GRAND BASSA – Over a thousand of students at the Grand Bassa University (GBU) are now forced to sit home following the submersion of the only bridge leading to the main campus of the University.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
The sinking of the bridge was triggered by heavy downpour of rain on Monday morning on June 22.
Located in Payneberry Community on the outskirts of the port city of Buchanan, the Grand Bassa University (formerly Grand Bassa Community College) is a higher education institution in the county.
Elevated to university status in 2021, it offers Bachelor’s and Associate’s degrees across several colleges, including Education, Business, Health Sciences, and Agriculture.
A groundbreaking ceremony for a new US$1.2 million reconstruction project took place in April 2022; however, due to constant delays to the construction process students and commuters have since heavily relied on a temporary makeshift wooden bridge.
The heavy downpour of rain on Monday caused more harm to the students’ populace with several of them stranded while on the way to their Payneberry campus after the parts of the bridge got flooded by water from the Benson River.
Reports also indicate that the middle parts of the bridge finally collapsed due to the heavy flood caused by the torrential rainfall.
Academic Activities Ordered Suspended As Administration Describes Situation As ‘Death Trap’
The heavy flood led to the immediate suspension of classes as administration cited safety concerns as the primary reason.
“By Directive of Rev. Dr. Arnold G. Hill, Interim Management Coordinator, Grand Bassa University, following consultation with the Interim President GBU, Rev. Dr. Samuel B. Reeves, Jr., the Board of Trustees, and key stakeholders, the University has taken urgent action regarding the hazardous condition of the footpath bridge to campus,” a GBU statement read.
“Heavy rainfall has caused severe flooding of the bridge, rendering it unsafe for use. The structure currently poses a significant danger to students, faculty, and staff and has been deemed a death trap by relevant experts if left unaddressed.”
The administration emphasized that the safety and well-being of students and staff remain its highest priority.
“In light of this situation, all classes at Grand Bassa University will be temporarily closed with immediate effect. This measure will remain in place while the university closely monitors the situation and determines further actions to ensure the safety of the entire university community.”
Following the temporal closure of academic activities, the administration vowed to provide further updates as soon as new developments arise.
The situation comes on the heel of the school’s pending final examination slated for next week. According to the institution’s academic calendar 2025/26, final examination for second semester is being scheduled for June 29, 2026, but it seems that students will have to wait a bit while authorities exert efforts to arrange a temporary home.
Though the bridge has been serving as the main path for students, university authorities and others, it has been described as ‘death trap’ with top county officials being heavily criticized for doing little or no intervention towards the construction of a concrete bridge that would serve as a permanent pathway.
Grand Bassa County is home to the current President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, former ProTempore Milton Gbezohngar Findley and a host of high ranking ministers and top officials in government, yet the county continues to lack behind in development.
