By Wilson Johnson

Abass Turay otherwise known as Manager Abass of the Talented Guys at Kissi Town Waterloo has turned a community hero.

He is using his savings meant to build his house and for his family to build a bridge instead for the benefit of the whole community.

No bridge ever existed between SECTION C and SECTION A, he said.

This had made difficult for residents of the two sections divided by some wide gutters.

People had to travel many kilometers around to go from one section to the other and back to another painfully.

“This was not the sole concern for residents, though; a number of people had damaged their lives in trying to take a ‘shortcut’.

“Children who have to get to school would have to cross over the gutter-especially during the rainy season, and so they face deep constraints.”

Lack of bridge in the community was therefore not only highly seen as a big problem to the people, “but it is very dangerous too” he said.

It is for this reason that made Mr. Abass not to complete the building of his house, but rush out to build the bridge.

The question as to which was more important was never a doubt for him.

“The bridge was not an option, but a must for me. It used to be a nightmare for me whenever the gutter was in floods, with one not knowing where and how to pass it.”

At one time, he said, he was forced into the water, and, for him, it was a big challenge as he works to develop section C, he said.

“I spent lots of money on development and on the bridge construction and besides, it was not safe for our kids to pass there to school.”

“Even the community people had been suffering as floods overflow the gutters.”

As a result, Manager Abass Turay had no choice but to take the money he had saved for the house and straightaway channeled it into building the bridge.

This was not easy decision, but he said, he “has to do it for the sake of God and his family also the community at large,” he said.

He indicated that the project, which he began two months ago and completed on the 22rd June 2024, was completed without challenges.

There were some who were against it in the community, but he had to ignore them and was just continuing with it.

“Now everybody, whether they walk or travel by car, enjoys a safe passage between the community using this bridge, and the many children who attend school within the community and outside do not have to worry about missing school classes on rainy days anymore,” Manager Abass said.

He encourages others to also come up with developmental ideas meant to push the community to another height.