-Whose hand was cut off in Ganta City, Nimba County
BY: Shallon S.Gonlor
NIMBA COUNTY — The local government of Nimba County headed by its Superintendent, Kou Meapeh Gono has identified with Jessica Davis Wandah, a lady whose hand was chopped and cut off in Ganta City, Nimba County.
It can be recalled on Sunday, April 7, 2024, in the Jacob Town Community of Ganta City, Nimba County the chief accountant of Nimba University, Daniel Nya Tokpah wickedly and intentionally attacked, chopped, and cut off one of the hands of Jessica Davis Wondah for passing in his yard.
The brutality against Jessica shows her left hand cut as she was rushed to the Ganta United Methodist Hospital where she is undergoing serious medical treatment.
On Saturday, April 13, 2024, the Nimba County Superintendent headed the county’s administration to the Ganta United Methodist Hospital in a moment of sorrow and identified with Mrs. Jessica Davis Wandah.
During her visit, the Nimba County Superintendent presented in kind, and cash including medication packaged in black plastic bags, and turned to Jessica, cautioning her to keep courage in that justice will prosecute the alleged perpetrator.
In a restricted entry to Jessica’s medical room, Madam Kou Meapeh Gono was ushered in along with County Inspector, Daniel Zekpeh, Assistant Superintendent for Development, Peter Kangbay, and Dudley Debois, Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Affairs.
Speaking to journalists after her visit with Jessica, Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono described as”barrack and inhuman” the attitude of Daniel Nya Tokpah believed to be an educator’s gruesome attack against Jessica.
She further condemned in the strongest terms continued violence including all other forms perpetrated by men against women in Nimba County.
According to her, justice will prevail for Jessica, adding that hee attacker will not go with impunity, committing to rally women in Nimba and other women’s groups in Liberia support to prevent, protect, and stop all forms of violence against women in the county.
She said the rights of women and girls have faced threats, reductions, or complete elimination, significantly impeding progress achieved over decades.
“My administration will take a stand against violence against women and girls. I will bring women of Nimba County together to tackle and we will maintain our unwavering support for women and girls who have suffered and continue to face violence, as victims and survivors, and condemn the use of sexual and gender-based violence and physical violence as a weapon of war”.
In an interview, Superintendent Gono maintained that violence against women and girls is a scar on all societies, referencing the recent cutlass attack against Jessica in Ganta, Nimba County.
She stressed that the facts resulting from the violence are shocking and disrespectful to women’s values and dignity.
She contended that women have experienced physical or sexual violence, including abuse, harassment, rape, sexual exploitation, genital mutilation, forced marriage, and femicide, which invisible despair is what many women and girls have to live with.
“Protecting and ending violence against women means more than striving for gender equality. It means fulfilling basic human rights. It means urgently bringing the perpetrators to justice” she added.
“I encourage women of Nimba County to join other women groups in Liberia’s campaign to end violence against women. As a leader of the county, I affirm my steadfast dedication to the immediate eradication of violence against women and girls, both within and beyond Nimba County. We women of the county stand in solidarity with partners, civil society, women’s rights groups, and human rights defenders, echoing their demand for justice and accountability” the Superintendent of Nimba County said.
