Ganta Embarks on Modernization Project

Major roads rehabilitation and opening of streets is currently taking place in Ganta City, Nimba County. The lay out process which is being carried out by the City Corporation is intended to bond major streets of the city with the main road.

Speaking to journalist in Ganta, Nimba County over the weekend, Ganta City Mayor David Door Cooper said the opening and expansion of streets in the city is also intended to make residents of the city have access to free flow of traffic in the populated city.

This opening and expansion will enable people at the outskirt of the city to pay less transportation and quickly get to the main business area of the city. City Mayor Cooper believes the City Corporation self-initiative will attract others who believe in their dream of developing the area.

He expressed gladness about the cooperation the GCC is receiving from citizens whose structures are being damaged in the exercise saying they are all happy seeing the streets being laid out in their communities.

The Ganta City Corporation boss maintained that there is no compensation for those whose houses and other structures were being damaged saying the corporation does not have the capacity to pay compensation to the residents.

“We have absolutely no money to pay to those people, this is the GCC own initiative in term of development. There should be give and take” he stated. He disclosed that there are plans by the City Corporation to construct a city hall to give the city another face look.

Mr. Cooper said citizens of Ganta residing in the Diasporas have agreed to support the process and that the needed funding is being mobilized to jumpstart the construction process.

He said he has maintained contact with citizens of Ganta living abroad commending them for the continuous commitment and concern they continue to show for their home city. He named Ganta as a non-sleeping city calling on the county authorities to lend their support to the ongoing process.

Some residents who spoke to this paper welcome the idea of laying and expanding streets in Ganta, but called for compensation for their structures that were being destroyed along the streets.

The Ganta residents added that why it is true that they believe in the development of their community, there should be resettlement benefits to enable them relocate without finding difficulties. One resident said she has absolutely no where to go as her structure was destroyed by the bull dozers.

The equipment being used for the process are machines that were purchased by the County authorities to carry out development in the county especially the rehabilitation and construction of roads to connect various districts and towns.

The Nimba County Infrastructure Project equipment has been welcome by citizens in the county, but was parked in the county due to disagreement between county authorities and law makers of the county.