Ganta, Nimba County – Ganta-Sanniquellie and Ganta-Grand Gedeh highways though Loguatuo and other parts of the county are now impassable due to bad road condition.
The situation has caused a hike in transport fare from L$1,500 to L$7,000 per passenger for a one-way trip.
A FrontPageAfrica correspondent in Nimba County currently touring the area recalled that in the past, commercial drivers plying the roads charged L$1,500 per one trip but the fare has now increased to L$7,000 per trip riding on a motorbike from Ganta to Zwedru, while from Ganta to Sanniquellie is now L$5,00 rather than L$250 and from Ganta–Loguatuo is now L$5,000 rather than L$1,500 paid by commuters a year ago.
Some travelers, mainly traders, who were stranded along the highway due to the breakdown of their trucks along with other vehicles, are worried that their goods are fast perishing.
Meanwhile, several people in Tappita, Loguatuo in Nimba County and Toe Town in Grand Gedeh County are worried that the bad road condition is compounding the challenge of commuting goods to the local markets in the Southeastern Counties.
Sam Z. Carr, the preparatory for Ganta’s Ambassadors in Tappita, said he was constrained to sleep two nights on the road after the vehicle he was riding on got stuck in the mud.
Prince Toe and Annie Jackson, two business people, say the bad road condition has forced them to shut down their business since they are unable to transport goods. The situation is making it difficult for locals to have basic commodities.
The road between Tappita and Kpelleh Village and Toe Town are some of the main hot spots travelers face major problems along the way. Some commuters have spent several days stranded in the mud; some more than a month before they can be released from the area.
Local clinics are also struggling to transport drugs, fuel and other supplies to the hospital. At the same time, several lawmakers from the Southeast have not been able to visit their districts and counties due to the road problem.
Some of the health workers disclosed that they are facing challenges in coming to Monrovia to attend to the matter of interest for the hospital.
The Jackson F. Doe Hospital – a major referral health center in the region, is also feeling the pinch created by the bad road.
Many people have again turned to motorcyclists, which is the easiest means of transportation in the area, especially with a very deplorable road.
George Dahn and Jerry Jackson are motorcyclists. They argued that they are now charging people huge fare because of the hike in gasoline price that is being compounded by the bad road condition.