Amidst jubilations from the citizens of Nimba County, President George Manneh Weah and entourage on his nationwide tour triumphantly entered Nimba County at the Bong and Nimba Counties bordering town of Socopa where he was effusively welcomed by the leadership of the County, including the county’s legislative caucus. Senator Prince Y. Johnson; District #9 Representative Johnson Gwaikolo; the newly elected senator of Nimba County Jeremiah Koung; among others, were all on hand to welcome the Liberian leader and entourage, following which they joyously escorted him to Gompa City, where Senator Johnson publicly pledged his county’s support to President Weah in 2023.
The Liberian leader is expected to spend three working days in Nimba County, visiting several development projects and meeting his people for the first time following the 2017 elections.
Some of the ongoing projects that President Weah is expected to inspect and dedicate include the Ganta-Saclepea Road, the Ganta-Yekepa road, the Saklapea-Logatuo road, the Bahn-Butuo Farm to market Agriculture Road, the Tappita-Gbarnmepea (4G) road and the Saniquellie-Gbadian road.
Other government projects outlined under the Weah administration for Nimba County also include a 75-bedroom Female Zoes HQ in Saclepea, the Gompa City Hall, the Francis Marwiah Extension School, a Market House in Saniquellie, the Saklapea Market, the Karnplay Market as well as the Logatuo Market. The relocation of the Saniquellie hospital to Saklapea is also another of one the President’s tour targets.Following his departure hours later from Socopa to the historic Gompa Cit
y, President Weah and his entourage attended a Town Hall meeting with citizens of Gompa City at the Gompa Sports Stadium where several issues were discussed, including the need for government to bring some development to the county in the areas of lights, hospitals, among others.
At the jam-packed Gompa Sports Stadium, the President listened attentively to various speakers from Nimba County, including Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson; the leadership of the Nimba County Christian and Muslim communities; as well as the Nimba County Youth leadership. High on the list of issues presented to President Weah was the citizens’ request for steel giant ArcelorMIttal to increase Nimba County’s quota of social development funds or the need to revisit the concession agreement in order to benefit more Nimba County citizens.
For the Christian community, the leadership lamented the high cost of tuition, calling on the government to support private institutions in the county.
Speaking on behalf of the citizens, Senator Prince Y. Johnson said Nimba County is for President Weah and will be by him, while calling on the Liberian leader to nominate three more Nimba citizens in his government.
PYJ Pledges Nimba Vote for 2023
“We stand by you Mr. President,” Senator Johnson pledged his county’s support to President Weah, vowing to ensure that the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government wins the presidential elections landslide in 2023.
Responding, President Weah commended the citizens of Nimba County for the warm reception he and his delegation received from the people of Nimba upon their arrival in Gompa. The Liberian leader acknowledged the fact while Senator Prince Johnson did not support him in 2005 and 2011, the Nimba County strongman’s unflinching support to the CDC in 2017 ensure victory at the polls.
In his further response, President Weah reiterated his called on the citizens of Nimba County and the Liberian people in general to be patience whenever a request is made to the government, adding, his government is more concerned about improving the living standard of the people of Liberia including Nimba County.
Further emphasizing to the people that he has strong family connection from Nimba County, President Weah said he belongs to Nimba County, in fact naming some towns where his family hails from.
Nimba’s Gompa City is one of the outlying parts of Liberia that currently enjoys nearly uninterrupted electricity from the Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone (CLGS) beltway. Apart from the CLGS supported electricity, another source of electricity in Nimba County’s bustling commercial business city of Bahn is the Jungle Energy Power.
It can be recalled, the Government of Liberia and the African Development Bank signed a US$33 million grant/loan agreement in January 2020 to, among other things, develop the Gbedin Hydropower Falls in Nimba County, with a total capacity of 9.34 megawatts of power, to be transmitted through an 8 km, 33kV line connecting 7,000 households.
As the President’s tour continues, The Analyst will bring more details to our readership.