By Patrick Teah, Jr.
BARCLAYVILLE, Grand Kru County — Residents of District #2 in Grand Kru County have raised alarm over what they describe as years of abandonment by both county and national authorities, citing impassable roads, widespread unemployment, and deteriorating public services as threats to their daily survival.
Community members say the main road linking Barclayville through Buah Geekan to Dorbor and Forpoh districts has deteriorated to the point of being virtually unusable. The condition of the road, they argue, has severely disrupted transportation, trade, and access to essential services, including health care, education, and local markets.
According to residents, the lack of regular road maintenance has increased travel time and costs, limited economic activity, and isolated communities across the district. They stressed that their demand is not for paved highways, but for routine upkeep that would make the road motorable year-round.
“We are suffering. We are dying here. What have we done to deserve this neglect?” one resident said during a recent community engagement.
Beyond road infrastructure, citizens highlighted unemployment and the absence of meaningful development initiatives as major challenges confronting the district. They expressed frustration over repeated assurances from leaders that government intervention was forthcoming, promises they say have yet to translate into tangible improvements.
Residents contrasted their situation with neighboring Maryland County, where lawmakers are reportedly providing both legislative backing and personal support toward road construction and maintenance, resulting in visible development gains.
Education was also cited as a critical concern. Community members described school facilities across District #2 as dilapidated and unsuitable for effective teaching and learning, placing children at a further disadvantage.
The citizens voiced disappointment over what they described as the silence of their elected representatives, naming former House Speaker Fonati Koffa, Senator Numene T. H. Bartekwa, and Representative Albert Chea. According to residents, the officials have failed to visibly advocate for the district’s pressing needs.
They argued that while development remains stagnant, ordinary citizens—including farmers, traders, and small business owners—continue to shoulder the burden of poor infrastructure and economic hardship.
Residents of District #2 are now calling on their lawmakers and the national government to take immediate and decisive action to address the long-standing challenges facing the district, warning that continued inaction will only deepen their suffering and further marginalize the area.
