The National Transit Authority (NTA) has reportedly abandoned it local office, and bus terminal in Gbarnga, Bong County.
With this, residents have questioned why a government-built transportation facility has been left idle despite persistent demands for affordable public transport in the county.
The facility was constructed as part of efforts to expand public transportation services beyond Monrovia, and establish a well-organized transit system for local communities.
But residents said, the Gbarnga facility is now reportedly sitting unused, raising concerns over the fate of an investment that was intended to benefit commuters.
The terminal was expected to serve as a transportation hub for passengers travelling within Bong, and to other parts of the country. Its apparent closure, however, has left residents relying heavily on commercial taxis, motorcycles, and other private transport operators.
For many residents, the situation represents more than an abandoned building. They said, it raises serious questions about how government infrastructure is managed, and maintained after public resources have been committed to its construction.
Residents and other stakeholders have meanwhile, demanded answers from the NTA, and the Ministry of Transport.
They want authorities to explain when operations at the Gbarnga facility ceased, why the terminal is no longer functioning, and whether the government has a concrete plan to rehabilitate, and reopen it.
The concerns have come amid demands for improved, and affordable public transportation services in the fifteen counties, where transportation remains a major challenge for many communities.
The NTA was established as part of government’s effort to develop a nationwide public transportation system. It was formerly known as the Monrovia Transit Authority before its mandate was expanded beyond the capital.
The legislation that established the NTA was enacted by the Legislature on September 11, 2008, and subsequently approved by then-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on March 24, 2009.
The authority was expected to extend reliable public transportation outside Monrovia.
The authorities have yet to publicly provide a detailed explanation for the reported non-operation of the facility.
