By Trokon Augustus Freeman & Oral Willie
National Port Authority Managing Director, Dr. Bill Twehway, is continuing his humanitarian interventions particularly in River Cess.
The county of his birth by announcing support for the reconstruction of the Barblozohn Public School. Barblozohn town, situated in River Cess’ Timbo District, is the birthplace of Madam Hannah Weah, the late mother of Liberian leader, Dr. George Manneh Weah.
The school, which has practically fallen to the ground, has not experienced renovation since its construction more than a decade now.
The NPA managing director immediately responded to a request by concerned residents of the town for the reconstruction of the school. Dr. Twehway responded by providing the zinc and other materials to get the work in motion. Mr. Twehway as someone who is so passionate about education, he will do what it takes to contribute to the improvement of education infrastructures in the country. He bemoaned the current facility hosting the school saying it was unacceptable.
“The pictures I’m seeing here do not really represent a school in modern day Liberia. Remember we’re talking about the home of the president’s late mother. We’ll intervene now”, Twehway said while making his initial contribution towards the reconstruction efforts of the school.
Madam Mechen Borbor, receiving the NPA managing director’s initial contribution which includes cash, extended gratitude for the intervention, while hoping that other citizens would emulate his example.
Twehway had been giving back to his hometown since the inception of the Weah-led government. He’s noted for using his salary and benefits to transform society, including the construction of housing units in River Cess.
Seems bothered by a 2015 ‘Habitat for Humanity’ report suggesting that 1.6 billion people globally, lacked access to adequate or decent housing, Mr. Twehway, took giant steps towards addressing this challenge in his country, Liberia.
This year, Liberian leader Dr. George Manneh Weah, dedicated nearly 30 ‘pro-poor’ housing units, built by Mr. Twehway in Cee town, his birth place, for residents on a free-of-charge basis.
Still being moved by passion of humanity and a demonstrated love for his people, Mr. Twehway recently, hosted a dinner in the port city of Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, to generate funding for the construction of additional housing units in River Cess and Grand Bassa Counties. The fundraising dinner attended by friends of the NPA managing director, generated nearly half a million United States dollars.
Mr. Twehway had targeted to raising US$2 million dollars for 200 homes, but still remains optimistic of generating that amount from his good friends who see his intervention as a bold step towards improving lives.
In a post-dinner chat with journalists in Buchanan during the weekend, Managing Director Twehway promised to start the construction of the additional housing units at the start of the next dry season. According to him, the additional units and the ones previously built will be powered by solar energy.
Twehway said his long running desire for teacher quarters for instructors assigned at the Cestos High School will form part of the first sets of 200 housing units stressing that accommodation for teachers has been one problem facing the only high school in the county. As part of his plan to transforming the county, Twehway said five of the housing units will be built at the River Cess side of the Timbo Bridge to give facelift.
Managing Director Twehway is confident that President Weah will dedicate those housing units during his next nationwide tour, hopefully 2023.
“I can tell you that His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah will dedicate the new housing units during his next visit to my county. With the help of God we’ll finish them before 2023”, an optimistic Twehway assured.
MD Twehway also promised to build five units each to the five electoral districts of Grand Bassa.
According to him, bricks molding for the projects in Bassa has begun in two of the districts, but pointed out that bad road condition could cause delay. Mr. Twehway informed journalists that some of the cements needed for the project have been procured, but getting it to the two project destinations has been challenging owing to the deplorable road condition.
Twehway rallies more support
The NPA managing director is calling on citizens of the two counties to send complimentary notes to donors of the project, stressing that people who made commitments are making good their promises.
Just on Tuesday, a man identified as Andrew Queh living in the diaspora sent me US300 as his support to the project. Another man Roosevelt a Liberian living in the United States dollars and Partisan Sheriff gave US$200.
More than three decades ago, the United Nations General Assembly took an important step in promoting the idea that everyone deserves a decent place to live by declaring that the first Monday in October would be World Habitat Day.
The essence is to reflect on the state of towns and cities, and on the basic right of everyone to adequate shelter and to remind the world that everyone has the power and responsibility to shape the future of cities and towns.
The CDC-led government has made efforts by constructing pro-poor housing units across the country in fulfilment of its Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development, but needs to be buttressed by individual officials of government, as in the case of the NPA managing director.
Comments are closed.