Monrovia – Nimba County District 6 Representative Dorwohn Twain Gleekia has accused Monrovia Development and Management Cooperation (MDMC) of not living up to a contractual agreement entered into with the Government of Liberia to rehabilitate the road connecting Saclepea and Tappita cities.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
In a communication to the Plenary of the House of Representatives on Thursday, June 28, Hon. Gleekia petitioned his colleagues to invite the MDMC management headed by John Youboty to state why the company is not abiding by the contractual agreement.
He said the firm’s action is affecting the free flow of vehicles plying the route, thereby causing a serious setback to commuters and residents in the area.
He informed his colleagues that the current condition of the road is deplorable have stuck vehicles in the mud for weeks.
Patients that are being referred to the Jackson F. Doe Referral Hospital in Tappita are transported in hammocks and wheelbarrows, he said.
MDMC, following the passage of the recast budget in March this year, was contracted by the government to rehabilitate and maintain the road in order to prevent it from becoming impassable during the rainy season.
The Nimba County lawmaker said all efforts exerted by his office to ascertain details about the project from Mr. Youboty and find an amicable solution were fruitless.
He alleged that the MDMC boss refused to pick his calls or honor his invitation.
Rep. Gleekia: “He (Youboty) deliberately refused to honor our efforts in helping him address the issue of his inability to maintain the road owing to the inadequacy of machines for the needed work. Mr. Youboty has also advertently disregarded efforts by Public Works Minister, Mabutu Nyepan and Nimba County Superintendent, Dorr Cooper in handling the situation.”
“Honorable Speaker, Deputy Speaker, esteemed colleagues; we see this unorthodox behavior of Mr. Youboty as an attempt to undermine our interest and effort in carrying out our constitutional duty when we joined the President in committing ourselves to the maintenance of the said road with the passage of the US$2 million in the recast budget.”
‘Living in hell’
Residents of Tappita are said to be feeling the pinch as prices of basic commodities including rice, gasoline and oil have skyrocketed due to the deplorable road condition.
This is impeding the movements of vehicles carrying goods from Monrovia to the area.
Residents of that part of Nimba County had hoped that the awarding of the contract to the local construction company would ease the situation during the raining season, but it appears that this year’s monsoon will be of no difference as compared to previous wet seasons.
The price of a bag of rice in the county is now L$3,000.00; a gallon of cooking oil is L$800; while gasoline is sold at LD$750.00 per gallon.
“I think we are not living in Liberia anymore. We are living in hell now. The price of everything in this place has gone up. Rice is sold for LD$3,000.00, gas is now LD$750 and we are buying a single cooking vita for Ls$10,” said Lovetee Sonkarlay, a local trader.
Many local business people in the area are now losing their investments due to the heavy loses they are incurring. Transporting goods to Tappita and other parts of the district has become more tedious.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa, some local business people called on the government to terminate the contract with MDMC and hire another firm that is capable to work on the road.
Nelson Vaye, a shop owner in Tappita, said MDMC doesn’t have the capacity and equipment to work on major roads.
“Let our leaders intervene and terminate this contract and give it to a construction company that is able to do the work properly,” Vaye said.