New Democrat (Monrovia)
A. Abbas Dulleh
8 June 2011
Many ’26 Projects At Standstill, No Money
Barely 50 days when all roads should lead to Voinjama for the last celebration of Independence Day in this government’s lifespan, Lofa County Supt. Galakpai Kortimai is anxious about the snail-pace of work on development projects for the celebration.
Supt. Kortimai says rehabilitation works on the County Hall and the soldier barracks in Voinjama are yet to begin, while most feeder roads linking Voinjama are impassable due to disrepair.
He lamented that rehabilitation works have also not begun on the the City Hall, venue of the official indoor program, the county guesthouse, and Voinjama District Hall, all of which are the responsibility of the General Services Agency.
“In fact, I can tell you that only 10% of GSA sponsored projects have begun at this crucial time,” Supt. Galakpai told this paper Tuesday, in a worried tone, in an interview from Voinjama.
He expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of rehabilitation works on the Gbarnga-Voinjama highway, which should give easy access to Liberians and visitors intending to join Lofa citizens for the July 26 celebration this year.
He said feeder road link is presently cut off between Voinjama and Vahun, where President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and entourage are expected to spend a night as part of the independence festivities.
Kortimai: “The process is too slow…and I am not satisfied with that.”
He singled out construction works on the Presidential suite, saying, “this is one of the projects that I am satisfied with thus far.”
He said, because of the worrying slow pace of work on the road, he cited representatives of Public Works officials to a meeting where they assured that they would fast-track the project.
Mr. Kortimai said, due to the bad road condition, he was forced to return from a visit to Vahun District via Sierra Leone.
Worst still, residents traveling from Vahun, affirmed their difficulties to this paper, saying, two bridges linking Vahun with other parts of Liberia were destroyed and abandoned.
Meanwhile Supt. Kortimai said he has decided to complain seriously to the Independence Program Steering Committee when they meeting this week on an update about the projects.
AllAfrica – All the Time
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Lofa Cutoff