By: Ben T.C. Brooks
River Gee County | Oct. 21, 2025 | As Liberia edges toward the 2029 general and presidential elections, growing frustration is surfacing across River Gee County, where residents, mostly youths and women are calling for their lawmakers to be limited to a single term.
River Gee County, situated in the southern part of Liberia, is one of the country’s fifteen first-level administrative divisions. Established in 2000, the county covers an area of approximately 1,974 square miles and is subdivided into ten administrative areas and three electoral districts.
Fish Town serves as the county’s capital and administrative center. According to the 2022 National Population and Housing Census, River Gee has a population of about 124,653, ranking it among Liberia’s least populated counties.
In the House of Representatives, Alexander Pour represents electoral district 1, Isaac Boy Choloply Wuo serves district 2, and Johnson S.N. Williams represents district 3. The county’s two Senators, Francis Saidy Dopoh II and Jonathan Boycharles Sogbie who tenure ending 2029 continue to also represent River Gee at the national legislature.
The citizens accuse their current Representatives and Senators of failing to deliver on campaign promises and neglecting the welfare of the people who elected them.
The many residents say since the elections between 2020 and 2023, of the special and general polls, they have seen little to no tangible improvement in their districts.
“We see no change in the people we stood for in the rain and sun to elect,” lamented Patrick Toe, a youth from Tienpo but resident of Gbeapo Kanweaken. “They convinced us that they would bring change, but today, they have failed us massively. No one speaks for us in the county on roads, bridges, or farm-to-market routes. We are suffering.”
Toe particularly expressed anger over the collapsed nyonken bridge, a vital structure that links Tienpo to Sinoe and Grand Kru Counties. Despite repeated complaints from citizens, he said, no lawmaker has visited the area to assess the situation.
“Since the River Nur, Nyonken bridge got damaged, none of our lawmakers came to find a solution,” Toe added. “They are just sitting and waiting for 2029 to come and fool us again. We’re tired of their lies.”
The Tienpo nyonken bridge, originally constructed by Representative Alexander Pour of district 1, during the 2017 elections, reportedly fell into disrepair two years ago cutting off major communities from trade and transportation.
However, nearly a year, the Liberian government, through the Ministry of Public Works, dispatched an engineering assessment team to evaluate the condition of the damaged bridge, residents say no concrete action has been taken.
The assessment reportedly raised hopes among locals that reconstruction or rehabilitation would soon follow, but since then, the site has remained abandoned, leaving communities still cut off and struggling with transportation and trade challenges.
Meanwhile, in Chedepo Putuken, 49-year-old resident Ma. Susanna Tiah, commonly known as Ma Sue, voiced similar concerns. She accused the county’s lawmakers of failing to monitor the activities of County Superintendent Mike Tarpeh Swengbe, alleging poor coordination and weak oversight by the Legislative Caucus.
“Senator Jonathan Boycharles Sogbie and his colleagues are not developing our county and checking on the Superintendent. He’s doing whatever he wants because no one tells him what is right or wrong,” Ma Sue said. “There is about this government, no change, no development, so why did we elect them? But 2029 will come. Even if I die before then, my children will vote wisely.”
Although residents criticized Senator Sogbie, some acknowledged his involvement in local road rehabilitation projects particularly the Chedepo-Jarkaken-Geeken route and the construction of youth centers and town halls in a few communities. However, many still believe these efforts fall short of expectations.
On a more positive note, some residents praised Independent Senator Francis Saidy Dopoh, elected in 2023, for his humanitarian initiatives. Senator Dopoh is credited with introducing a borehole water project and establishing the River Gee Vocational and Technical Training Institute (TVET), which provides hands-on training opportunities for young people in the county.
“Senator Dopoh is trying small-small,” said George Karpeh, a local farmer. “The TVET school is helping our children learn real skills, and the water project is a big help. But he should also make sure the employment at the school includes everyone, not just his close supporters and family. We all voted for him.”
However, a day ago, Representative Johnson S.N. Williams of electoral district 3, has broken ground for rehabilitation of 110 kilometers of road within his district. The project aims to improve transportation, boost local trade, and enhance access to essential services for residents. While electoral district 2, Representative Isaac Boy Choloplay Wou also led groundbreaking ceremonies for several key development projects intended to benefit his constituents. However, as of this report, there is no publicly known information regarding any ongoing or planned development initiatives from Representative Alexander Pour of electoral district 1.
Despite these few developments, residents say River Gee County still faces deep-rooted challenges, including poor road networks, limited electricity, lack of educational support, youth unemployment, and weak local governance among others.
As the 2029 elections draw nearer, the citizens’ message appears unified and strong: deliver real development or prepare for a one-term verdict at the ballot box.
