Monrovia – Two members of the Legislature are in disagreement over the status of Gbi-Doru, a constituency occupied by a small and little known group of people who settled in Liberia years back with one of them accusing the other of masterminding protest actions against the Gbi’s Citizens.
Report by Willie N. Tokpah – [email protected]
Nimba County Senator Thomas Grupee recently pointed accusing fingers at his colleague, Senator Francis Paye for inciting the people of Gbi-Doru against the Legislative Caucus of Nimba.
Gbi-Doru is located within Nimba County and shares a border with Rivercess County, but people of that region have always complained of being marginalized by government, pointing blame on the Nimba County Legislative Caucus.
In one instance, a spokesperson of the people of Gbi-Doru Alvin Clarke accused government of looking down on his kinsmen relative to appointments in government while at the same time, he registered that his constituent is yet to benefit from county development fund.
Clarke lamented that it would be better for his kinsmen to return to Rivercess County, where they were once situated before a demarcation sent them to Nimba.
“It will be better for us to return to Rivercess, because we lack basic necessities such as quality education, healthcare and good road network. I think going to Rivercess will enable us benefit from development because the people of Gbi-Doru have cried for so long.”
“Maybe government is taking advantage of our population, but we have educated people who are competent to work in government”, Clarke maintained.
But Senator Grupee is accusing Senator Paye as the invisible hand behind the intellectual fight by the Gbi-Doru Citizens to increase the size of his county, Rivercess which also has a very low population.
According to Senator Grupee, the hierarchy of Nimba has no intention of denying Gbi-Doru development, noting that they are working out modalities to ensure that development reaches that part of Nimba County.
Speaking in an interview with FrontPageAfrica recently, Senator Grupee said Senator Paye’s alleged scheme has the proclivity of bringing division among the Gbi-Doru people and those of Nimba County.
He however indicated that as part of strive to extend developments to that region; plans were underway for the construction of a modern high school in Gbi-Doru.
Paye maintains Rivercess is Rightful place
Senator Paye, the man accused of influencing the division of Gbi-Doru has not denied accepting Grupee’s accusation, adding that Gbi-Doru is a part of Rivercess and not Nimba County.
Senator Paye said, Gbi-Doru was once a part of Rivercess County and was given to Nimba County during the regime of President Arthur Barclay through an Executive Clemency, not a legislation and as such, they must go back to Rivercess County.
“The case is in the hands of the Liberian Senate which has set up a committee to probe the matter, saying Gbi-Doru was founded by Rivercess”, the Rivercess Senator said.
Senator Paye argued that there had been series of complaints from Gbi-Doru to the President about marginalization, a copy of which was served him, something that prompted his call for the people to return to Rivercess County.
Speaking Tuesday to FrontPageAfrica, Senator Paye explained “in fact, when I got there, what they told me was that Gbi-Doru daughters and sons in Nimba can marry but the daughters of Nimba but their male children cannot get marry to Nimba women, I think it is unfair. If you want something, take care of it but the Gbi People have not been cared for and this is why they want to come back home.”
The Rivercess County Lawmaker has also reacted sharply to Senator Grupee’s assertion that he Senator Paye was inciting the people of Gbi-Doru, blaming Senator Grupee for failing to do his job.
“That is his own interpretation, but I think he failed to do his work as a citizen and as leader of that county.
“In fact, the citizens from that area do not even know him”, Senator Paye said, claiming that he is the ‘God-Father’ for Rivercess County and Gbi-Doru as well.
Meanwhile, Senator Paye has emphasized the need for the people of Gbi-Doru to form part of Rivercess County instead of Nimba, naming Rivercess as their original home.