Monrovia – Three of Liberia’s most powerful leaders of the incoming government are from the Southeast of the country where lack of development has deprived the people of the five counties all tastes of modern life for decades.
Report by Alpha Daffae Senkpeni – [email protected]
The election of President-elect George Manneh Weah, originally of Grand Kru County, Senate Pro-Temp Albert Chie, also of Grand Kru County and House Speaker Bhofal Chambers of Maryland have rejuvenated the expectations of many people in the region.
The Legacy of W.V.S. Tubman
It’s been over 46 years since William V.S. Tubman’s rule ended in 1971.
President Tubman, who also hailed from Maryland County, was Liberia’s longest serving leader.
During his tenure from January 3, 1944 to July 23, 1971, Liberia made some significant economic progress following his introduction of the Open Door Policy as part of a free enterprise system that witnessed the influx of several multilateral companies coming into the country in order to encourage economic growth.
He is also remembered for his approach on deepening national unification by reconciling the interests of indigenous Liberians and the Americo-Liberians.
Although Liberia made some economic progress and modernization under his watch, Tubman was later criticized for his wasteful spending and lavish lifestyle, which included frequent travels.
He is still remembered in the region for prioritizing development and leaving behind some of the best infrastructure still visible today.
Many infrastructure built during Tubman’s regime in the region have now deteriorated.
Ruined Infrastructure, Roads, Health and Social Services
The area has some of the oldest settlements in the history of Liberia but remains very underdeveloped.
A FrontPage Africa report in August 2017 focusing on one of the oldest districts in the country in Grand Kru County showed how the area has been abandoned by national government, prompting residents to call it a “country on its own,” that is in dire straits, forgotten by their lawmakers, the government and humanity.
In many rural Southeastern towns pregnant women and others seeking medical care have to trek for hours to the clinic, some times they ride in canoe and cross rivers to have access to medical services.
Power Returns to Southeastern Region
It’s over 46 years since the end of the Tubman’s regime and less than two months after the closed of the 2017 election period, national power is now tilting back to the Southeastern region.
In Pleebo Sodoken District, the constituency Speaker Chambers represents at the House, locals’ expectations have started flaring high.
Chambers has made history for been the first person or lawmaker from Pleebo to be elected as speaker of the legislature, his constituents said.
They are hopeful that the new administration would help curb some of the long time challenges affecting the region. Bad roads, poor health care service and education are some of their top priorities.
Nathaniel Toe, Maryland County Assistant Superintendent for Developments, told the Local Voices Liberia network reporter on Monday that, “it is time for the county to be delivered since the regime of late President Tubman ended decades ago”.
The ascendency of Speaker Chambers on Monday sparked wide spread jubilations across the district, where he has represented since 2005 at the Legislature.
High Expectations Loom
“The expectations in District #2 is that Representative Chambers has been advocating over the past 12 years and things have not been working fine for them so they are saying that since he has taken the speakership he will now do all what he’s been advocating for,” explains Michael Wroh, a reporter with Voice of Pleebo in Maryland County.
Wroh said people in district #3 and #1 of the county are now calling on Speaker Chambers to initiate a reconciliation drive amongst lawmakers in the county, which he said has led to the underdevelopment of the county.
Said Wroh: “When we speak to people on our radio, they stress that it is now Southeast opportunity and that when these top three officials don’t consider the interest of the region it means that the region will never improve because the region has been marginalized for the past 12 years. They are expecting a lot from the new administration.”
In Greenville, Sinoe County, many people say “the Southeast in blessed” to have three of its sons occupying major positions in the new government.
“So they expect development to take place in the Southeast since they have their own brothers and sons that are now holding top positions in government,” said Maxx Klah, a radio talk show host at Voice of Sinoe in Greenville city.
He said the expectation varies in the county, as some people are hopeful that the price of a bag of rice – Liberia’s staple food – would reduce significantly.
“Some are calling on the government to prioritize roads and education because when you have a better road network in the Southeast, the price of commodities will drop,” Klah said.
In Monrovia, Southeasterners are also optimistic that the region would be impacted under the new government.
“All of the cries directed at the President-elect during the election and lawmakers were the need for good roads and not just any kind (of good roads) we want to pave roads from Grand Bassa to Sinoe and to Maryland Counties. Roads are very important,” said Alex Noah, a native of the region who is also a Staff of the Liberian senate.
For Christian K. Wlejleh, Legislative Research Analyst for Senator Milton Teahjay of Sinoe County, he is happy that the “South easterners are being looked at when it comes to positions of our country in this new government.”
He, too, wants the government to prioritize road construction in the region because “that has been the major challenge of us from the southeast”.
“We believe when there is road the issue of transportation will be reduced and people will bring their crops and farm produce to the market,” Wlejleh said.
Added Myer Kolo Gbarwea: “This is an opportunity afforded the south east so that the first six years or three years to have road connectivity across the south east and all parts of Liberia that have had the challenge of road connectivity”.
Reporter Henry Karmo Contributed to this story