By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
PLEEBO, Maryland County, September 1, 2026: Residents of Gedetabo in Maryland County are poised to benefit from electricity for the first time following the arrival of project materials and technical personnel ahead of the commencement of an electrification project in the community.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2, marking the transition from technical assessment to implementation of the long-awaited project.
Gedetabo is one of 29 Nyanbo towns in Electoral District #2, Pleebo-Sodoken District, Maryland County. Despite its proximity to the Cavalla Rubber Corporation and other economic activities, the community has remained without electricity for decades.
The latest development follows an assessment conducted by a team of experts from the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), headed by Regional Director Murphy Gibson, in June 2026.
The assessment was intended to determine the feasibility and technical requirements for extending electricity to the community.
Following the assessment, electrical materials and technical personnel have arrived in Maryland County to begin preparatory work ahead of the official launch of the project.
According to district authorities, electricians are currently in the county undertaking technical activities necessary for the commencement of the project.
The electrification initiative follows efforts by Maryland County Senator James P. Biney, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Executive, who intervened on behalf of the community for the extension of electricity to Gedetabo.
Local authorities and residents have credited Biney’s intervention with helping to advance efforts to connect the community to the national electricity network.
For residents, the project addresses a longstanding development concern that has affected education, commerce, communication and other social and economic activities.
The lack of electricity has left small businesses dependent largely on daylight hours and alternative sources of power, while students have faced difficulties studying at night.
Residents believe access to electricity could expand business opportunities, improve conditions for students and enhance economic activities in the community.
The September 2 groundbreaking ceremony is expected to bring together community leaders, district authorities, residents, LEC technical personnel and other stakeholders.
District authorities have meanwhile urged residents to cooperate with the technical team and officials involved in the project to ensure smooth implementation.
They said the arrival of materials and technical personnel demonstrates that the project has moved beyond the assessment stage and is now entering physical implementation.
The project comes as the government of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai seeks to expand electricity access to underserved communities across Liberia.
For residents of Gedetabo, however, attention will now turn to the pace of implementation following years of appeals for electricity.
If completed as planned, the project will provide the community with its first access to electricity and could improve conditions for businesses, schools, households and other activities in the area.
