Written by: Paul M. Kanneh

 

Our sufferings are over, no more walking by land or carrying load on our heads. We will not have to transport sick people or pregnant women in hammer again”, these were the exact words of scores of residents of Bluen town when they spoke to reporters. 

 

Citizens of Bluen’s Town on Saturday, January 23, 2016 celebrated what they termed as first motor road connecting their towns with the rest of Rivercess County. 

 

Bluen town is located in Electoral District #1, Joe River District, Rivercess County. It is about 100 miles away from the capital, Monrovia. It is represented in the National Legislature by Hon. Alfred G. Juweh, and it is among several poor rural communities in Liberia. With less than 400 citizens, most of the structures there are thatch roofed houses.

 

Recently, the people of the town celebrated the first motor road leading to their town. 

 

Speaking at the dedication ceremony of the 3 miles road on Saturday, January 23, 2016, scores of residents told news men that it was the first day that vehicle entered their town. According to them, since their town was established, it was in 2016, that vehicle ever entered their town. 

 

Rebecca Jackson, 48 years, expressed how overjoyed she was when she saw vehicles entering her town. She described life before the road as unbearable. According to here, prior to the construction of the road, they used to transport their goods and services on their heads-covering 3-4 hours distance. 

 

She stated that, now that motor road has entered their hometown, it was necessary for their leaders to pay more attention to development in their town, adding that, aside from the motor road, there is no clinic or hand pump in the town. 

 

“We thank our leaders for the road, but what we need now is clinic and hand pump. There is no clinic and safe drinking water here. We drink from running water”.

 

For his part, the owner of the only provision shop in the town, who identified himself as Fred stated that, the road connectivity will further enhance commercial activities in the town.

 

He described commercial activities before the road as terrible, adding that he used to transport his goods on his head covering 3-4 hours distance from the market. 

 

Meanwhile, business man Fred is admonishing his fellow citizens who have the financial means to begin to transform their thatch roofed houses into zinc roof houses so as to give their town a new outlook, now that they have a motor road.

 

Also speaking at the occasion was District #1 Representative, Alfred G. Juweh, sr the man behind the road project.  In his soft talking tune, Rep. Juweh said, the project was in fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people of Bluen Town.  

 

The District #1 lawmaker disclosed that, his dream to construct road for citizens of Bluen town dates back as far as his youthful days. 

 

Rep. Juweh said the road project was funded from his own pocket. According to him, he provided 30 drums of fuel to Foreign Venture logging company for the construction of the road. 

 

He used the occasion to disclose that he is working with the Ministry of Public Works to construct bridge over Timbo River, which according to him serves as short cut from Joe River District in Rivercess County to Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. 

 

Meanwhile, the Rivercess District #1 lawmaker has urged his people to take ownership of the road project, noting the maintenance of the road is cardinal to its lifespan.