Dozens of visually impaired Liberians took to the streets early Thursday morning, staging a peaceful protest on the Japan Freeway in Garnersville. The demonstrators, lying flat on the main car road and chanting solidarity slogans, called on the Government of Liberia to take immediate steps to improve their living conditions. The protest, which caused heavy traffic disruptions along the busy highway, drew attention from passersby and motorists as the group, many guided by canes and supporters, blocked a section of the road to demand the government’s intervention.
Speaking to reporters during the protest, one of the visually impaired protesters, John Mulbah, spokesperson for the group, said that visually impaired people across Liberia are suffering due to a lack of access to basic services, including education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. “We are not begging; we are demanding our rights as citizens of this country. We deserve to live with dignity. The government has turned a blind eye to our plight,” Mulbah stated.
He criticized what the group referred to as “empty promises” by successive governments to provide social safety nets and specialized support for people living with disabilities. Spokesman Mulbah also called for increased budgetary allocation for the National Commission on Disabilities and the inclusion of visually impaired citizens in national development programs.
Among their demands were the provision of monthly welfare stipends, access to vocational training, affordable housing, and job opportunities in both the public and private sectors. “We will not stop here. If our demands are ignored, we will return with an even larger crowd,” they said. The protest comes amid growing public pressure on the Boakai administration to deliver on its promises of inclusivity and social justice under the ARREST Agenda, which aims to prioritize agriculture, roads, the rule of law, education, sanitation, and tourism.
