Nimba County District #3 Representative Nekeh Gaye has submitted a bill to the House of Representatives seeking the establishment of a vocational training institute in Karnplay City to provide skills development opportunities for the district’s growing youth population.
In a communication addressed to House Speaker Hon. Richard Koon, Rep. Gaye proposed a legislative instrument titled “An Act to Establish Karnplay Vocational Training Institute” in Karnplay City, Nimba County.
In his petition to the Legislature, Gaye said the establishment of the institution would support the government’s decentralization agenda while helping to address the challenges associated with rural-urban migration among young people seeking educational and skills training opportunities.
“Hon. Speaker, the establishment of Karnplay Vocational Institute is a positive step in realizing the government’s decentralization process and to further mitigate some of the challenges of massive urban migration in pursuit of higher education,” Rep. Gaye stated.
“Additionally, this institution will strengthen the capacity of the youth of Gbehlay Geh District, representing a landmark step toward transforming rural education and human resource development as we collectively work to improve the living conditions of the Liberian population,” he added.
Gbehlay Geh District comprises two administrative areas — Twah River Administrative District and Gbehlay Administrative District — and is considered one of Nimba County’s most populous electoral districts.
According to the 2023 voter roll, the district has more than 70,000 registered voters. However, despite its large population, the district has fewer than five public high schools and currently lacks any vocational training institution for high school graduates and young people who drop out of school.
Community leaders say the lack of skills training opportunities has contributed to many young people turning to motorcycle transportation and other informal economic activities for survival.
The proposal has received strong support from residents, who praised Rep. Gaye for what they described as a forward-looking initiative aimed at empowering young people and promoting economic development in the district.
The move comes shortly after the government broke ground for the construction of a multi-million-dollar vocational training institution in Tappita. However, some residents and stakeholders argue that one vocational school may not be sufficient for a county with more than 300,000 registered voters and a population approaching one million people.
Rep. Gaye is therefore urging lawmakers to consider the importance of establishing a vocational institution in Karnplay as part of efforts to expand skills training opportunities across Liberia.
“I write to crave the plenary indulgence to take the best legislative action that will lead to the passage of the bill,” he concluded.
Karnplay City is one of the economically important towns in Gbehlay Geh District. Located along the main road leading to Loguatuo, one of Liberia’s major border towns with Côte d’Ivoire, Karnplay also connects to Gborplay in the east near the Ivorian border.
The district is largely driven by agriculture, with cocoa farming serving as one of the major economic activities. Stakeholders believe the establishment of a vocational institute could provide young people with practical skills while supporting local economic growth and agricultural development.
