Liberia’s pioneer cement company, Cemenco has established a sub-office in Harper City, Maryland County, the first in southeast Liberia. Cemenco Management opened the sub-office on Monday, April 26, 2021 at their newly established facility near Harper Stadium Road in Maryland.
The occasion brought together government officials including Maryland County Electoral Distric#1 Representative P. Mike Jury, County Superintendent George A. Proud, mayors of Pleebo and Harper cities, officials of the Liberia Marketing Association, the Human Resource Manager of both Cavalla Rubber Cooperation and the Maryland Oil Palm Plantation, the Muslim community and County Attorney, among others. Cemenco Regional Manager Mr. Robert O. Marshall, lauded citizens, including officials of government for gracing the ceremony.
He noted that the extension to the county followed several surveys, which informed management about the need to provide access to the public. Mr. Marshall said although the venture would face constraints in terms of transportation to the southeast because of bad roads, price for a bag of cement in the southeast will be different from rivals in the industry.
Mr. Marshall disclosed the Liberian Cement Cooperation will sell the product for a minimum cost of US$9.50.
He added the company has already secured a vessel to regularly transport the cement to the region.
The regional manager of the Liberian cement industry has called on the citizens to take advantage of the greatest opportunity while at the same time calling on the Maryland County district#1 Representative P. Mike Jury to speak on their behalf concerning the costs charged for transporting the cement from Monrovia to the southeast.
For his part, Maryland County Electoral district#1 Representative P. Mike Jury, has commended the Liberian cement cooperation for extending its regional office in the southeast.
The Maryland County district#1 Representative noted that the decentralization of the Liberian cement cooperation with help to improve the infrastructure development in Maryland county.
Representative Jury continue that, over the years, the price of cement has been high because the government hasn’t been in the position to check some of those dealers due to the constraints in bring goods to the southeast base on roads connectivity.
Representative Jury said the initiative to bring cement to the people at a reasonable price is good and a great opportunity for the Maryland market.Pleebo City Mayor Kyen said although the coming of Cemenco to Maryland is a great help but land space in the district has been a major challenge.
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Mayor Kyen disclosed that the total land space of Pleebo City is about 700,000 hectares, noting that the entire land space has been taken away by the Cavalla Rubber Cooperation.
He noted that several recommendations had been made to the government and the Cavalla Rubber Cooperation to provide a little land space to the people of Pleebo, but there has been no response.
He called on Representative Jury to take this appeal before the Maryland Legislative Caucus for consideration.
At the same time, Maryland County Superintendent Proud has appreciated the Management of the Liberian Cement Cooperation for the move and promised that local authorities of the county will work in line with the Maryland Legislative Caucus to engage the government on charges at the Port of Harper for transporting commodities via sea.
Ordinary citizens in the county lauded the Government of Liberia for the initiative, which they noted will help in improving their living condition because high cost of cement bag had deprived them of embarking on construction.
By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County– Editing by Jonathan Browne
