Published: June 18, 2025
ZOTA DISTRICT, Bong County — A long-awaited road construction project is transforming lives across Kpaquellie Clan in Zota District. Stretching six kilometers from Laykai-Ta, Gomu to Malaneyah, the road is opening access to markets, schools, and clinics for multiple villages that have long endured isolation and underdevelopment.
The project—entirely community-driven—is being spearheaded by Quanuquanei Alfred Karmue, executive director of the Panta Pride Foundation, in collaboration with Environmental Protection Agency Executive Director Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo. Field operations and surveying are being led by local engineer Philip McGill Flomo.
“This road we are doing from Laykai-Ta to Malaneyah is six kilometers,” Flomo said during a site visit. “We just completed the road survey. From what I’ve seen with my own eyes, this road is long overdue. For years, people used only their hands to maintain it. No machines ever came—until today, when God made it possible.”
First Machines Ever Seen on the Route
For many local residents, the sight of yellow earth-moving equipment on the road is nothing short of miraculous. According to elders in Laykai-Ta, Nyesue, and Gomu, it marks the first time heavy machinery has ever reached their communities.
“We used to build roads with our bare hands,” one elder recounted. “It was too hard, especially during the rainy season. But now, the road will help us move freely.”
The Panta Pride Foundation provided the machine and operator, while Dr. Yarkpawolo supplied fuel to keep construction ongoing. Local residents have volunteered labor to support the effort. Engineer Flomo emphasized the community’s dedication:
“Nobody is paying even five dollars to us,” he said. “We are doing this because we love our people. This is not politics—this is love for country.”
The work is progressing swiftly and is expected to be completed within 10 days, weather permitting.
A Road to Opportunity and Relief
The road cuts through key agricultural zones—including Gomu, Kilega, Kpaquellie Clan, and areas near the Guinean border—where farmers grow plantains, cassava, peppers, and pineapples. For years, transporting goods to market has been a grueling challenge.
“Buyers couldn’t reach us, and we had to carry goods on our heads or throw them down hills to get to town,” said farmer Moses B.K. Kollie of Laykai-Ta. “Now, we can finally expect better prices and easier access to markets.”
Women’s Voices: A Lifeline for Farming Communities
Korto Yarkpawolo, a female farmer from Gomu, praised the initiative as a life-changing development for women in the region.
“We the women suffer the most. To take cassava or pepper to the market was always a burden,” she said. “What Quanuquanei and Dr. Yarkpawolo have done is a blessing. They brought us a road—we never thought we would see this day.”
Long-Term Commitment to Community Development
This is not the first time the Panta Pride Foundation and Dr. Yarkpawolo have supported rural transformation in Bong County. Over the years, Karmue and his team, working with local communities, have rehabilitated and constructed several farm-to-market roads in Zota and Panta Districts, improving economic and social access for dozens of remote communities.
Dr. Yarkpawolo also built an elementary school in Gomu to serve children who previously walked long distances to attend class.
“The children used to walk far to attend school. Now they have a school right in Gomu,” a resident recalled. “He didn’t wait for the government—he just acted.”
A Call for Broader Support
Residents now hope that the new road will attract additional support from government ministries and development partners.
“We need help with seeds, tools, market access, and transportation,” said elder Moses Kollie. “This road is just the beginning. If the Ministry of Agriculture and others can join, our farms will grow and our children will learn better.”
A Symbol of Unity and Progress
This community-led road construction effort in Zota District is more than just infrastructure—it’s a powerful symbol of unity, vision, and self-determination. It shows what can be accomplished when local actors take ownership of development goals.
As Engineer Flomo reflected:
“Liberia is not only for people born in big towns. Let all of us—government, NGOs, and citizens—put our hands together. If God continues to bless us with good weather, we will finish the six kilometers soon. And when it’s done, this road will carry life into every village it touches.”
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