The Bomi Universities Student Association (BUSA) have questioned the rationale and sincerity of the Government of the Liberia to have celebrated this year's 166th Independence Day in the county amidst rampant corruption, nepotism, abject poverty, lack of transparency and accountability in the country's governance system.

The students said the July 26 was needless to have been celebrated, especially in western Liberia, one of Liberia's less developed regions amidst these negative vices.

Unlike past July 26th celebrations where a county was selected to host the national event, three counties, Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu were selected to host this year's Independence Day.

"This is not a country cook in high school where students contribute $5 to $10.00 to celebrate; this is a national event... .and as such, our people should be duly respected. We see no reasons to celebrate; our people homes were demolished without compensations, when people whose homes were similarly demolished in Monrovia were duly compensated... " the group's President, Abraham S. Kromah, said.

Student Kromah said it was also needless to celebrate when all of the medical facilities in the county and the region were completely out of drugs and the people were dying of common curable diseases daily with no latrine, housing facilities in the areas.

He indicated that with the level of prominent citizens, including the President of Liberia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the wife of Liberia's Vice President and others at helm of governance, it was unthinkable and unbelievable for people of the region to be unfairly treated by the same government.

They said celebration wasn't also necessary when schools in the counties were completely being run without qualified instructors and stationeries.

The students said Bomi, as a county in Liberia has not achieved any tangible achievement to warrant celebration.

The students planned to have initially assembled at the Tubmanburg City Square on July 26 with placards to peacefully protest the celebration, but were resisted by heavy security presence at the square.

Officers of the Liberia National Police Support Unit were seen deployed at the city square as early as 5:30 am on July 26 to restrain the students' protest action in the area.

However, the students later assembled along the Monrovia road with placards in their planned protest.

Meanwhile, the Orator of this year's Independence Day, Cllr. Varney Sherman has cautioned the government to ensure that the concerns of what he calls the many disgruntled young people in the country are addressed for genuine peace and reconciliation.

Cllr. Sherman said the attainment of total peace and reconciliation in Liberia will remain elusive if the issues of job creation for young people and the population are not adequately addressed by the government.