By: Ben TC Brooks
River Gee County | Feb. 21, 2026 | Residents of Pennoken, a remote community in the Potupo Administrative district of River Gee County, are calling for urgent government and humanitarian intervention over the lack of basic social services, including mobile network coverage, qualified teachers, safe drinking water, and access to healthcare.
Residents of Potupo Pennoken say the absence of reliable mobile network connectivity has left the town virtually isolated from other parts of the county and the country at large.
Residents struggle daily to communicate with relatives, carry out business transactions, or contact authorities during emergencies.
Local leaders say the communication gap has slowed development and denied young people access to digital information and opportunities available in other communities.
They are appealing to the telecommunications companies and national authorities to extend network services to the area, stressing that connectivity is vital for economic growth, education, healthcare coordination, and security.
In another related development, education in Pennoken remains in a fragile condition.
The Pennoken Public School, constructed by community members in 2012 to improve access to learning, is now operating under extremely challenging circumstances.
Currently, more than 150 students rely on a single female teacher to manage and teach all grade levels, from kindergarten through 5th grade, in combined classrooms.
The situation arose following the departure of two volunteer instructors who had previously supported the school, leaving the institution critically understaffed. Says General Town Chief Gbaryee Wesseh.
“Before, we had two of our children volunteering at the school, but over the years both stopped.
Now we are left with only one lady who is in charge of everything, with the over 100 students this year,” said General Town Chief Gbaryee Wesseh and Youth President, Peter Sackor.
Students sit on dusty floors due to limited seating, and the school lacks adequate instructional materials and proper infrastructure.
Therefore, the community dwellers are calling on their district 2 Representative, Isaac Boye Choloplay Wou, along with the national government and development partners, to assign trained teachers, provide learning materials, and improve school facilities.
Again, access to safe drinking water has become another serious concern. According to residents, out of four hand pumps in the community, only one is fully operational, while the others are damaged.
Even the functioning pump reportedly produces water very slowly. Elder Dorris Wesseh expressed frustration over the situation.
“We have four hand pumps in this town, but I can clearly say that only one is properly functioning. The others are damaged, and even the other one add to it working is very slow when fetching water,” she explained.
She disclosed that the hand pumps were constructed more than a decade ago by Geremon Agro Action – GAA, and have not received adequate maintenance since then.
“These pumps were built over ten years ago.
Today, we are suffering because most of them are spoiled. We need help, we are tired,” she lamented.
However, residents say due to the shortage of safe water, many now now rely on creeks and open wells, exposing themselves to serious health risks, while health workers warn that consuming contaminated water increases the likelihood of waterborne diseases, particularly among children and the elderly.
Beyond the water crisis, healthcare access remains another burden. According to Elder Wesseh, residents must walk approximately one hour from Pennoken to Jayproken to reach the nearest clinic.
“From Pennoken to Jayproken, where we have a clinic, it takes about one hour to walk. At my age now, I cannot walk that long distance,” she said emotionally.
She appealed to community members living elsewhere, lawmakers, the national government, and humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene.
“We are calling on our children who are out there, our lawmakers, the national government, and humanitarian organizations to please come to our aid. We have suffered for too long,” she concluded sorrowfully.
Leaders and residents of Potupo Pennoken are urging national authorities, non-governmental organizations, and private sector partners to prioritize their community’s needs.
They emphasize that improved telecommunications, strengthened educational support, reliable access to clean water, and better healthcare services are critical for the well-being and future development of the area.
Indeed, as appeals from Pennoken grow stronger, residents remain hopeful that their cries for help will attract meaningful and lasting intervention for this underserved community in River Gee County.
