Liberia: Contrary to Pres. Weah’s Annual Message, No Market Being Constructed in Salala and Bong

Gbarnga, Bong County – FrontPageAfrica has uncovered that three projects mentioned by President George Weah during his 5th State of the Nation Address do not exist in Bong County, while only 10 out of 100 housing units have been constructed.

Addressing the nation Monday, January 24, the Liberian leader named an ongoing construction of a large market structure in Gbarnga, a small market structure being constructed in Salala, ongoing construction of a clinic in Jorquelleh District, and the construction of a one hundred housing units in Salala District.

However, a FrontPageAfrica reporter in Bong County Tuesday confirmed that there are no market structures being built in Salala and Gbarnga, and there are 10 out of 100 housing units being constructed in Salala.

The president’s revelation has sparked uproar in Bong County, with many saying it was unfair for President Weah to have mentioned projects that do not exist in the county after leading the country for five years.

Sam Kerkulah, 39, said: “It was so disappointing for the president to state that there is an ongoing of two market structures in Bong County when there is nothing. I don’t think this is the reward for voting the president, ” he said.

Weighing in on the president’s statement on Radio Gbarnga, a local radio station in Bong County, Alexander McCarthy of the ruling Coalition of Democratic Change (CDC), said the government should go beyond making empty promises to residents of the county. “We have 20 months to the 2023 presidential elections and the government should do well for the people of the county. The CDC won Bong County in 2017 achieving 70 percent of votes, so a lot needs to be done by the government for the people of Bong County,” he said.

There are some residents of the county who hold the view that Bong County should have benefited more from the current regime, considering the fact that Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor hails from the county.

MICAT Clarifies

Doing a post radio analysis of the president State of the Nation Address, Assistant Information Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry of Information, David Kolleh and the chairman of the CDC-Council of Patriots, Ben Togbah, said they would seek further clarity from the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) regarding the construction of the two market structures announced by the president in his address.

Meanwhile Kolleh, meanwhile, said the pronouncement made by the president means that procurement process and other formalities for the two market structures were already concluded, assuring residents of the county the two market structures would be constructed.

“If there is no market structures yet in Bong County as announced by the president it doesn’t mean that no market won’t be constructed here in Bong County. The president has constructed very markets across the country and I am confident that similar thing will be done in Bong County,” he said.

Kolleh, however, highlighted the $ 50 million tuition scheme launched in Bong County, provision of solar lights on some streets in Gbarnga, and pavement of some streets in Gbarnga as some of the major achievements of President Weah.

For his part, Togbah lauded President Weah for construction of the Central Bank Regional Cash Hub in Gbarnga, adding it could boost the central region especially in accessing cash.

He called for patience from residents of Bong County as the Weah-led administration was doing everything possible to achieve its campaign promises to the people of the county ahead of the 2023 presidential and general elections.