BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa – Sixty members of the United Methodist Church from Norway, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone joined their counterparts in Liberia to celebrate the church’s Department of Community Services’ ten-year anniversary of community development.

In recognition of the weeklong celebration, there will be a dedication of a 50-bed health center in Grand Bassa’s third district. The health center is a joint project of government and the United Methodist Church Liberia Annual Conference.

The agreement to build the health center was first signed in 2012, with the government committing to provide 40 percent of the necessary funds and the United Methodist Church providing the remaining 60 percent.

The health center is expected to be a significant boost for a district that only has clinics.

According to the director of the Department of Community Services, Okai Wleh, the United Methodist Church has benefited over a quarter of a million Liberians over the past decade.

Grand Bassa’s Sen. Jonathan Kaipay served as keynote speaker during the celebration, where he noted the impact the church’s Department of Community Services had made on the lives of people across the country.

He said the unit had constructed schools, latrines, clinics, and bridges in 14 of the 15 counties, while also playing a pivotal role in developing human capacity in Liberia.

“In 14 counties, there are about 28 set of schools, 10 set of clinics, hospitals, 150 hands pumps, 30 set of modern pit latrines, 10 set of bridges constructed in rural communities, guest houses, animal husbandry [projects], and the list goes on,” he said. “Ladies and gentlemen, you will agree with me that these developments are worth celebrating.”

Kaipay, who was previously director of the United Methodist Church’s Department of Community Services, urged the executive branch of the government to adhere to another agreement signed between the Ministry of Education and the United Methodist Church.

According to Kaipay, that agreement requires the church to construct schools while the Ministry of Education is expected to provide qualified teachers.

He warned that the government was not keeping with the deal to provide qualified teachers.

Featured photo by Sampson David