LOFA CROWDS ELLEN

Hundreds lineup to catch a glimpse of President

Stephen Kollie, skollie@frontpageafricaonline.com

Voinjama, Lofa County –

It was a no-school day for Zazay Kolubah, but the 10-year-old was in the streets Saturday looking to catch a glimpse of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who arrived in Voinjama, Saturday, April 30, at the start of a three-day visit to Lofa County.

The president and entourage were greeted to a rousing welcome by residents of Lofa County as they performed traditional ceremonies to welcome her to the county.  The President’s travels also took her to Foya and Kolahun.

During her tour, the President made brief stop to inspect a self-help women’s project in Selenga, en route to Yamadamadu, where she participated in ceremonies marking the re-burial of Dr. Edward Binyah Kesselly, the founding father of the Unity Party in 1984. Dr. Kesselly died in 1993, and is now being re-buried in his home village in keeping with his wishes.

At the Liberia Cocoa Cooperation farm, the president was impressed with the progress made in two years. She told the workers and managers that she looked forward to a great display later this year when the Independence Day celebration comes to town. The President also made stops in Bogoludu where she participated in the dedication of a school project and visited a local Bureau of Immigration building at a border post in Konadu.

Every stop of the way, the president welcomed the initiatives and support by residents of the areas and spoke of government’s determination to continue with its decentralization efforts by ensuring that all political sub-divisions are provided access to basic services.