The Liberian leader, President George Manneh Weah and his entire officials and members of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) are saddened following a tragic accident that led to the death of members of the Girls of Weah in Gbarnga, Bong County.
As a result of this sad news, the Liberian leader had to cut short his ongoing campaign in Bomi County, also declared two days stay off. This afternoon, the Liberian leader alongside members of the CDC, signed the book of condolence as a tribute to the fallen partisans.
Two members of an auxiliary support group for President George Weah’s reelection campaign lost their lives on Tuesday, August 22, in a gruesome car crash in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The accident, which occurred in the afternoon hours, happened after the vehicle in which the ‘Girls for Weah’ were reportedly lost control and collided with a truck that was parked on the side of the highway for police inspection.
The impact of the collision left the commercial vehicle, in which the ‘Girls’ were traveling for a campaign rally severely mangled, making it difficult for emergency responders, who had to spend considerable time extracting the vehicle’s six occupants.
Three of the auxiliary members, however, succumbed to their injuries, according to doctors at the Phebe Hospital, while others are reportedly in critical condition.
The police have however begun investigating the circumstances that led to the vehicle losing control at a high speed before colliding with the parked truck.
In a statement, the Chairman of the Weah-Taylor 2023 campaign committee, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, said that the President was deeply sorry for the loss and had suspended campaign activities for two days.
According to Nagbe, the ‘Girls for Weah’ had been on the campaign trail when the accident occurred, which led to three of its members’ “untimely deaths.”
“The President expresses his deepest condolences to the families of three members of the Girls for Weah auxiliary who lost their lives in Bong County due to a terrible motor vehicle accident,” the statement signed by Nagbe added.
“In the wake of this tragedy, the President is suspending his campaign for two days effective immediately, and he is returning to Monrovia tonight [yesterday] to mourn this terrible loss.”
Nagbe pointed out that the President has appealed to his supporters and all Liberians to pray for the victim’s families as well as join him in grieving for the “lives lost” at the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) headquarters today at 2 pm.
“The President also calls on all supporters to join him in praying for the speedy recovery of all team members who sustained injuries,” Nagbe said.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for former Vice President Joseph Boakai, who stands as Weah’s primary rival, expressed condolences on behalf of the Unity Party for the “heartbreaking loss of their supporters.”
“With great sadness, our team has learned of a tragic accident sustained by members of the Girls of Weah on their way to participate in political activities of their political party,” Mohammed Ali said.
The “devastating accident,” according to police authorities, occurred at 4pm around the St. Moses Funeral Home and the Gbarnga Iron Gate.
“The incident took place as the speeding taxi collided with the parked truck, resulting in the fatalities,” Fasu Sheriff, Bong County Police Commander noted. “Three individuals were taken to Phebe Hospital in critical condition, but I cannot tell if they have since been transferred to Monrovia for further medical treatment.”
Sheriff noted that most of the accidents on the Monrovia-Gbarnga highway are the result of over speeding by commercial taxi drivers without any regard for their passengers’ lives.
According to statistics, the Monrovia — Gbarnga highway has claimed the lives of dozens of people in the past few years. These accidents have not only caused loss of life but have also resulted in economic setbacks and emotional distress for the victims’ families.
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