HARPER, Maryland County — In an effort to promote water sanitation and hygiene and improve the living conditions of residents, the Mayor of Harper City, Abraham B. Jackson, on Saturday, April 12, 2025, announced plans to demolish what he described as “makeshift structures” across the city.
Mayor Jackson made the announcement during a citywide cleanup campaign, which brought together community groups including Marylanders Return to Your Roots 2025 and the Maryland County chapter of the Liberia Red Cross Society. The campaign focused on cleaning Old Kru Town, one of Harper’s most densely populated and impoverished communities.
According to Mayor Jackson, the move is part of efforts to fulfill promises he made during his induction as mayor to restore Harper to its prewar status and improve sanitation.
“Old Kru Town is one of the slum communities in Harper City, and residents’ lives are exposed to diseases like diarrhea, cholera, scabies, and other contagious conditions,” Jackson told this reporter.
He said between 80% and 95% of the houses in Old Kru Town are makeshift structures without proper bathrooms. He described the structures as zinc shacks, mud houses, and fish-drying kitchens — many of which are unfit for human habitation.
The mayor said he has informed residents of the fishing communities — including Fanti, Kru, and Grebo residents in the Nekangbo and Old Kru Town areas — to begin replacing their makeshift zinc and mud homes with more durable structures made of concrete bricks.
“I have informed the entire fishing community, including those residing within the city limits, to transform their makeshift structures and dilapidated buildings into durable homes so we can give the city a new look and compare it to other cities,” Jackson said.
He acknowledged the many challenges facing the Harper City Corporation, particularly the lack of working tools and resources to effectively carry out its duties. Jackson appealed to well-meaning Liberians and humanitarian organizations to support the city’s efforts.
“We are here with Marylanders Return to Your Roots 2025 in collaboration with the Red Cross, and they are trying to help clean some parts of the city,” he said. “Makeshift structures are dilapidated buildings — especially the dryers — that people are living in. The dryers are not in good condition; they are made of mud, without zinc roofing. We have given them until July to renovate them.”
Mayor Jackson said the Harper City Corporation lacks the resources needed to carry out its functions and is seeking humanitarian aid and contributions. He also promised to engage with homeowners to encourage the construction of bathrooms as part of efforts to improve sanitation in the city.
“The message I have for our people is that we must join hands to make sure Harper returns to its prewar status,” he said. “I am not in this position as mayor to enrich myself — I am doing this job with passion.”
Also speaking to this reporter, Madam Comfort N. Wilson, county coordinator of Marylanders Return to Your Roots 2025, said the massive cleanup exercise in Old Kru Town, which lasted over four hours, was her organization’s way of giving back to the county.
She said the organization’s aim is to see Maryland County on the right path in terms of good sanitation and hygiene to ensure healthy living conditions for residents.
Wilson described Old Kru Town as the dirtiest community she has seen since she began volunteering in sanitation campaigns in Maryland County.
Francis Doe, another member of the organization, said Harper City Corporation is at the forefront of sanitation efforts in the city, and his organization is committed to providing free services to help prevent the outbreak of communicable diseases.
For his part, Wesseh Nma, field officer of the Liberia Red Cross Society, Maryland County chapter, said one of the organization’s major priorities is to keep Harper City clean, especially Old Kru Town.
“Old Kru Town is a slum community, and any time there is an outbreak, this community will be affected by waterborne diseases like cholera,” Nma said. “We are here to give the community a facelift and prevent sickness.”
Nma added that the cleanup campaign began last Saturday at the beach in the same community and will continue in Nekangbo in the coming weeks.
He said the Red Cross hopes to see residents living in a clean and safe environment.
“One of our thematic areas focuses on green response, especially addressing the effects of plastic waste on the environment,” he said. “We want to help eradicate plastic and bottle waste and ensure it is disposed of appropriately.”
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