MONROVIA – Residents of electoral district # 17, Montserrado County have threatened to take civil and legal actions against their Representative Hanson Kiazolu for “unilaterally” selecting developmental projects funded from the district’s portion of China Union’s Social Development Fund (SDF) for Montserrado County allotment.
Report by Obediah Johnson, Contributor
Representative Kiazolu, who is also the Chairman of the Unity Party (UP), Legislative Caucus in the 54th National Legislature, recently confirmed that the amount of US$20,000 was allotted as his district share of the US$340, 000 given to Montserrado County Superintendent Florence Brandy as SDF from China Union.
But speaking at a news conference in Brewerville on Sunday, September 22, 2019, the Chairman of the group under the banner, Concerned Citizens of District 17, claimed that the Unity Party lawmaker has allegedly commenced the implementation of projects, along with his “hand-picked” District Development Council (DDC) without the consent of his constituents.
He noted that Representative Kiazolu “failed to call a District Sitting for constituents to decide on the appropriate projects” needed in keeping with the tenets of democracy, including decentralized decision making and participation.
Mr. Johnson added that the group will communicate to the office of Superintendent Brandy to place a hold on projects submitted to her office by the present District Development Council of District 17, on grounds that the Council was “not legitimately constituted”.
He recalled that residents of the district were astonished when the Montserrado County lawmaker failed to provide information on projects being funded from the allotted China Union money, on grounds that the meeting was intended for citizens to make decisions on propositions forwarded to the National Legislature by President George Manneh Weah on the constitution review process.
He added that the lawmaker’s prolonged silence on the China Union’s allotment since the fund was allocated to the district several months ago, raises suspicion.
“The Concerned Citizens of District 17 rejects, bemoans and decry the undemocratic tendency of Hon. Kiazolu to have attended a County Sitting, took cognizance of the District allotted US$20,000 but failed to call a district sitting to have constituents of the District decide appropriate projects which have been the generally accepted democratic model to enhance decentralized decision making and broad-based locals participation in decision making, but rather acted unilaterally with little or no involvement of his self-imposed so-called district council,” he stated.
He maintained that residents of the district will hold Representative Kiazolu accountable if he failed to exercise his oversight responsibility over the expenditure of the money allotted to the district.
Mr. Johnson disclosed that residents will request their lawmaker to dissolve the DDC, and the office of Superintendent Brandy to put a hold on the execution of projects in the district until the right steps are followed in keeping with the Public Financial Management (PFM) law of Liberia.
He furthered that the group will not hesitate to file a Writ of Prohibition or Injunction on the implementation of projects sponsored from the US$20,000 if their request falls on deaf ears.
According to him, Concerned Citizens of District 17 will also revert to “civil disobedience” if diplomatic means intended to ensure good governance and the proper accountability of public funds are not given credence by Representative Kiazolu and Madam Brandy.
“We are very clear that the lawmaker was inconsistent with the traditionally accepted standards and procedures with the County and Social Development Funds. When you attend a County Sitting, you must revert to the district and call a District Sitting, and let the people of the district decide,” he further averred.
For his part, Representative Kiazolu admitted that the amount of US$20,000 was allotted to the district, through the office of Superintendent Brandy.
He termed the “Concerned Citizens of District 17”, as a group of “boys” who are being sponsored by his “political opponents” to distract his attention from working in the interest of his constituents.
He stated that officials of the DDC were elected at one of the meetings held in the district.
Representative Kiazolu further pointed out that the office of the Superintendent is responsible for the supervision of projects funded from CDF and SDF.
“Those allegations are all diabolical. They are being used by my political opponents to do things to distract me from addressing the many challenges our district faced. Their assertions are lies. How can I make decisions on my own leaving the DDC. Everybody in the district will not attend a particular meeting for the election of a DDC. So those that went there elected the DDC. It is just unfortunate that few of those boys – when they are on their liquor table, they don’t attend community meetings. When they come, they just say anything that is on their mind. When I heard about the China Union money, I called meeting twice. And in fact, it was in one of the meetings the DDC was elected. Not because you were not there – it doesn’t mean that the meeting didn’t go on,” he stated.
According to him, the DDC of District 17 submitted projects to the Superintendent’s office, including the renovations of town halls and construction of a hand pump in some communities within the district.
He pointed out that these projects that are presently ongoing in Ben Town, and the Kailondo Gas Station community.
Since the pronouncement of US$340,000 China Union SDF allotted to Montserrado County, there have been claims and counter-claims among residents and their lawmakers over the proper expenditure of the money.
In district 16, Montserrado County, residents sometimes ago accused their lawmaker Dixon Seeboe of taking a unilateral decision on the expenditure of the SDF from China Union and single-handedly selecting a construction company without a competitive bidding process to execute projects in the district.
But the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) lawmaker denied the allegation, on grounds that developmental projects funded from the SDF and CDF are implemented by the Project Management Committee, and not the office of the lawmaker.
He admitted to recommending Sidani Group of Companies to execute a market rehabilitation and latrine projects, on grounds that the company was stationed in the district.