-Weah talks tough
Kokoya, Bong County- President George M. Weah says his Government will not succumb to threats from any company or investors, while promising that his administration will revisit every concession agreement signed under the previous regime.
Responding to a claim that a lodging company known as Alpha Lodging has threaten to pull out of the country over the poor condition of a bridge during a Town Hall meeting in David Dean’s Town, Kokoya District, Bong County, Saturday, President Weah said if the company wants to leave because of bridge, it can leave.
“I don’t believe what was said but if it is true then they (company) needs to rethink…Our Government will not be afraid of any company because of Bridge. We will find company that is willing to build a bridge and stay.” Said president Weah.
“If a company will wants to leave because of a little bridge, then we have lawmakers that should be looking for another company to make bridge and stay,” he added.
However, President Weah was quick to point out that on the other hand “if it is our responsibility to make sure that the bridge is fixed and the road is good then we need to sit and see how we can move forward. But they cannot abandon a contract and our country because of a little bridge that can be fixed.”
“So we have to go back and revisit this document. So we can alter this document to make sure it benefits our people,” the president noted.He pointed out that people needed to be serious on what they do in the interest of the country and the people.
The president’s comments was in response to Kokoyah District Marketing Superintendent Madam Martha Zarkpa who informed the President that the bridge linking Bong and other parts of the district was in bad ship.
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She alleged that the current state of the bridge was due to impact from the Mittal Steels train impact that shock the bridge. Madam Zarkpa, further claimed that the bad condition of the bridge has impacted trade in the area negatively.
“The road that leave from Bong County to St. Johns is where the food comes from, but because of that bridge there is no help. SO we ask you to repair that bridge for us. Alpha Lodging is leaving because of that bridge.” Madam Zarkpa explained.
“We have to be clear that this our country and we cannot be spectators in our own country. So don’t let anybody scare you.” He opined. “We want to work with everybody but we will not work under threat,” he noted.
In this regard, the president promised that his administration will review all concession documents to ensure their benefits for the country.-Othello B. Garblah
