Harper, Maryland County – Harper’s youthful City Mayor, Ellen Blessing Howe, has made a rallying call to Marylanders in Liberia and the diaspora to support the refurbishment of the city including the renovation of the City Hall.
Prior to the Liberian civil war, Harper, the Capital of Maryland County, held the distinction of being arguably the most beautiful city in Liberia.
Situated on Cape Palmas between the Atlantic Ocean and the Hoffman River, the city has magnificent unexploited beaches that stretch for miles on both sides of the city. Lake Shepherd, one of the two natural lakes in Liberia is also found in the city.
Other beautiful structures include the City Hall, Harper Museum and Tubman University – one of two major public universities in the country.
However, like the rest of the country, the city was badly damaged during the 14-year long civil war.
More than 15 years after the civil upheaval, the scars are still painfully visible in Harper as hollow and abandoned buildings lie in ruins.
Electricity is still a major problem, though power from neighboring Ivory Coast through the West Africa Power Pool Project is providing electricity to some parts of the city.
However, there has been significant progress made by the government and partners in bringing the city to its pre-war status. But there’s still a long to go.
The reopening and upgrading of TU, the marvelous work being done by government and partners at JJ Dossen Hospital and the presence of several non-governmental institutions rendering basic humanitarian services are some of several progresses so far.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica at City Hall in Harper, Major Howe called on on all Marylanders- in Liberia and abroad – to join hands and begin the process of restoring the city to its pre-war status.
“I am appealing to all Marylanders to come to us and help us. This is our home town, this is our city, together, all of us can make it beautiful,” she said.
The City Hall, which used to be the finest in the country, is in a deplorable state and needs renovation. The concrete roof of the building, she said is leaking and needs urgent repair.
“The City Hall is beautiful but it needs some renovation, it needs to be painted. We got few buckets of paints and need additional ones to complete the painting.”
She continues: “The roof is also leaking. We need to fix it. We have so many beautify beaches. If you can come and carry on some recreations, open the beaches, I believe everyone will feel happy and proud with this city and we can make it the best city in the Republic of Liberia.”
Madam Howe named garbage control, lack of logistics and other essential equipment as some the challenges grappling the municipal government.
She said only push-push (locally made wheel barrow) that the city authority uses to disposed garbage.
She revealed that her office has reached out to several multilateral, private and public institutions including the World Bank, Tubman University and the Maryland Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP) for partnership.
Tubman University, she said occasionally helps with materials to clean the city, while a proposal has been submitted to the World Bank to assist with tricycle to dispose garbage.
Madam Howe has barely spent two years as Mayor of Harper, but she is being lauded for her pragmatic leadership style.
Alfred Perkins, a resident of Harper, speaking to FPA, said Mayor Howe’s persuasive approach in solving problems has led many residents to be cooperative with her leadership.
“She is doing well, I must admit. Some of the areas like the beaches that used to be polluted are now clean. I think she was able to achieve this because of her good working relationship with people,” Perkins said.
Meanwhile, the Harper Mayor pointed out that some of her achievements so far are the ability to convince majority of the residents to stop throwing garbage randomly and to pay the municipal fees.
Although she said some people are not fully responding.
She also disclosed plans to meet with Marylanders in the United States, and with support from the Central Government, establish a sister-city relation.