Tappita, Nimba County – For the first time, Jubilant citizens who had long been denied a pave road, were seen lined up in the streets in disbelief and excitement as road-laying machines entered Tappita City. Many believe it was an answer prayer.
One of the residents of Tappita, Shadrach G. David expressed excitement for the development undertaken by the Liberian government.
He said,“ I am so glad to see such a beautiful development, and I am so happy about it. First of all I would like to commend our government for doing this for the people and I am asking them to do more.”
Another resident, Precious Kpao who sells in the street of Tappita express how happy she was for the development. “I feel very pleased, I say thank you to the government.”
In remarks, Nimba County District #6 Representative Dorwohn Twain Gleekia, described the initiative as the fulfillment of a decades-long struggle by the people of Lower Nimba to have their fair share of national development.
Gleekia recounted that for years, citizens of Tappita had resorted to protests and persistent advocacy, crying out to the central government in frustration, but their calls went unheeded.
He explained that when he took office in 2018, he along with his team worked through the legislative process to secure ratification of the concession and loan agreement that would fund the road project, particularly the corridor between Sekia-pia and Tappita.
According to Representative Gleekia, despite the delay in the project due to the 2023 elections, President Joseph Nuyma Boakai prioritize the project and push it forward with urgency, describing the government’s action as a clear sign of responsible leadership.
“The true meaning of government is continuity. Today, as we speak, the other pavement has reached the city of Tappita. This is something that we want the world to know. We thank and appreciate the government of Liberia, whether past or present,” he said.
He highlighted difficulties citizens once faced due to the road condition but now the narrative has changed. “Because of the road, people could not have access to the hospital. Because of the bad road that we had, our citizens at this time of the year, for decades, they still experienced high economic hardship.”
“I remember when the Jackson Fairdale Hospital was placed in Tappita, people booed at it. People said things about it. According to them, it was a million-dollar investment that would have gone to other urban areas, but today, the story has changed.”
The representative however extended thanks to everyone for their support towards the project and urged every Liberians to unite for the betterment of the country’s development.
As the paving machines continue their work, the people of Tappita are not only celebrating a road but a long-denied sense of inclusion, progress, and pride.
The Unity Party-led government has prioritized connecting the southeast of Liberia through modern road infrastructure, recognizing it as key to national integration and economic growth. According to the government, this renewed push for connectivity begins with the historic pavement now reaching Tappita in Nimba County.
From Tappita, the corridor will extend to Zwedru in Grand Gedeh, and eventually link to Fish Town in River Gee, which is already connected to Harper City in Maryland County by paved roads. The administration said, the project will end the long-standing isolation of the southeast and open new opportunities for trade, healthcare, and mobility.
