By Stephen N. Tokpah
-Bong (freelance)
In August of this year, Senator Johnny Kpehe made headlines with the announcement of an ambitious project, the construction of a state-of-the-art Ambulance Hub in Bong County.
The project, which was estimated to cost over US$$100,000 was billed as a critical step toward improving emergency healthcare services in the region.
The groundbreaking ceremony was met with much fanfare, as the senator emphasized the importance of the hub for the county’s residents yet, months after the ceremony, not a single brick has been laid, leaving many questioning the sincerity and execution of the project.
The Ambulance Hub was presented as a solution to the chronic lack of emergency services in Bong, where delays in accessing medical care can be fatal.
At the groundbreaking event, Senator Kpehe lauded the project as one that would revolutionize healthcare delivery.
However, the initial optimism has since faded into frustration as the site remains untouched.
Residents and local observers are beginning to voice concerns over the lack of visible progress.
The delay has sparked accusations of political posturing, with critics suggesting that the hub might have been more about securing political goodwill than delivering on a much-needed public service.
“This was supposed to be a lifesaving project, but we’ve seen no signs of construction since the senator laid the first shovel in the ground,” said Annie Sumo, a resident who lives near the proposed site. “It’s been months, and the people are still waiting.”
Further scrutiny is falling on the project’s funding and overall transparency.
Senator Kpehe’s office had placed the total cost at over US$100,000, a figure that raised eyebrows given the absence of a detailed budget breakdown or a clear construction timeline.
With no signs of ongoing work, questions linger about where the promised funds have gone and whether the project was properly planned from the start.
The situation is made more complicated by the broader context of infrastructure development in Liberia, where delays and abandoned projects are all too common.
The Ambulance Hub’s project is starting to look like another casualty of political grandstanding, with public interest seemingly sacrificed for electoral gains while Senator Kpehe has yet to comment on the delay, the silence is only fueling speculation.
Critics argue that this is emblematic of a larger issue with how politicians in Liberia handle development projects saying that announcements are often made to gain political favor, but the follow-through is sorely lacking.
They alarmed, “It’s time for Senator Kpehe to be held accountable. We don’t need more promises, we need action.”
As Bongese continues to wait for the much-promised ambulance hub, the lives of residents remain in jeopardy.
Emergency medical services are critical in rural Liberia, and the absence of progress on the hub is a stark reminder of the gap between political promises and real-world results.
If the senator and his team do not address the growing concerns and demonstrate tangible progress soon, they risk losing the trust of the very people they promised to serve.
The Ambulance Hub could become yet another symbol of failed leadership in Liberia unless urgent corrective action is taken.
