By Mohamed Bangura Intern
Elevators at Youyi Building, which houses almost all Government Ministries, have been out of operations for almost two years now, Concord Times can confirm.
People,especially those who always visit the building to conduct business, have gone frustrated and expressed dissatisfaction over the delay by the government to maintenance the elevators at Youyi Building, where government businesses are largely conducted.
Even the workers who report every day for work have become frustrated, stating that government has neglected the building, which serves as the face of the country.
As a result of that situation, the new Minister of Information and Civic Education, decided to be using the Ministry of Foreign Affairs facility to be conducting the weekly press briefing, an important event that informs the public about government activities.
One of the workers, who preferred anonymity, charged that it’s a shame to even allow the situation to deteriorate to that level.
“The reason for this negligence is that President Bio only visited here once to see his ministers at work during his first term in office, but never did that again. Should he had visited again, he could have urged the Ministry of Works to amend the elevators,” he said.
Visitors to the facility are amazed that one of the nation’s finest edifices would be without functional elevators for almost two years.
Osman Fambulleh questioned as to why government always begs for financial assistance for infrastructure and reneges on maintaining the existing ones, especially Youyi Building.
“I visit the building every Thursday to do some practical work at the Information Ministry, 8th floor. And anytime I went up the stairs, I feel tired to do my domestic work when I returned home, so I am pleading with the government to amend the elevators for us,” he cried out.
Another worker at Youyi building, Hassan Kalokoh, said government neglecting maintenance of the Youyi Building elevators will prevent investors and other development partners from conducting business in the ministries housed in the building.
“What is the fate of the investors? Over the years, our government seems to neglect the Youyi Building. The building does not belong to either the APC or SLPP, but to us all. Our government has a moral obligation to take care of it,” he said.
Kadiatu Kamara, who sells fast food within the precinct, said she was not making much money because the elevators are not functional, thus preventing workers from buy her food.
“I have customers in all of the ministries. When the elevators were in good condition, I cooked twice a day because most of my customers come to buy food twice a day, but now they only buy once because of the elevators that are not working. I have four children and we all survive on this cookery. Now that there are no elevators in the building, most of my customers ran away because they do not normally climb the building more than twice and that makes my business more difficult. The workers are afraid to use the stairs,” she said.
“I want the Minister of Works to know that the elevators at Youyi Building need urgent maintenance. I also want to ask the government why they wait until the situation got to this point? Is President Bio not aware of it or maybe it because his office is not here that’s why they have not yet amend the elevators for his ministers,” she lamented.