Bong County – The standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party, Vice President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, was overwhelmingly endorsed Friday, December 23rd, by citizens of Bong Mines, lower Bong County, after he had dedicated a ferry for residents of both Bong and Gbarpolu Counties.
The ferry, which is the first of its kind to be initiated at the Dankema crossing point in Keller Town, Haindi will serve nearly 100 major towns and villages on both banks of the St Paul River.
Those towns and villages, comprise nearly 75,000 residents in the five clans of Fuama District. The ferry, over the St Paul River, is mainly stationed in Dobli Clan, which contains towns like Mgobeimu, Keneta, Gbanjata, Luketa, etc.
The St Paul River is one of Liberia’s six major rivers.
The Dankema ferry is just one of six ferries that the Veep has initiated across the country long before the political season began in Liberia.
Speaking to this newspaper via mobile phone, prominent Fuama District sons, who didn’t attend the brief ceremony because they hadn’t been told in time, including Dr. Andrew Allakamenin, head of Salala, Sanoyea, and Fuamah Districts Development Solidarity Incorporated (SASAFU), which is a development-oriented advocacy organization that also unites the residents of those communities, stated how pleased they are with the project.
Dr. Allakamenin: “We want to thank the Vice President for this gesture. This is a great help for our people in that part of Lower Bong County.”
The SASAFU head also stated that it didn’t come as a surprise to him as the UP Standard Bearer and his running mate, House Speaker James Emmanuel Nuquay, are philanthropists, who have and are carrying on many charitable ventures for Liberians.
Dr. Allakamenin, along with his SASAFU Secretary General, Mr. Yarkpai Keller, hoped that Liberians are going to look between the two candidates going to the runoff and elect the VP, who, according to them, is the most competent and qualified to lead Liberia now.
Another of their sons, Mr. Johnny Bookai, stated that the Veep’s gesture is going to open the economic activities of those communities.
“Mining activities are happening in that area. This is a blessing for our people, who come every Tuesday to the market.
Our people, for generations, used canoes to cross the river. Some times those canoes capsized and there is lost of lives; but this time, it won’t just happened,” he stressed.
Following the brief ceremony, as Veep Boakai left the scene, he was constrained to make several stops along the way as residents flooded and lined the narrow road from Haindi to Bong Mines.
Every stop he made, those jubilant Liberians, promised to vote for him on Tuesday, December 26th.
The Vice President urged all Liberians, especially the young people, to vote and do it wisely. The UP Standard Bearer was also forced to stop in Kakata, Margibi County and Totota, Bong County.
When he arrived in Gbarnga, Bong County late last night, the Veep headed straight for the Radio Gbarnga, where he was interviewed on a live phone-in show. He had the opportunity to answer most of the “myths” surrounding his personal life and the campaign.
Before he left Bong County for Nimba on Saturday, December 23rd, he visited the Bong Athletic and Social Intellectual Center, where he also interacted with young people of the county.
The Veep stressed on the importance of education and promised to make it one of his main pillars.