As part of his annual Legislative break, Senate Pro-Tempore and Grand Bassa County Senior Senator Gbehzohngar M. Findley has embarked on series of town hall meetings across Grand Bassa County. The meetings are currently being held in the eight different zones in Buchanan City and towns and villages within the five electoral districts in the County.

Speaking when he launched the event in Buchanan City Monday, Senator Findley said the meetings are organized to give citizens the opportunity to express themselves and to acquaint him with problems afflicting them in their various localities. According to Senator Findley, the meetings are also intended to allow him recount some of his achievements during the first Session of the 53rd Legislature and to brief them on his development agenda for the county.

The launch meeting brought together residents of four communities in Buchanan City including Sugar Cane Farm, Big Fanti Town, Corduah and Korkorwein. In a frank but cordial exchange with their Senator, the residents outlined several challenges among which were the lack of hand pumps for safe drinking water, toilet facilities, schools, clinics and community centers.

In a distinct case, residents of the Sugar Cane Farm Community complained about a multitude of bugs that have taken over the community as a result of woodchips being produced by Buchanan Renewables in the area. According to the residents, the bugs are causing them serious problems especially at night.

For its part, the Fishing Community in Buchanan decried what it considers a sharp increase in the fees charged for fishing activities by the Bureau of Fisheries. The fishermen said they are required to pay up to 250USD each for fishing licenses, a situation they described as unbearable.

Also, the Ghanaian Community in Buchanan told Senator Findley authorities at the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization have increased, by over three hundred percent, the cost for resident permits and citizen naturalization. According to them, foreign nationals seeking citizenship are required to pay up to 700USD while resident permits have also risen to 250USD. The Ghanaian community craved the intervention of the Pro-Temp to ease their plight.

In response, Pro-Temp Findley thanked the citizens for speaking their mind and promised to work with them to address the water and toilet situations as he did in the Joe Quarter and Tarr Bar Communities few months ago. He said while efforts were continuing to build hand-pumps, he would engage the Liberia water and Sewer Corporation to assess the possibility of restoring pipe borne water to Buchanan City. The Pro-Temp however frowned at the attitude of some unscrupulous individuals who looted LWSC pipes and other social installations in the city. Senator Findley insisted that people in the community must be responsible and play a part in maintaining facilities in their domain.

On the issue of the bugs in the Sugar Cane Farm Community, Pro-Temp Findley said while in the county, he would engage the management of Buchanan Renewables and the Environmental Protection Agency for urgent redress.

For problems confronting the Ghanaian and Fishing communities in Buchanan, Senator Findley said he would take up their concerns with the Bureau of Fisheries and the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization.

Senator Findley then donated one set of desktop computer to the Youth Center operated by the Bassa Youth Caucus.

At the same time, residents of Nekreen Township in Grand Bassa County have identified roads and lack of access to safe drinking water, health facilities and quality education as factors impeding economic growth in the township.

The citizens representing the seven sessions across NekreenTownship spoke at the second in a series of town hall meetings organized by Senate Pro-Temp and Grand Bassa County Senator Gbehzohngar Findley.

Explaining their plight to Senator Findley, the citizens said most schools in the township are run from incomplete and deplorable structures and are being operated by few teachers. They said students and even some teachers walk long distances to attend school every day. The Nekreen citizens said residents of the township still drink from streams and rivers, exposing them to water borne diseases and other serious health conditions. They also told Senator Findley that patients are carried on shoulders to health centers, some of which are up to 20 miles away. The citizens said, in some cases, patients die before they even reach the health center.

Also speaking, Women of the Township called on Pro-Temp Findley to extend his micro-loan initiative to them, as there was no means of empowerment available in the area.

The Nekreen Citizens who thronged an unfinished school building to welcome Senator Findley, expressed delight for hosting the first sitting Senator and top government official ever in the history of the Township.

The Town Hall meetings will continue with visits to others parts of Buchanan as well as Districts 1, 2 & 4 in Grand Bassa County over the coming weeks.