NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CAPE MOUNTAINIANS IN THE AMERICAS, INC.

37 Madison Ave MT. Holly, NJ 08060 Phone: (609) 575-0275/(215) 868-2822. capemountusa@aol.com,
www.capemountusa.org,

Abraham G. Massaley-National President
Dr. H. Momo Fahnbulleh-Vice President
Abu Zoeduah- Secretary General
Jebbeh Jangaba-National Treasurer

June 4, 2008

Attention:
Superintendent Catherine Watson-Khasu
Senator Abel M. Massaley
Senator James K. Momoh
Representative Matthew V. Z. Darblo
Representative James A. Benson
Representative Mohammed A. Ware
Minister Eugene Shannon, Lands, Mines and Energy
Commissioner Philip Quaye, Porkpa District

Dear Leaders and Fellow Stakeholders,

The purpose of this letter is to solicit your help, support, and commitment to complete the bridge over the Konjah Creek, which will remain for years to come, a monument to the self-initiated efforts of the people of Grand Cape Mount County. The National Association of Cape
Mountainians in the Americas (NACA, Inc.) took a bold step in February 2008 to kick off the
construction of a bridge over the Konjah Creek in Porkpa District, which is an item on the county
infrastructure assessment list. We were inspired to undertake this project following a visit of our
Reconstruction Chairman to the Konjah area in January 2006 during which, the residents
appealed for assistance to build a bridge over the creek. The stories of the people residing on the other side of the creek, recounting how they are cut off from the rest of the country especially during the peak of the rainy season, thereby resulting to scarcity of basic items such as food and medicine or unnecessarily exorbitant prices of these essential commodities where available, as well as the absence of basic health care, motivated us to something.

Progress to date is attributed to the hard work, generosity, and commitment of a number of
people and organizations that have caught a hold of the vision of what is possible when citizens
unite to overcome major challenges. Over $US60,000.00 has been expended on this project,
including $US30,000.00 donated by Green Pastures, headed by Mr. Simon Taylor. The cost of
local materials including sand and crushed rock, as well as labor and equipment rental is not
included. We are thankful to other companies operating in the county for their technical
assistance. The contribution of labor by the residents of the area is outstanding and the
completion of the bridge will serve as a tribute to their hard work and sacrifice.

We are enormously grateful to Superintendent Catherine Khasu and the entire county
administration for the technical guidance and support, Senator James Momo, for championing
this project, the engineering team as well as our very capable field coordinator, Abass Kamara
who also serves on the board of the Cape Mount Development Foundation (NACA's
implementation arm in Liberia, a Liberian registered NGO). Mr. Kamara is the Project Manager
for the Konjah project, and we truly attest to his competence and trustworthiness. We are certain that anyone visiting the project site will fully appreciate the level of work that has been done and will be inspired by the determination of the volunteers to help complete this project in July 2008, as scheduled. We are satisfied with the photographs we continue to see from the construction site, capturing the work being done.

No doubt, this project has been a major challenge to NACA and to all those who are devoting
their time, labor and effort to its completion. However, everyone has remained equally
determined to overcome the challenges as they surface. The cost of the project has far exceeded the initial estimate. While the local residents have continued to volunteer since February, we believe that they have gone beyond what was expected of them, and it is only fair to provide some minimum compensation so that they too can attend to their basic needs as they volunteer on the Konjah bridge project.

While NACA will continue to solicit support from our base here in the United States, we offer the following recommendations to you as leaders from and of the county to help generate the equivalent of $20, 000 (US) in funds and materials to complete this project.

1. Secure from President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf a conditional lifting of ban on scrap metal
retrieval and sale for the purpose of funding the completion of the bridge project. The
project manager has informed us that some piles of scrap metal have already been
identified which are enough to generate the needed funds.

2. Request and secure cash or material donations from companies operating in the county,
especially those companies that will significantly benefit from the construction of this
bridge.

3. Seek assistance from President Sirleaf by contributing resources of the national
government as a way of encouraging these kinds of citizens’ development initiatives.

4. Secure a long term commitment from companies exploiting resources in the county to
support development projects.

5. Invite President Sirleaf to the official opening ceremony of the bridge
The attached report captures the spirit and progress of the Konjah Bridge initiative. NACA, in
partnership with Strongheart Fellowship (a US based non-profit organization), the Mano River
Association in the US, and Green Pastures (a company operating in Cape Mount) have
committed over $60,000 (US) in getting the project through phase 1 and phase 2. To complete
the bridge, an additional $20,000 (US) is estimated to cover manpower compensation, additional
materials and food.

Phase Description Status/ Amount

1. Engineering design, Site clearing, construction of abutments, transportation of sand, crushed rocks, cement, tools, etc. to site

Completed/Paid

2. Construction of mid-span pillars (2 of 4 completed) In progress/Paid

3. Bridge floor, final inspections (materials) Partially paid for/$7,000 remaining to purchase 600 bags of cement for final phase

Compensation (to supplement tremendous volunteer efforts) $6,500

Professional service Partially paid for/$3, 500.00 remaining

Additional Food $1,500.00

Transportation of materials to the site (truck rental) $1,500.00

The success of this major undertaking depends on all of us as Cape Mountainians and the pride of such accomplishment will be enough to fill all of our hearts. In partnership, possibilities are unlimited.

Respectfully yours,

Abraham G. Massaley

National President, NACA, Inc.

Willie A. Givens, Jr.

Chair, NACA Reconstruction Committee

View Attachment:

1: Konjah Bridge Project Overview