Liberia: President Weah Gives Ganta Police New Pickup for Operations

President George Weah has donated a brand new pickup to the Ganta Police Detail to enhance operations or patrol amidst high crime rates and looming land dispute.

The donation was made on behalf of the President by a number of Nimba political leaders, including both senators Prince Johnson and Jeremiah Koung, as well as representative Samuel Brown, Mantinokay Tingban, and former Superintendent Dorr Cooper. They cautioned the police to use the pickup for the intended purposes, making sure that the security of Ganta was prioritized.

Ganta is faced with high crime rates, where hijacking and armed robbery have become the cause for alarm on a daily basis, followed by unresolved land disputes surrounding the disputed land declared as an eminent domain by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in 2010. The recent land case involving the Suah family on one hand and the Jabateh, Kromah, and the Donso on the other hand, is a case in point.

These land disputes have caused frequent interruptions to normal business activities in Ganta whenever they spiked up. In the absence of a vehicle, police have been slow in their response to these issues. Another issue hampering the effectiveness of the police in Ganta is the limitation of manpower and the inaccessibility of most new communities by roads. 

However, these issues are yet to be addressed by the government. Regarding the pick-up, the Nimba County Police Detachment applauded the President for the gesture and promised to maintain the vehicle and also use it for its intended purpose. They told Senator Johnson that the county is faced with huge challenges in terms of effective policing everywhere in the absence of vehicles, recommending the supply of additional vehicles to enhance their work.

Nimba Police Detachment has one vehicle, which was provided nearly 10 years ago and it is not too effective to cover long distances in case of any pressing situation.

“We will use this pickup for Ganta because it is the face of Nimba, but Nimba is large and we need another pickup to do our work effectively,” said Augustus Warri, Nimba Police Chief.

Meanwhile, Weah on the margins of the just ended cabinet retreat in Ganta, Nimba County, has reiterate his pledge to connect towns and villages and with neighboring countries.

During the meeting held Wednesday,  July 13, Weah told the chiefs and elders that ongoing developments, mainly the construction of roads, provision of free tuition, scholarships, and many others, demonstrate the fulfillment of promises he made to the people of Nimba during the 2017 elections.

The President recounted his government's numerous development achievements in the space of four years, against what was done during 171 years of existence of the country before his ascendency.

"I should be thanking you because it's because of you, I am here as President; When I came to you during the campaign, I promised to connect your county; I promised to build your country. That's exactly what I am doing."