On Friday, March 17, 2023, ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) with the support of Community Leaders broke grounds for the construction of a children playground in Frank Diggs Town.
Frank Diggs Town, one of the Communities closed to ArcelorMittal's operational areas in Grand Bassa County is in Blehzee Administrative District in Wee-Statutory District or Electoral District #4, Grand Bassa County.
It is a stone throw distance away from the St John Town where the railway used by ArcelorMittal to transport direct shipment ore from Yekepa to Buchanan splits the town into two equal halves.
Speaking during the groundbreaking, which was held at the Frank Diggs' Public School, Manrier Hutchinson, ArcelorMittal-Liberia Grand Bassa Community Relations Supervisor said the company thought to do the project under the "Safeguarding Our Community" program as a way of keeping children away from the locomotive track and to get them motivated to returning to school.
Hutchinson said the number one priority of the project is to ensure safety of children in Frank Diggs town.
Said Mrs Hutchinson: "We said earlier that the train passes through Frank Diggs and one of our priorities as ArcelorMittal is to ensure safety."
"We say safety is first and safety is always".
According to her, to ensure safety is upheld in the local communities, it was key to erect such modern playground in areas conducive for children of all ages to play and engage one other in different ways.
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Frank Diggs Public School's Vice Principal for Administration, Eugene David described the project as "important" and thanked ArcelorMittal "for thinking in this direction".
The paramount Chief of Blehzee District Andrew Kpah wished the beneficiaries use the playground for the intended purpose.
Chief Kpah committed the community will help in whatever way possible and ensure that the project is completed and dedicated.
Parents, teachers, and school going children present at the groundbreaking praised ArcelorMittal for the help extended to their community
Last Week, AML and its partners broke grounds in Zowetnta, Bong County for another playground as part of its community development strategy.
Playgrounds already constructed in Yekepa, and Buchanan have recorded meaningful use by dozens of children daily.
This week, another groundbreaking is scheduled for Camp #4 in Yekepa, Nimba County.
