By: Joseph Solo, Journalist, jsolojr86@gmail.com +231880436184
Nimba, Liberia: – Nimba County District 7 Representative, Musa Hassan Bility has expressed deep regrets and utmost sadness over the disappearance and what is feared to be the drowning of two of his personnel staff – Morris Ploh, Secretary, and Lawrence Yeayea, Security.
The two men reportedly went missing on August 24, 2024, when the locally made ferry that they, along with other commuters were being transported on, capsized.
The locally made ferry has been the only medium of transportation for inhabitants of parts of Districts 2 and 4 due to the lack of a concrete bridge over the infamous Yarr River to connect the two districts.
On August 24, upon an invitation from his colleague, Representative Nyan Flomo of Nimba County Electoral District #2, Representative Musa Hassan Bility, along with some staffers of his office went to grace the groundbreaking ceremony of a bridge expected to be constructed by him and people of the two electoral districts to ease the constraints locals in the area go through in commuting and transporting their farm produce from one place to another.
It was on their return to Saclepea, following the groundbreaking ceremony, that the two Staffers – Ploh and Yeayea and two others, including a lady met up with the unfortunate situation that has rendered them missing up to press time.
Appearing on ‘OK Morning Rush’ on OK FM in Monrovia, Mr. Wilfred N. Bangura, II, Chief of Office Staff in the office of Nimba County Electoral District #7, Musa Hassan Bility, indicated that his boss was distressed about the fateful incident.
“We want to appreciate everybody who has reached out to Hon. Bility since the incident because right now he is dejected and he is down and he needs your prayers. But his spirit is never damping, he is determined to go on with the project because he believes that, that would be the permanent solution to such tragedy”, Mr. Bangura solemnly told his radio listeners on Monday in Monrovia.
The bridge, when constructed would add to a list of several modern bridges constructed in the county by Mr. Bility in a span of less the four years.
COS Bangura stated: “That bridge would not be the first of its kind to be done by the Bility Development Foundation of Hon. Bility. Remember we did the biggest bridge over the Yaa River in Gbei Tehngben, another dangerous crossing point. We also did the Yansehn Bridge, among other things.
He continued: “For many years now, the people of districts 2&4 have petitioned their government for the construction of that bridge. Hon. Bility had gone to receive another petition from the people there. We had a colorful groundbreaking, but on our return… that was when the tragedy struck”.
He said as search and rescue missions have been dispatched to find the missing men, his boss, Hon. Bility and his colleague, Hon. Samuel G. Kogar, former district #4 Rep. Gunpue L.Kargon, and the local authorities in the area have gone to the incident scene to take a glimpse of the impasse.
Mr. Bangura then called on citizens of his district to observe the tragic moment in an honorable way, adding however that such an unfortunate incident will not deter his boss from carrying out the project as planned.
Mr. Wilfred Nehwon Bangura II is a seasoned legislative staffer who understands the workings of the Liberian Legislature in the context of oversight, representation, and lawmaking.
He served as Chief of Staff in the office of the Chairman on Executive, as Representative of District #3, Montserrado County, from 2008 to 2011, as Chief of Staff in the office of the Chairman on Youth & Sports, and as Senator of River Cess County from 2012 to 2015 and Deputy Chief of Staff in the office of the Senate Pro tempore, Armah Zulu Jallah and Senator of Gbarpolu County 2015 to 2017.
