Police in Grand Kru County are questioning the Superintendent of Jroa Statutory District, Manadeh Tarpeh, over the disappearance of some 500 concrete bricks from the construction site of the pro-poor housing project in Sass Town.
The district official is being probed along with two other suspects, one of them said to be a supervisor of the project, which is a brainchild development initiative by President George Weah aimed at taking underprivileged citizens from makeshift shelters to modern homes.
In February, the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) began the construction of 260 housing units in Sass Town, about 22 kilometres north of the provincial capital, Barclayville.
In the wake of news about the missing bricks, youth in Grand Kru have been pointing accusing fingers at Tarpeh, saying he “knowingly” bought the materials intended for a public project.
Citizens have expressed deep anxiety about the matter as per the significant nature of the project, and are looking forward to a speedy investigation by the police detachment.
Our correspondent went to the police headquarters in Barclayville to get a word from the accused senior district official but officers prevented any interview because they said that investigation was still ongoing.
Meanwhile, County Superintendent Doris Ylatun mandated the police to conduct a “full-scale” investigation into the matter she described as “highly regrettable,” lamenting that it could deprive Grand Kru of future development benefits.
“Any local official or whosoever is found culpable will be dismissed immediately and/or face the full weight of the laws of Liberia,” she said in a local radio interview Wednesday.
In June 2018, President Weah launched the Special Presidential Pro-Poor Housing Project to be implemented in different parts of the country as an important strategy to fight poverty amongst ordinary Liberians.
The President had lobbied with Japan for the provision of US$8 million to construct 564 housing units, 94 latrines, and 30 hands pumps across the 15 counties to benefit the less fortunate at no cost to them.
The Chief Executive then urged LACE and contractors to ensure that projects are carried out speedily, efficiently, and durably.
LINA
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