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ADNews-Gbarnga, Liberia: Several residents of Bong County have threatened to stage a protest if the Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Public Works, refuses to grant permission to the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) political party to construct a planned bridge in Gbarnga City.
By. Jangar Boimah Johnson
The proposed bridge, estimated to cost more than US$400,000, is intended to connect the Brooklyn and Civil Compound communities in Gbarnga. Groundbreaking for the project took place on October 3, 2025, with the participation of CMC political leader Musa Bility, Bong County District #3 Representative J. Marvin Cole, and other party officials.
Speaking on a local community radio station, Annie Kollie, a business woman, who lived on the Kokoyah Road in Gbarnga, expressed frustration over the government’s decision to halt the project. She said the bridge would span the Jor River, linking several key communities in Gbarnga City.
Another caller, a youth of Plum Valley, in Gbarnga, Emmanuel Babayouka, stated that they as citizens of Bong County, in support of the bridge erection, especially, youth will take the street, to peaceful protest in order to present their position statement to central government.
“If the government doesn’t allow CMC to continue the construction, we will stage a peaceful protest to petition the central government,” one resident said.
According to the residents, the Ministry of Public Works’ decision to suspend the project under President Joseph N. Boakai’s administration has left many communities feeling neglected.
Recently, the CMC informed Representative Cole that the party might relocate its construction materials to either Lofa or Nimba counties if permission to build the 38-meter bridge is not granted.
Some citizens warned that if President Boakai’s government ignores their pleas, they will have no choice but to vote against the ruling Unity Party in the 2029 elections.
“How can we call Gbarnga a city, the central region of Liberia, when we have only one entry point, the Jor Bridge, which was built in the 1960s?” one resident lamented.
Residents noted that since Bong County gained county status in 1964, no representative has initiated such a major infrastructure project in the area. They said blocking the old Jor Bridge, the city’s main access point, would be part of their planned peaceful protest if the project remains halted.
The Ministry of Public Works’ pronouncement to stop the project has triggered widespread discontent within the county.
Several residents told journalists that they were disappointed by the government’s action, calling it a setback to much-needed development in their region.
“For too long, we have suffered under self-serving politicians who only seek personal gain,” a community resiedents said.
Residents also accused Bong County Senator Prince K. Moye of allegedly undermining development efforts. They claimed he played a major role in influencing the government’s decision to reject the bridge project, which they believe would have significantly improved connectivity in Gbarnga.
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