Bong County – Over the years, Liberians, especially those in the rural areas have complained of not been fully aware or are totally excluded from the planning and implementation of development projects undertaken either by their lawmakers or national government in their respective communities.
Some citizens have even termed as self-imposed projects with no positive impacts on the lives of the greater majority as the result of the lack of citizens’ consultations and inputs on priority projects and needs.
These missteps have led to entrenched poverty, massive corruption, deprivation, under development, projects abandonment and disunity amongst a larger portion of the population.
One of the 73 electoral districts greatly affected by the lack of people-centered development is Bong County districts seven despite the presence of huge deposit of natural resources including gold, diamond, rain forest and arable land space for farming.
In Bong County District # 7, citizens have always complained of bad roads condition, lack of safe drinking water, lack of improved infrastructures, inadequate health care, messy education and under representation in national government.
At the weekend in Sanoyea Town, eminent citizens from nearly every sector of the district converged for the first time in many years to present to their representative, Hon. Joseph Papa Kolleh, a number of development projects and priorities for possible consideration during his six-year term.
Amongst the constituents at the consultative forum were eminent sons of the district including; Commissioner Hilton E.S Varney, Paramount Chiefs, Boye Kaine, and Issiah S. Harries, Clan Chief, Noah Giddings, Thomas Jackson, Aaron S. Gbodah Wilmont Sackie, Shardrick Mulbah, James Sackie and Joseph W. Manakulah.
Others were, District Magistrate, Shem Bla-Fouley, Distrit Health Officer (DHO), Madam Philomena Flomo, special assistant to the District Education Officer, Robert Dennis and the leadership of motorcyclists union amongst others.
Building additional health centers and police stations, providing manpower electricity, logistics and assorted medical supplies for effective service deliveries were proffered by DHO, Madam Philomena Flomo and Magistrate Shem Bla-Fouley.
Commissioners, paramount and clan chiefs also underscored the need for effective road connectivity, construction of town halls, radio station, chief’s quarters, pumps for safe drinking water and laboratory at various functional schools.
In response, Bong County District # 7 Lawmaker, Rep. Kolleh stressed the need for collective engagements in order to effect the much needed change in the district.
He told his constituents that their wishes can be made possible if they work together through self-help initiatives and respect for one another.
The lawmaker promised, among other things, to construct a people-centered radio station by July this year, electrify the police station and magisterial court as well as construct libraries in Sanoyea, assuring that he will use his three cardinal responsibilities to institute massive change in the district.
He however challenged the chiefs and elders to provide local materials and labor force for every community project to move their district forward.
The lawmaker then called on all constituents to support the splitting of Bong County into two separate political subdivisions of Liberia due to what he termed as deliberate actions by influential politicians to deny the lower region of human resource and infrastructural development.
Rep. Kolleh said the move will ensure that development projects are taken to all parts of the county.
Report by Preston Gayflor, Contributing Writer