Former student leader urges Musa Bility to address Southeast’s neglect

Published: September 5, 2025

MONROVIA — Hanson T. Doe, a former University of Liberia student leader and rights activist, has urged Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) political leader and Nimba County District 7 Representative Musa Bility to focus on addressing long-standing development issues in Liberia’s southeastern region.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday in Monrovia, Doe described the Southeast as Liberia’s “historic traditional land” that has suffered years of neglect despite producing leaders who have shaped the country’s political agenda.

“I’m here to bring this to Hon. Bility’s attention — to give the region the full focus that will improve the lives of our people,” Doe said, pointing to citizens displaced from Grand Kru and other southeastern counties who now live in Monrovia’s West Point, New Kru Town, Logan Town and Clara Town because of impassable roads.

Chronic Issues

Doe highlighted ongoing challenges such as poor farm-to-market roads, lack of electricity, unsafe drinking water, inadequate health services, and weak schools. He pointed out Grand Kru’s Forpoh District as a key example, noting that despite being home to mining and business activities involving Liberians from across the country and foreign nationals, the district still faces severe infrastructure shortages.

“It is impossible that such a resource-rich environment could still be rated as a low-population county,” Doe said, accusing policymakers of neglect and failure to attract investment that could boost growth and living conditions.

Governance and Elections Concerns

The activist also criticized the challenges faced by the National Elections Commission and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services in carrying out voter registration and census activities due to poor road access. He pointed out that some citizens are compelled to pay up to 1,000 Liberian dollars for transportation to reach polling sites.

“What happened to the older people? Because of the bad roads, NEC has refused to extend

Doe urged the Grand Kru County Legislative Caucus and the central government to prioritize road construction during the dry season. He also emphasized that leaders should redirect their attention toward agricultural investments, pointing out that Maryland County’s Pleebo community continues to grow because of logging, palm oil, and rubber operations.

“Our people have endured enough,” Doe said. “We need leaders who will advocate for better roads in the Southeast, not just for revenue collection.”