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By Myean D Torgbean 

Bentol City, Montserrado County – The Mayor of Bentol City, John Y. Minor, has expressed heartfelt appreciation to Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph for initiating the electrification of Bentol City ahead of this year’s Christmas celebrations. He described the project as a historic milestone and a major turning point for residents who have endured more than three decades without electricity.

“For the first time since the early 1980s, our city is coming back to light,” Mayor Minor said in an interview this week. “Senator Saah Joseph has demonstrated true leadership and compassion by taking electricity to the people. This is something the people of Bentol will never forget.”

The initiative involves the installation of hundreds of light poles, transformers, and electrical wires across the city. The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), working with the subcontractor, Chris Electrical Corporation, is verifying the quality of materials and ensuring that Bentol is connected to the national grid before the Christmas season.

According to Mayor Minor, the project has brought joy and excitement among residents, including market women, students, motorcyclists, and professionals. “Everywhere you go in Bentol, people are talking about the light poles and the hope they bring. We are grateful to Senator Joseph for thinking about us,” the mayor said.

At least 5,000 residents are expected to benefit directly from the electrification project. Many citizens see the initiative as a revival of the once vibrant capital city of Montserrado County. Before the civil war, Bentol was known for its small-scale industries that produced soap, furniture, processed fish, cement blocks, and other goods.

Senator Joseph, who is widely regarded as a practical and people-centered leader, is closely associated with the emerging People’s Action Party (PAP), where he is considered a presumptive leader. His focus on community-based development reflects PAP’s broader vision of empowering local communities and promoting grassroots development through action.

“This is not just about light. It is about dignity, safety, and progress,” said one Bentol resident, smiling as light poles were being erected along a major street. “For years, we have lived in darkness, but now our children will read under electric light, and our market will stay open longer.”

Bensonville, located about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northeast of Monrovia, was once envisioned by the late President William R. Tolbert Jr. as the future capital of Liberia. Its revival through electrification, according to Mayor Minor, could signal a return to the city’s lost glory.

“The light coming to Bentol is more than electricity. It is a symbol of renewal,” Mayor Minor concluded. “We thank Senator Saah Joseph for being the torchbearer of that change.”