Buchanan – Grand Bassa County Superintendent Janjay Baikpeh on Wednesday, August 8, began a county sponsored-initiative to recondition several damaged bridges that are putting travelers at risk in District #2, Grand Bassa County.
Report by Elton W. Tiah, Contributor
Many of the makeshift damaged bridges are along the main route to Compound Two – the district’s provisional capital.
The six bridges were built with planks and logs but have depreciated over the years causing vehicles to struggling while plying the route.
Superintendent Baikpeh told FrontPage Africa that he traveled several times to the district and saw the bridges in deplorable condition.
“These bridges [have] been here for a long time and the citizens have been crying for help, so I decided to have come to their aid because this bridge is also risking my life too. I traveled on this road regularly and so if it is not fixed then myself will catch a hard time,” Baikpeh said.
“I am beginning with this first bridge and I will continue until I see to it that the seven damaged bridges in this district are reconditioned properly”.
The Superintendent noted that the “Pro-poor Agenda is about helping to transform the lives of the common citizens of Liberia”.
“And if we are to do that we as leaders don’t need to wait on the national government to put money in our covers before helping our people but [we’re] to work hard through friends, companies and other goodwill to make our people lives are better,” he said.
“When you see cars climbing on those old sticks (logs) you will know that God is the only protector and so I believe that God has spoken through me to work tirelessly for the wellbeing of my people”.
Morris Bai, a resident of the district, mentioned that the intervention of the superintendent was timely during the rainy season.
“We’ve been crying for this bridge several years now but nobody listened to us, thank God for the superintendent who has come to our aid,” Bai said.
Mamie James added that the lives of residents were at serious risk due to the deplorable condition of the bridges leading to the districts main provision capital.
“I stop going on the market ground because I don’t want to die; my children are plenty but few days from now I will start selling again when they finished with the bridge,” she said.
There have been several cries from citizens due to the deplorable condition of the bridges but Hon. Mary Karwor, Representative of the district, disclosed that she has been lobbying to recondition most of the dilapidated bridges.
“For the past six years I’ve been lawmaker for this district, only one County Social Development Project entered this district and so this time we will focus on the bridges because I can see that they are not in good condition,” Hon. Karwor said.
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