— As It Lacks Safe Drinking Water, School, Clinic, and other basic amenities
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — Boapea Town, situated in Nimba County’s Electoral District #2, is grappling with a dire situation, as residents face unimaginable hardship due to the deplorable living conditions that urgently require redress. The community is plagued by a glaring absence of decent roads, a functional school, a health facility, proper latrines, and access to clean drinking water.
By Shallon S. Gonlor | shallonsgonlor@gmail.com / Nimba County Correspondent
The town’s school is severely under-resourced, leaving children without access to quality education. The lack of adequate educational facilities and infrastructure has made it challenging for students to learn and grow, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and disadvantage.
While road connectivity is in a state of disrepair, making it difficult for residents to access essential services, engage in economic activities, or even move around within the town. The poor road conditions have also hindered the delivery of goods and services, further exacerbating the town’s challenges.
Additionally, the absence of a health facility has forced residents to travel long distances to access healthcare services. This has posed a significant risk to the health and well-being of the residents, particularly the elderly, children, and pregnant women. The lack of toilets and proper waste management facilities has contributed to an unhealthy environment in the town. Residents are often forced to resort to open defecation, contaminating water sources, and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.
The scarcity of clean drinking water is another major challenge facing the residents of Boapea Town. Women and children often have to walk long distances to access water, wasting valuable time and energy that could be spent on more productive activities.
Local leaders, including the town chief and school principal, have joined forces with citizens to voice their grievances, expressing profound frustration and disillusionment over the deplorable living conditions in the community.
Boapea Public School is facing significant challenges, according to Principal Patrick L. Mantor. Speaking to journalists while in Boapea Town on Monday, Mantor highlighted several key issues affecting the school.
The school lacks sufficient classroom teachers, which can impact student learning and teacher workload. Additionally, there aren’t enough desks for students, and teaching materials are scarce. The school’s roofs also leak, which can disrupt classes and create an uncomfortable learning environment.
The school building itself is dilapidated, and the overall learning environment is unconducive. The latrines are non-functional, forcing students and staff to seek alternative facilities in nearby bushes. These challenges hinder the school’s ability to provide quality education. Mr. Mantor described the lack of government-employed teachers at the school as a ‘major obstacle’ to the future of children in need of education in the community.
He noted that as a result, he is forced to take on a heavy workload, teaching approximately 84 students across four separate classrooms, from kindergarten to grade six. “I’m the only government employed teacher and principal of Boapea Public School while the others are Volunteer Teachers (VT); sometimes they don’t come because they are not on payroll,” Principal Mantor stated.
Principal Mantor highlighted that the staffing shortage has caused devastation, with a significant number of students dropping out of school in the first marking period. According to him, the three volunteer teachers at the school attend classes at their discretion and sometimes abandon school for over a week, leaving him alone to manage the four classrooms.
This has occasionally forced him to prematurely close the school due to students’ impatience and class boycotts. “I’ve tried to keep those volunteer teachers in the classroom by appealing to the PTA to collect money from parents to provide compensation for them, but to no avail,” he said. Principal Mantor emphasized that the prevailing conditions at the school are significantly hampering the delivery of quality education to students, as prescribed by the Ministry of Education’s procedures.
He lamented that this challenging situation has persisted for years, affecting the academic progress of students at Boapea Public School. “The current state of our school is far from ideal for effective learning,” Mr. Mantor stated. “We are struggling to maintain a semblance of quality education, and it’s taking a toll on our students.” In light of these challenges, Mr. Mantor is making a heartfelt appeal to the Ministry of Education.
“My call and appeal to the Ministry of Education is that they should employ permanent teachers to ease stress and enhance a good learning environment for the students,” he urged. Currently, the school relies heavily on volunteer teachers whose irregular attendance has disrupted the learning process. By employing permanent teachers, Mr. Mantor believes that the school can ensure a smooth and uninterrupted learning process, ultimately benefiting the students and the community.
In another development, Boapea Town Chief, Wilfred Zoeta, has shed light on the myriad challenges plaguing the town, citing poor road conditions, inadequate sanitation facilities, and a glaring lack of essential amenities. “Our town is grappling with numerous issues that are significantly impacting the quality of life for our citizens,” Chief Zoeta stated.
The town chief highlighted the deplorable state of the roads, saying, “The bad road network is a major obstacle, making it extremely difficult for citizens to move freely and transport their farm produce to the market.” This, he noted, not only affects the local economy but also the overall well-being of the residents.
Furthermore, Chief Zoeta pointed out the absence of toilets — expressed deep concern about the prevalence of open defecation in the town, which he said poses a significant threat to citizens’ health and well-being. According to him, the lack of proper toilet facilities has led to a situation where residents are forced to resort to open defecation, contaminating the environment, water pollution, and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.
“The absence of toilets is not just a matter of convenience; it’s a serious health hazard,” Chief Zoeta warned. “Open defecation is a recipe for disaster, especially for our children and the elderly, who are more vulnerable to diseases.” Open defecation is associated with the spread of diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal infections. Town Chief Zoeta emphasized that addressing the toilet issue is crucial to preventing these health risks and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for the town’s residents.
Chief Zoeta moreover noted the town’s dire situation regarding safe drinking water underscored by its reliance on a single handpump. This limited resource has led to overcrowding and long queues, forcing many residents to seek alternative sources of water.
He said that unfortunately, these alternatives are often contaminated, exposing the community to significant health risks. The chief’s statement highlighted the urgent need for additional safe water sources to prevent waterborne diseases and ensure the well-being of the town’s citizens.
In conclusion, Town Chief Zoeta painted a dire picture of the residents’ living conditions, highlighting the critical absence of a functional health facility in the community. This glaring gap in healthcare infrastructure poses a significant threat to the lives of the most vulnerable members of the community, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly, he said. Without access to basic medical care, these individuals are forced to travel long distances to receive treatment, which can be both costly and time-consuming.
Chief Zoeta’s statement underscores the urgent need for a health facility to ensure the well-being and safety of the community’s most susceptible populations.
Boapea Town is a key community situated in Nimba County’s Electoral District #2, represented by Hon. Nyan G. Flomo. Strategically located in this district, Boapea Town plays a significant role in the local ecosystem, with its residents actively participating in various economic and social activities.
As part of Representative Flomo’s constituency, the town’s needs and concerns are a priority for his office, which works tirelessly to address issues such as infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and economic empowerment. With its rich natural resources and vibrant population, Boapea Town is an integral part of Nimba County’s growth and development trajectory. Despite being elected to represent the community, the representative has struggled to connect with his constituents, having held no community outreaches or town hall meetings.
This lack of engagement has left him out of touch with the severe constraints facing the community, including limited access to basic services like healthcare, clean water, and education. As a result, his understanding of the community’s needs appears to be limited, and his ability to effectively address their concerns has been hindered. The community’s issues remain unaddressed, and residents continue to face significant challenges in their daily lives.
