The Quardu Gboni National Convention in Rhode Island highlights the urgent need for educational, agricultural and healthcare assistance for residents in the District.

In a startling revelation at the second annual national convention of the oldest Liberian Mandingo organization, Quardu Gboni, its current leader Seama Sheriff informed the audience that the newly established District in upper Lofa County has more than 5000 students who are being administered by 99 teachers, with only five of those being paid by the Liberian Government.

He said the rest of the teachers who are not on Government’s payroll are making grave sacrifices to impact knowledge in the young ones and some of the elderly who are still enthusiastic about learning.  “Our brothers and sisters have volunteered their time and resources to help our people.” Seama pointed out.

According to Seama, the issue is alarming and needed some urgent attention from the Liberian Government, friends of Liberia and members of his Quardu Gboni Association. “We are caught,” he declared. “This is where we are caught,” the outspoken community leader repeated and later opened the floor for the convention to brainstorm on crucial the issue.

The QGMA Chief also challenged his fellow Quardu Gbonians and other Liberian philanthropists and organizations to come to the aid of the former Chiefdom. He called on his vast membership to take the lead in highlighting the plight of the District school system and healthcare and agricultural needs and make sure some urgent assistance is provided to alleviate the problem currently faced by his people.

The Quardu Gboni District in upper Lofa County is predominantly occupied by Mandingoes. The bustling former Chiefdom was hard hit by the Liberian civil war, which resulted into thousands of its inhabitants fleeing to neighboring Guinea and other areas in the sub-region.

One of its major towns, Barkedou was most hit when hundreds of Liberian Mandingoes and other ethnic affiliates were slaughtered in cold blood by ruthless ragtag rebels of the erstwhile NPFL of Charles Taylor. Today, that lingering nightmare effect continues to haunt some of the descendants of the District, who are still mourning the tragic loss of their beloved ones during that massacre, dubbed “Barkedou Massacre.”

At the convention, some Liberians strongly advocated for a memorial tombstone to be erected in the center of Barkedou town in remembrance of the deceased. Some suggested that a scholarship drive be launched to aid children of the fallen residents. “We have more to do. There is a lot on our hands, so we must use this time to reflect on the past and start to move forward with good plans that will benefit our people,” Seama appealed.

At the historic convention held in Providence, Rhode Island Saturday, three working sessions were organized to discuss the central issues including educational, agricultural and healthcare needs of the District. One of the working groups on healthcare was headed by ULAA Presidential candidate, Anthony Kesselly, who had earlier admonished the QGMA leadership to reach out to the District officials to ascertain what is urgently needed in order to remedy those problems.

In their presentation, the group on education headed by veteran Liberian broadcast journalist and community leader Francis Duwana buttressed Kesselly’s recommendation. An air of enthusiasm filled the room as conferees were seen debating the issues and drawing out a resolution. They remain optimistic that the much needed aid would be available and by implemented by the Liberian Government, et al.

One of the conferees charged that the current leadership of QGMA has not been proactive in tackling the issue, especially educational needs of the residents. Some blamed the Liberian Government for not doing enough to include the teachers on the payroll. However for Musa Trawally,  “We have not been forthcoming.” He challenged the QGMA membership to be proactive in responding to the educational and services need of the District. The QGMA Financial Secretary suggested that the need for vocational training for some members of the teaching staff can not overemphasize.

Recommending that QGMA membership take the lead in supporting at 10 of the teachers financially, Musa urged his kinsmen to take the courage to send such aid. He said Government might not be in the position to pay the teachers based on their high school credentials, but “We need to take that courage to assist at least 10 of the teachers to enroll in various vocational training programs at the Nursing school, other disciplines.”

Terming the project as worthy, another member Musa Kamara from Minnesota pleaded with his kinsmen to focus on education and health care needs of the people in the District.

Community leader Sekou Kanneh, who headed the group on agriculture, challenged the leadership to include in its healthcare agenda other means of aid “to our people. If we can get some wheelchairs to be sent to our old people that would make them feel fine; that will help and it will mean a lot to them. Let’s get into action and be proactive and design strategy for us to help our people.”