Gbarnga, Bong County – A group under the banner, United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA), is calling on the Attorney General of Liberia to speed up trials of former and current lawmakers of Bong County indicted by the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga, Bong County for corruption.
UBCAA is a group of US resident Liberians hailing from Bong County.
In June this year, the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga indicted former lawmakers George Mulbah and Tokpah Mulbah, current lawmakers Edward Karfiah (District #5) and Marvin Josiah Cole ( District#3), former president of the Bong County Technical College, Dr. John Flomo, the former Project Specialist of Bong, Thomas Cisqo, Kenneth Yao Awadjie, former Chief Architect and the CEO of the China United Investment Group, Lian Zhi, on multiple charges ranging from theft of property to fraud and criminal conspiracy.
UBCAA, according to its president, Samuel Sondah, is recommending that those found guilty should restitute the money in the county’s account and be subsequently jailed in accordance with economic crimes committed against the country and county.
The group is also calling on the Ministry of Finance to make available the US$4 million ArcelorMittal Corporation Social Development Fund owed the county by the government of Liberia.
Bong County hasn’t received Social Development Fund from ArcelorMittal from the government since 2014, according to Bong’s Development Superintendent Anthony Sheriff.
According to Sondah, the Ministry of Finance should do everything in its power in making sure that the money is available to the county to complete unfinished projects and fast track development in the county.
Sondah used the occasion to call on the Bong Legislative Caucus, officials of the county, citizens and the Bong County Development Sitting for the group’s permanent representation on the County Development Sitting in its next sitting so as to inform members of the association and citizens of the county residing in America.
The group is also commending President George Manneh Weah for reinstating Superintendent Esther Walker.
Sondah wants Superintendent Walker and officials of the county to focus on the governance of the county and provide basic social services for citizens of the county.
Commenting on the group’s pending convention scheduled to take place from July 19-21, 2019, Sondah, in consultation with Board of Directors, Executive Officers and members of the association to attend as prominent issues about the development of Bong County will be too of the agenda.