Medina, Gbapolu County – President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 dedicated the Gbapolu County Service Center – urging citizens and residents of Gbapolu County to maintain, protect, and make use of the County Service Center.
The President promised that her government will continue to do everything to decentralize governance and bring it closer to the people. President Sirleaf acknowledged the tremendous progress already made by her administration but said there was still a long way to go.
According to an Executive Mansion release, President Sirleaf made the statement before a huge turnout of citizens and residents during an interactive Town Hall Meeting in Medina, Gbapolu County on Wednesday, February 8 2017, when she officially opened the Gbapolu County Service Center and Immigration Post aimed at addressing the needs of its people by being more inclusive in governance, service-oriented and economically participatory.
Prior the dedicatory ceremony, President Sirleaf made several stops along the route to Bopolu City, Gbapolu County during which she was welcomed by the citizens of Gbapolu County including chiefs, students, women, men, children, and cultural dancers among others who lined the route to pay their respect to the Liberian leader.
She interacted with the people and distributed assorted food and non-food items to citizens and residents with a view to identifying with some of their basic needs.
During her several stops in villages and towns, the Liberian leader received the traditional kola nuts and was officially welcomed to Gbapolu by chiefs, women, students, traditional midwives, elders, traditional leaders and youth.
President Sirleaf also received a position statement from students of Bopolu High School, which among other things appealed to President Sirleaf to investigate the issue of “Bamboo”, because according to them, there has been massive reduction of students in various schools thus causing serious embracement to schools in the district.
The Liberian Leader expressed appreciation to partners, citizens and local authorities for their support and efforts to the County Service Center and for helping to maintain 11 years of uninterrupted peace.
According her many people cannot see the change in the country because many of them have not been in the countryside.
She said: “If you did not keep the peace in the church, mosque, school, market place, associations, office, we will not be where we are now. So I want to thank you for being good and responsible citizens” she said.
The Liberian leader used the occasion to inform the women of Gbapolu County about this year’s International Women’s Day, which is slated to place on March 8, 2017 in Monrovia. She said it will be her last celebration of International Women’s Day as a sitting President and as such, they must be in attendance to grace the occasion.
She praised the women of Liberia for their courage and vigilance, over the last few years nothing, “Nobody can turn back women; you do not have the power to turn back or change their lives for the worst; the world has changed” she said.
She lauded the citizens and residents for providing support for the Service Center and other developments in the county. She told citizens and residents to be good citizens that Liberia can be proud off.
In a related development, President Sirleaf was certificated by group of rural women for her dedicated services to women issues in Liberia and for here outstanding leadership demonstrated over the years in giving women voice to speak and for promoting women’s rights.
She pledged government’s commitment to fixing the road leading in to Gbapolu but was quick to note that the rainy season is the problem to many of our roads although her government is looking into it. She however promised to donate an ambulance to meet the health needs of the people of Gbapolu County.
Speaking earlier, Pro-Temp Armah Zulu Jallah, County Superintendent, Armah Sannoh, youth leader, women and disabled community commended President Sirleaf for the level of development that have taken place in Gbapolu since her ascendency as President of Liberia.
They named the newly dedicated County Service Center, women empowerment, the Belle Yella road, the establishment of modern school, agriculture activities, freedom of speech and press.