YASSATA, GUINEA & LIBERIA —Below the nice and cozy dawn alongside the Nié River on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with light river breezes and the tender hum of morning birds, Guinea’s authorities, led by Minister Jean-Paul SEDY, honored Quanuquanei Alfred Karmue, a group improvement hero from Bong County District #4, Liberia, and the Liberian authorities by Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris for his or her pivotal function in linking communities throughout the Liberia–Guinea border.
The Guinean delegation, headed by the Minister of Pre-College Schooling and Literacy, praised Karmue’s management and the assist of Superintendent Norris, which made it potential to move road-building equipment from Liberia into Guinea, connecting Yassata with Dissaï in Liberia.
“We’ve got come to honor collaboration and management,” Minister SEDY mentioned. “This undertaking is not only about roads; it’s a bridge of solidarity and improvement between Guinea and Liberia, an indication of our shared future and dedication to peace.”
The gesture highlighted the significance of cross-border cooperation, acknowledging that the bodily connection of the street from Yassata to the Nié River was solely potential due to Karmue’s initiative and the decisive intervention of Superintendent Norris, who ensured improvement prolonged past Liberia’s border.
Minister SEDY counseled border communities for taking accountability for their very own improvement with out ready for state intervention. He emphasised that the undertaking restores centuries-old household, cultural, and financial ties disrupted by colonial borders and acknowledged the function of Guinean protection and safety forces in safeguarding peace alongside the river.
“This isn’t only a bridge between two villages,” Minister SEDY mentioned. “It’s a bridge between Guinea and Liberia, and past that, a bridge connecting West African nations by solidarity, peace, and improvement.” He praised Karmue for refusing to attend on paperwork and as an alternative mobilizing communities, companions, and well-wishers to behave decisively, reflecting the management West Africa wants.
“You didn’t wait,” the Minister mentioned. “You went to work with the folks. The President of the Republic of Guinea, Basic Mamady Doumbouya, will know this.”
Karmue Displays on Regional Connectivity
On the proposed JNB Unity Bridge web site, Karmue anchored the historic second within the broader philosophy of regional connectivity articulated by President Joseph N. Boakai.
“As President Joseph N. Boakai correctly mentioned, ‘Boundaries between nations usually are not separation factors; they’re connection factors,’” Karmue mentioned. “At this time, these phrases are not symbolic; they’re turning into actuality.”
Gesturing towards the Nié River, he mirrored on its historic function as a divider. “Earlier than us is a river that when represented distance. At this time, it represents future.”
He defined that the undertaking builds on years of collaboration between border communities, courting again to the early Panta street advocacy motion. Guinean residents and native leaders actively participated in group street marathons for the Foelah–Dissaï street undertaking, strolling alongside Liberians in solidarity.
“You can’t neglect the place you got here from or those that began with you,” Karmue mentioned. “From the start, we knew the veins of this street ran straight into Guinea.”
As improvement superior on the Liberian aspect, Guinean communities formally appealed for help to attach the street from Yassata to the Nié River. Responding to this, Karmue coordinated the transport of road-building equipment throughout the river, a breakthrough made potential by Superintendent Norris.
“The Guinean authorities formally wrote to our superintendent,” Karmue defined. “She welcomed the request with open arms and made it potential for our machine to cross into Guinea.”
With tools now on either side, the street networks are bodily related, leaving solely the everlasting bridge over the Nié River to be constructed.
“If we are able to construct a street, we are able to construct a bridge,” Karmue added. “That bridge will absolutely join these two communities and finish the struggling our folks face due to a river.” Karmue mirrored on the broader significance of the initiative, emphasizing that the bridge represents greater than only a bodily connection.
“Each main metropolis all over the world has monuments and landmarks that remind residents of who they’re,” Karmue mentioned. “San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge, New York has the Statue of Liberty, and from New York to Pennsylvania there’s the George Washington Memorial Bridge. These locations encourage folks and remind them of their greatness.”
He continued, “What do we now have in Liberia that reminds us of our personal greatness? Due to a president dedicated to nationwide improvement, we’re starting to create landmark locations for our youngsters and future generations to see what Liberia really is. This bridge is not only a bridge; it’s our Golden Gate Bridge of Liberia, our personal model of the Statue of Liberty. We name it the Joseph Nyumah Boakai Unity Bridge, connecting Liberia and Guinea and symbolizing peace, unity, and shared prosperity.”
Improvement Past Politics
Karmue reaffirmed his assist for President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, emphasizing street building and agriculture as essential drivers of financial development.“This isn’t about politics; it’s about agenda. Improvement will not be solely the federal government’s accountability; each citizen has a job to play,” he mentioned.
He praised Superintendent Norris for her steadfast dedication, noting that her intervention made the cross-border street initiative potential and highlighted the significance of regional connectivity for commerce, agriculture, and social cohesion. Guinean officers lauded Liberia’s openness, describing the undertaking as a logo of unity between historic communities.
Liberia and Guinea: Shared Duty
Representing Liberia, Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris conveyed greetings from President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung, emphasizing that borders ought to join moderately than divide. “Our folks have intermarried, traded, and lived collectively for generations,” she mentioned. “This street and bridge will guarantee nobody suffers once more merely due to a river.” She praised Karmue as “an excellent developer” whose management “joined Liberia and Guinea collectively at present” and known as for continued collaboration to finish the bridge and preserve the street.
Panta District Commissioner Gban Dakai Paye added, “As we now have crossed into Guinea, we acknowledge the unity of our nations. Our sisters and brothers have traveled throughout borders to marry, commerce, and reside collectively. We consider Liberians and Guineans are one folks. I salute Karmue for his imaginative and prescient and dedication; he carries progress throughout all of Liberia. With God’s steering, we consider at some point all our folks will benefit from the full advantages of those roads and bridges, and our communities will proceed to be united in peace and prosperity.”
Native Voices Applaud the Initiative and Rally in Name for JNB Unity Bridge
Residents of Yassata and Dissaï expressed deep gratitude for Karmue’s management and the cross-border cooperation that has introduced the street undertaking to completion. “We’ve got waited for many years for this connection,” mentioned Fatoumata, an area dealer in Yassata. “Due to Mr. Karmue and Superintendent Norris, we are able to now commerce our items extra simply, whereas ready for the bridge building.” From the Dissaï aspect, group members echoed the sentiment whereas interesting for the everlasting bridge over the Nié River.
“The roads are lastly constructed, connecting our villages,” mentioned Korto Togbah, a resident in Dissaï. “However crossing the river continues to be harmful, particularly in the course of the wet season. We urge each governments to prioritize the JNB Unity Bridge instantly.”Mary Mulbah, an area mom, added, “Quanuquanei Karmue has performed a lot for each communities, and Superintendent Norris’s assist made this potential. Now it’s time to full the bridge so our folks can transfer safely and commerce freely each day.” Neighborhood elder Moussa Camara bolstered the plea: “The street is fantastic, however the river nonetheless divides us. The JNB Unity Bridge will flip this street right into a full lifeline for our communities, and we hope the authorities act directly.”
