He said this was necessary to allow the population access to food, medicine, water and other essentials during the lifespan of the emergency.

Massalay spoke Friday when members of the Liberian Senate deliberated on a communication served them by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on August 7, 2014, requesting Plenary to concur on the State of Emergency instituted by her on August 6, 2014, according to the Liberia News Agency.

He expressed fear that failure to open the corridor would result to serious humanitarian crisis in the Ebola-affected areas, putting the health, safety and security of the people at risk.

The Grand Cape Mount Senator also admonished the government to ensure the reopening of all health centers shut down across the country due to the outbreak of the deadly disease to help reduce the increasing non-Ebola death rate among the people.

He stated that information available to him suggests Liberians are dying from common curable diseases because they do not have access to health facilities.

By Hilary Vasco Wiagbe

LINA HVW/JGT/PTK