Walker Town, Careysburg – The Nimba Association of Massachusetts (NAM) has broken ground for the construction of a center for students hailing from the county.
Located in Walker Town, Careysburg, outside Monrovia, the project when completed will host Nimba County students, who are attending classes on the University of Liberia Fendell campus, which is adjacent Careysburg District.
According to NAM, the center, which will contain two dormitories for both males and females and a library, is expected to accommodate up to 144 students at a time.
Speaking during the ground-breaking and fund-raising program over the weekend, NAM president Paul D. Gailah called on Nimbaians to collectively work together for the betterment of their county and the country at large.
As Gailah rallied all Nimbaians to join NAM in making the project a success, he stated that the success of the student center will be a boost for all sons and daughters of the county, which borders La Côte d’Ivoire and the Republic of Guinea.
“We must be reminded that this is the era of self-help initiatives, volunteerism, nationalism, and a period of sacrifice. So, let become the biggest philanthropists for our country irrespective of our limited resources. We as a people must play a leading role in developing our country because as we do others will follow suit. Let us remain united and resilient to bring this legacy to fruition; let us not let down the educational aspirations of our children and grandchildren.
“I must inform you that as members of the Nimba Association, we are only conduits of this vision, but is actually your legacy, because when it is all said and done, not only that history will remember you individually, but the project will become Nimba County’s property and a property of Liberia,” he told his fellow kinsmen and women from Nimba.
Speaking further, Gailah described the student center as one of the greatest achievements coming from Nimba citizens in the U.S. According to him, the center upon completion will provide a better learning environment for Nimba students.
“When this project is completed, it will become one of Nimba County’s greatest achievements in boosting the human resource of this country. Fellow compatriots, this project is very important because, the youths of our county have one quest, it is education and the same is true in the entire country,” Gailah stated.
Making remarks at the program, Nimba County District Five Representative Samuel G. Kogar called on Nimbaians to have self-valued as a people in order to see the developments they envision in their county. Rep. Kogar, who promised an initial contribution of 100 bags of cement for the project, frowned on county leaders, whom he said, put themselves ahead of the interests of the people of Nimba.
According to the Nimba lawmaker, it is incumbent upon leaders to humble themselves and respect those who voted them.
“Respect for human kind when you are a leader; do not underestimate anybody and let us respect each other as Nimbaians,” Rep. Kogar urged.
The Nimba student center project is estimated at US$590,000 and is being constructed by City Design Architecture and Construction Company (CIDACCO), a local construction company.