BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa – A US$120,000 bridge connecting Grand Bassa, Bong, and Nimba has been dedicated in Grand Bassa’s fourth district.
The Wee bridge project was jointly funded by the United Methodist Church, local communities, and through Legislative Support Project funds designated by Grand Bassa’s Sen. Jonathan Kaipay.
At the dedication ceremony on February 27 in Klehn Town, the director of the Liberia Liberia United Methodist Development Services provided an overview of the project, noting that five percent of the total project cost was contributed by the community through materials they provided.
Emma Okai added that 40 percent of the project cost was provided by the United Methodist Church while 55 percent was provided by Kaipay.
“The United Methodist Church has been doing good since 1833, even up to present. So, the partnership with government today continues,” she said. Okai recalled that since 2008, the church had undertaken projects in 14 counties, including “35 modern schools with teachers’ quarters for the community people, 7 health facilities, 7 bridges, and over 100 hand pumps.”
Sen. Kaipay, who also attended the ceremony, said the construction of the bridge started a few years ago through Legislative Support Project funds – a means for lawmakers to designate projects for funding in their constituencies. He noted that each senator had received US$210,000 to carry out development in their respective counties.
“When we came here and the first skeleton bridge we built here was taken away by heavy rain, when the rain took away the bridge, the citizens were discouraged,” Kaipay explained. “But I encouraged them that the bridge would have been built by all means.”
He called on voters to judge him based on his performance, especially with regard to ensuring that the bridge was constructed. He said he hoped the bridge would serve as a gateway to economic growth and development, as citizens from the area could more easily transact with people who lived in other parts of the county.
Featured photo by Sampson David
