By Precious D. Freeman
Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee is calling on the Liberia National Red Cross, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and other good humanitarian organizations to come to the aid of the fire victims at Water Street.
During a patrol at the disaster site over the weekend, Mayor Koijee expressed his sympathy to those affected and promised to work along with the Ministry of Public Works in making sure that blockades are set at the bridge.
Speaking to the press over the issue, Mayor Koijee classified the bridge as a ‘death trap’ which is not conducive for human habitation and promised to make amendments with the help of other humanitarians.
According to him, the Transport Ministry should put mechanism into place so as to avoid defective trucks from plying the streets most especially during the day time.
At the same time he is also calling on the Aminata Petroleum dealers to meet the relevant authorities in order to contribute towards the damages, adding that they should not wait till the state to go after them.
Mayor Koijee lauded the Liberian National Fire Service and the Liberia National Police for their efforts in extinguishing the fire.
He however told the fire victims that the Liberian Leader, Dr. George Manneh Weah was deeply concerned about their plight, and as such, the government will get to them as soon as possible and appealed to them to remain peaceful.
Meanwhile one of the victims identified as Gertrude Roberts sorrowfully narrated that the fire destroyed all of her business that she depended on and does not have any other means of sustenance.
Madam Roberts added that she took a loan from a bank to start her business which she had been doing for the past nine years, adding that she is a widow with three children and the business had been a great help to her and the children.
“I don’t know how I will manage to pay my house rent as the last six months will expire at the end of this month, and I don’t have any other means of generating money,” she lamented.
The victim also complained about the lack of adequate support from family members to really recognize the hardship she is going through.
It can be recalled that during the early evening hour on Friday, August 13, 2021 a tanker belonging to Aminata Company carrying a petroleum product lost control and crashed down from a bridge in a residential area and burst into flames, thereby leaving several goods and properties worth thousands of United State Dollars completely destroyed.