-Shows Weah what they can do
Buchanan, Grand Bassa County- Rather than unveiling a laundry list of “we want you to please do this and that for us”, citizens of Grand Bassa County on Wednesday presented to President George Weah what they have been able to achieve over the last three years through their county’s social development fund.
The County established in 1839, is located in the West central part of Liberia. It is bordered by Margibi County to the northwest, Bong County to the north, Nimba County to the east, and Rivercess County to the south and east. The western part of Grand Bassa borders the Atlantic Ocean.
The county has eight districts with Buchanan serving as its political capital. Its area measures 7,936 square kilometres (3,064 sq mi). As of the 2008 Census, it had a population of 224,839, making it the fifth most populous county in Liberia and the political capital to Monrovia.
The county is also the second largest port in the country and hosts Arcelor-Mittal Steel Company which agreed to provide US$1 million each year to the county for iron ore exploitation.
President Weah, whose grandparents are from Grand Bassa, got 74.4% of the total votes cast from the 2017 run-off presidential election.
Unlike the rest of the 11 counties visited so far by President Weah during his county tour, with officials rolling out long lists full of requests for his intervention, the citizens of Grand Bassa through their Superintendent Janjay Baikpeh read out a long list of projects that have been undertaken or are ongoing by the county.
Mr. Baikpeh named clinics, schools, recreation centers and bridges among others that officials are applying their county’s development fund to undertake.
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Mr. Baikpeh did not only list those projects, but displayed photographs of the projects as an exhibit to President Weah, indicating that the county is ready to move ahead with its development agenda.
However, the county officials requested that the central government augment their effort as it relates to the construction of a bridge linking the Grand Bassa Community College and Buchannan.
Responding, President Weah who was overwhelmed by the huge reception he had received from the people of Bassa and how well they had presented themselves, informed them that his administration would make immediate intervention on the bridge.
He thanked the people of Bassa, as he had been doing in counties visited so far for reposing their confidence in him to lead the country.
Mr. Weah asked the Bassa of people to check his record, adding that he has never been a failure and that he will never fail them.
“Check my record, every job you gave me to do I have done them well,” he said. Calling out his Public Works Minister, President Weah turned and said: “Check the bridge so that the children can have access to school.”
He promised the people of Bassa that upon his departure from the county, a team will visit the area to provide streetlights in the city as part of the government’s own initiatives as the people await the rolling out of the West Africa Power Poll lines, which has a substation near Buchanan.
Mr. Weah told the Bassa people to pray against hindrance to the peace of the nation. He said this will enable development to spread across the country. “When we are not peaceful, our work will be difficult.” By Othello B. Garblah
