Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – The First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, Madam Clar Weah, on Monday, April 16, 2018 paid a surprising visit to Grand Bassa County and met with people living with disabilities in the port city of Buchanan.
The First Lady visited the old folks’ home, Group of 77, an orphanage and several other places in the county.
She also toured and inspected the dwelling places, toilets and hand pumps of people living with disabilities in the county.
“I am the First Lady for Liberia and not Monrovia, I have come to you the people living with disabilities to know your problems,” she said. “I want to see where you are sleeping and how is your living condition. This is the only way I can help you with the little I can afford,” Mrs. Weah said.
“Last weekend, I was sitting and thought to myself that I needed not to sit but to come out to you. This county according the records really supported my husband and I must work along with him not to make you shame.”
“I have come to ask you to work with me in working out some of your challenges. I am not able to do it on my own but with your help we can make it.”
Janjay Baikpeh, Superintendent of Grand Bassa County, noted that the First Lady’s visit shows that the Pro- Poor agenda is not about sitting but an agenda for moving forward.
“Madam First Lady, your visit to this county means a lot…, it has been over 15 years now, we as people of this county have not had the opportunity to have such a strong First Lady,” Baikpeh said.
“When I saw you entering the bed rooms of old forks, it showed to me that you are ready for change.”
He mentioned the many challenges of the county to the First lady, including the situation of the only referral government hospital in the county. The hospital was gutted by fire two times within the space of a week.
And the Superintendent described the situation as a serious setback for the county, while admonishing the First Lady to “keep the health center of our people at heart.”
Peter Jimmy, Coordinator for the Group of 77 in the county, said “it is their first time to see a caring First Lady”, adding, “For a First Lady to leave her busy schedules and come to us, I don’t know how to thank God.”
Later, the First Lady distributed wrappers and other gifts including cash money to the women and children at the old folks home, Orphanages, the Group of 77, Marketers and the Christian Association of the Blind.
At the same time, she presented medical equipment to the Liberian government hospital. The items included beds, mattress, amongst others.
Report by Elton W. Tiah, FPA Contributor