Slogans and sheer propaganda were the envelop in which Liberia’s development campaign was wrapped. It was more about talking and signing than it was about concrete, visible and tangible result felt by the ordinary people for whom those strides were brought forth. Unarguably, the Weah administration is moving faster and strategically to fight poverty, illiteracy and disease and make Liberia a great nation second to none. The distinguishing feature is the Weah administration’s mainstreaming of the long neglected masses, be it urban slum dwellers or distant rural people upon whom the current President looks so much with compassion and the passion to liberate them. In the woods of River Cess are pitiful stories of a forgotten people, locals whose living condition don’t seem different from that of Stone Age people. But forgotten yesterday, not today, under President George Weah. A 112-year-old man has joined hundreds of thousands of Liberians who have testimonies to tell on how the “from-mat-to-mattress” catchphrase has found its genuine meaning and expression. The Analyst report.
Rivercess County is located in the Southeastern region of Liberia where most of the communities are vulnerable with many of the residents living in abject poverty; but President George Manneh Weah’s County recent visit in the county as part of his nationwide tour put smile on the faces of several villagers including 112-Year-old-man, Mr. Phillip James, the oldest person in a town identified as Cee Town.
The life in Cee Town is no different from living in a slum community and similar to every other life conditions in most parts of the county. However, in keeping with commitment of President George Manneh Weah to transform the living conditions of Liberians and to improve the infrastructural outlook of the country, the President on Thursday visited Cee Town in Rivercess County where he dedicated several pro poor homes, one of which (a two-bedroom residence) he turned over to the old man, Philip James.
112-year-old man Phillip James who was out of words to appreciate President Weah and the government; all he could say in his Bassa vernacular as interpreted was “thank you oooo, Mr. President; let God bless you and give more to do more for others.”
Elderly man is said to have been living in an abandoned building in a slum, a place that was highly insecure before the president came to his rescue. His family line could not be established, whether he had children or not could not be known due to the hasty movement by the presidential convoy.
The dedication of the newly constructed pro poor home in Cee Town was part of President Weah’s many projects dedicated in Rivercess on the third leg of a nationwide tour which took him to that county. The third leg of the President’s tour took him to Margibi, Grand Bassa and Rivercess Counties.
Commenting on the old-man’s condition, the Managing Director of the National Port Authority, Mr. Bill Tweahway told the President amidst the mammoth crowd in the town that the living condition of Old Man James has pressed upon him, and caused him to initiate construction of the pro-poor houses in the town, adding that the initiative was in line with President George Manneh Weah’s pro-poor housing units being constructed across the country.
Presenting the keys of the apartment to Old-man James, President expressed gratitude to Bill Twehway for the effort made so far in buttressing the government’s vision to transform the living conditions of Liberians.
The President urged those in government, and other well-meaning Liberians not to forget about their communities that prepared them for the greater society.
The Liberian leader described the initiative by Mr. Twehway as “a milestone” that is worth emulating if Liberia and Liberians are to benefit from those things that would impact the lives of the people positively.
Cee Town is the birth Village of now Managing Director of the National Port Authority. Twehway, also a former lawmaker of Montserrado County, led the construction of almost 20 homes that will be distributed amongst villagers.
The new pro-poor houses contained running water and electricity, and has changed the living conditions and outlook of the area in that part of Rivercess County in District #1.
President Weah, on many occasions, asked officials of his government to touch the life of their people as an assured way of giving back to their respective communities. Apparently, it is by this counsel that Mr. Twehway showed the example at home for which President Weah has regarded him as the good example in Liberian society.
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