Former River Gee Senator Mathew N. Jaye has urged the Government of Liberia(GoL) through the Ministry of Public Works not to dismantle a bailey bridge in River Gee County for ITI in River Cess County.
Former Senator Jaye said he reliably learnt that the GoL through the Minister of Public Works Roland Layfayetta Giddings has instructed the Ministry to dismantle the bailey bridge over River Gee in Pronoken formerly called CLC to be taken to River Cess County to fix the ITI Bridge that is currently destroyed.
In an interview with The News over the weekend in Monrovia, Mr. Jaye said the bridge in question was built by CHICO, a Chinse company, and if dismantled, will make the county very inaccessible for the people of River Gee and outsiders.
‘’ I think for the Public Works Minister to send people to dismantle the bridge only to carry the bridge to River Cess County to fix the -ITI Bridge is not feasible. The decision is not in the interest of development. River Gee is a county and it remains a county. River Gee is entitled to River Gee,’’ Mr. Jaye stressed.
‘‘The ITI Bridge is on a national highway from River Cess to Maryland. Government is potent enough to fix the ITI Bridge and there is no need to go and remove the bridge from River Gee to fix it. We understand that the government ordered new bridges so they have to wait until those bridges come or find another alternative,’’ Mr. Jaye continues.
He said when the ITI Bridge was fixed there was instruction for big trucks not to pass on it but corrupt officers allowed big trucks to pass on the bridge in the night, which led to the destruction today.
‘‘Going to River Gee County for the bridge is counterproductive and not even in the interest of the Minister and River Gee. The Minister must abandon his plan for the betterment of the people of River Gee, yea Liberia,’’ the former River Gee Senator stated.
However, he said if the Ministry of Public Works still insists of removing the bridge his people of River Gee will resist it. Meanwhile, former Senator Jaye expressed the hope that the GoL through the Ministry of Public Works will heed his call and abandon its plan to remove the bailey bridge in River Gee, which he described as very important for the movement of his people and outsiders.