KPAYTUO, Nimba – The township of Kpaytuo will receive US$1,800 annually from Lonestar Cell MTN as part of an agreement between the town and the management of the telecommunications company for a tower constructed in the area. The tower has been built to provide better coverage to subscribers of the company within the township.

Adolphus Kpanga, the newly appointed commissioner of Kpaytuo, explained how his administration would use the money in an interview last weekend with Radio Kergheamahn.

“The total money I received from Lonestar is US$1,800, as stated in the agreement,” Kpanga said. “Right now, we are trying to have a development chairman for the township that will be able to control this money after we identify what the citizens of this township want to do as a project with this money.”

Kpanga said there was already a US$1,000 shortage in the fund due to confusion by both Lonestar and the citizens over how the funds would be paid. He said there was now only US$800 available for use after reimbursements for travel between Monrovia and Kpaytuo as a result of the confusion.

“Before receiving this money, the citizens were having lots of confusion amongst themselves over who should be the right person to receive the money from Lonestar,” he noted.

Before he took over as commissioner of the township, Kpanga’s predecessor had been accused by citizens of diverting the money for his personal use. Because of this, citizens were hesitant in allowing the new administration to receive the payments.

However, the commissioner said that after all the negotiations, all had been settled, and the township has received a cheque from Lonestar.

Lonestar is Liberia’s biggest telecommunications company. The company opened in 2002 and provides mobile communication to over one million people in the country.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah