Two projects recently announced by National Port Authority (NPA) Managing Director, Dr. Bill Twehway for River Cess, received big boost as the first consignment to jumpstart the initiatives arrived in the county on Monday, this week.
The consignment contained bricks molding machines and 100 bags of cement each for the construction of teacher quarters at Cestos High School and the reconstruction of Barblozohn Town Public School.
Barblozohn town, situated in River Cess’ Timbo District, is the home of Madam Anna Weah, the late mother of Liberian leader, President George Manneh Weah.
The school, which has almost fallen to the ground, has not experienced renovation since its construction more than a decade now. Learning under the dilapidated structure experiences interruption by heavy downpour.
The NPA managing director’s intervention is in response to a request by concerned residents of the town for the reconstruction of the school. Dr. Twehway said as someone who is so passionate about education, he will do what it takes to contribute to the improvement of educational 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.
Moved by passion of humanity and a demonstrated love for his people, Dr. Twehway in June, 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. Twehway had targeted to raise US$2 million dollars for 200 homes, but still remains optimistic of generating that amount from his good friends who see his interventions as a bold step towards improving lives.
In a post-dinner chat with journalists in Buchanan, 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 would be powered by solar energy. Twehway said his long running desire for teacher quarters for instructors assigned at the Cestos High School would 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.
“I’m pleased to inform you that we will use portion of the money raised from this dinner to construct some five units for teachers of the Cestos High School. This has been one of my desires. You all know I’m a classroom teacher. I feel strongly the welfare of teachers matters most to this government”, Mr. Twehway disclosed.
Managing Director Twehway is confident that President Weah will dedicate those housing units during his next nationwide tour.
“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”, he 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.
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 US$300 as his support to the project. Another contributor only identified as Roosevelt, a Liberian living in the United States and Partisan Sheriff gave US$200.
Twehway has 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 lack access to adequate or decent housing, Mr. Twehway, took giant steps towards addressing this challenge in his country, Liberia.
This year, President 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.
Source: FPA
