FRTUL prior to the opening of the Monrovia-Gbarnga route.

Speaking to this paper recently in Gbarnga, Bong County, the citizens said they preferred riding on board the NTA buses to get to Monrovia or Gbarnga because the buses are not just much economical but spacious and comfortable.

The Citizens explained that what they highly appreciate is the LD$250.00 charged by the NTA, an amount that is far better than the LD$400.00 charged at the FRTUL Park in the county. “We do not have money to spoil. Some of us really suffer to get money, so we go for quality and affordable services like the NTA,” laments Usmah Dialloh a local trader in Gbarnga.

Recently, Cooper Doloquin the Chief inspector of the Bong County branch of the FRTUL told this paper that NTA is speedily taking the union out of business. He attributed the low coast of LD$250.00 NTA charged for passengers commuting from Gbarnga to Monrovia to what he calls his union’s downfall.

But the citizens believe the NTA has contributed immensely to the government Poverty Reduction Strategy or PRS by charging almost half of what FRTUL charges since it introduced this route.

“It is time for all Liberians to rally support for NTA so that other citizens in different parts of Liberia can benefit from the quality services we the Bong citizens are enjoying,” asserts Lorpu Kolleh a trader in Bong County. The Federation of Road transports Union of Liberia or FRTUL is however, seeking a joint operation with the National Transit Authority or NTA.

But James Harris a conductor on one of the NTA buses says Private activities can in no way supersede public activities, clarifying that there is no controllable form of transit in Liberia. The NTA as a government institution is charged with the responsibility of providing quality and affordable transit services for all Liberians across the country.