To address Liberia’s broken infrastructures, President George M. Weah upon taking office in 2018 vowed to institute legislation and policies to achieve sustainable economic growth as well as address the country’s infrastructure deficit for the citizenry.
This, the Liberia leader further that under ‘pillar two’ of his government’s developmental agenda, “The Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), will also ensure the connection of the counties via a well-constructed road network to afford citizens easy access from one destination to another.
Fulfilling his promise, the President and his government since taking office in 2018, have now constructed several farm to market roads including the pavement of major highways as well as some feeder roads in various counties, thus giving citizens easy and free movement.
Interestingly, the latest fulfillment of the Liberian leader’s farsighted vision is the dedication of a new bus route by the Liberia National Transit Authority (NTA) in the Southeastern region, precisely River Gee County.
Moreover, the new dedication of the routes, according to the NTA Managing Director, Herbie McCauley will help ease the transportation burden as well as ensure the easy movement of citizens from the county to another within the south-east region.
Addressing a team of journalists in River Gee County, Mr. McCauley among other things further disclosed that the completion of the new routes will enable citizens pay as transport fare LD1, 000 on the NTA from Kanweakan to Happer instead of the previous LD5, 500 they used to paid.
The NTA Boss further revealed that travelers commuting from Fish Town to Happer will now pay as transport fare LD800 on the NTA buss instead of the previous LD4, 500 they were being charged by commercial drivers.
According to him, he was excited to have witnessed what he termed as a dream come through for the people of the southeastern region and the entire country, and thereby clarified that the dedication of the new routes was void of politics contrary to speculation by some Liberians.
MD McCauley stated, “I am so excited today because with the NTA coming on this side of the country, it will help our people greatly especially our business mother who will be commuting from one area to another to buy their produce.
“And more besides, our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and even students will not have to worry anymore about paying huge amounts to commute from one place to another and that’s why the NTA is here at an affordable price for our people,” he added.
Mr. McCauley however also assured the people of the south-eastern region of his fullest support in making sure that the NTA remain in the county as long as they want, while also disclosing plans by the NTA to ensure that their presence is felt in other parts of the country.
He named Nimba, Bong and Lofa as counties that are expected to have NTA presence, adding, “Because it is the President’s mandate and it is our responsibility as his lieutenants to ensure that his mandate is implemented to fullest in the interest of the county and citizenry.”
Earlier, the River Gee County Superintendent, Philip Nyenuh extolled the NTA for the initiate and at the same time pledged his county fullest support to ensure that the Buss will be protected and that the instituted price by the NTA will be respected and applicable.