Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – Authorities in Grand Bassa County have given signal for the rehabilitation of several community roads in Buchanan city after the project management committee (PMC) broke grounds last Friday for the start of official work.
The move to recondition the secondary roads comes after several complaints by residents.
They have called for the use of funds earmarked during the last county development council sitting.
Communities of the port city have grown frustrated by the deplorable roads.
They blamed the entire county leadership Including the County legislative caucus for the situation, and recently threatened to boycott the upcoming elections.
Wah Bedell, Chairman of the project management committee (PMC) said the roads are deplorable because of delays in receiving funds from the national government through the Ministry of Finance.
Bedell disclosed on August 4 during the ground breaking that some funds have already been released by government, some of which, he said is being use to rehabilitate the community roads.
He said the county received US$100,000 to implement development projects in the county.
This is a portion of US$250,000 annual county development fund allotted to the county.
“Over forty thousand United States dollars will be used on the rehabilitation of the community roads in the county,” Bedell said, adding that the project “would be executed to standard requirement and will cover drainages where necessary”.
Bedell also expressed optimism that the roads, when completed, would have a lot of social economic benefits on the lives of people in the county.
Upper Buchanan road, Fairgrounds road, and Four Houses community road are amongst several other roads that will be rehabilitated, he said.
The PMC chair announced that Becsen Group of Companies has been contracted to implement the project.
“Becsen Group of Companies was one of the road companies that bided for the contract and was successful due to the good works they’ve been doing in other parts of Liberia,” he said.
Ben C.T Becsen, the company’s general manager, promised to do “a good job for the people of Buchanan,” because they “believe in proving themselves in a positive direction when they are trusted with a piece of job”.
“The firm is expected to complete four kilometers of roads in Buchanan but the rainy season is posing challenge.
“This might hamper the project, which should be done in two months, the firm said.
“Though working on roads are difficult but we are going to take our own time to do the rehabilitation of the roads in this county because we all are Liberians and I want my hand mark to be properly felt after the project is completed,” Mr. Becsen.
He called for “trust in Liberian-own companies because they can do better as compare to other foreign companies in the country”.
“We can hold heartedly do good jobs for our brothers and sisters because this is the only country we have and we should be a part of the development process of Liberia when we are contracted to do our best,” he said.
Elton Wrionbee Tiah, FPA Contributor