Gbarnga, Bong County — After extensive deliberations and necessary adjustments, the Bong County Council has submitted its finalized budget for the fiscal year 2024.
By Kongoi Gborkorquellie, Contributing Writer
The session, led by Bong County Council Chair Mr. Aaron Sackie Fenlah, concluded with the official handover of the budget to Superintendent Madam Hawa Lolyah Norris on Monday, November 11, 2024 at the Gbarnga Administration Building.
The budget, totaling $1,488,669.07, takes immediate effect and aims to address the county’s administrative and development needs across various sectors.
The approved budget includes $30,000 for furniture for the Superintendent’s compound and $300,000 for renovations to the Superintendent’s 3-in-1 administrative complex. This includes the demolition of the old Circuit Court building to create a guest residence, renovations to the palava hut, and the opening of a road leading to the People Living with Disabilities office.
Additionally, $40,000 has been allocated to fence the administration building, and $75,000 will go toward vehicles for county officials, including the Superintendent, County Administrative Officer, and County Finance Officer. This vehicle allocation reflects a reduction from the initial draft budget, which proposed $100,000 for four vehicles.
Support for local initiatives and infrastructure includes $10,000 for youth training through the Liberia Opportunities Industrialization Center (LOIC) and $12,000 for community radio stations, an increase from the previous $10,000 draft allocation.
The budget also designates $25,000 for fuel and maintenance of borrowed earth-moving equipment to assist in road opening projects in Gbarnga, as well as $50,000 for vehicle maintenance for county leadership.
In support of education and healthcare, the budget allocates $40,000 to Bong County Technical College (BCTC) and $23,000 to CB Dunbar Hospital’s community pharmacy, an increase from $20,000 in the draft. Bong Mines Hospital will receive $20,000 for medications, while Phebe Hospital will receive $23,000, increased from $20,000.
County Council sittings will receive $12,000, up from $10,000, while $7,000 has been allocated to support programs for people with disabilities.
Other budget allocations include $1,500 for Security Council sittings, $2,500 for feeding and cleaning at the Gbarnga Prison Compound (an increase from $2,000), $2,000 for the Bong County Police, and $5,000 for the Gbarnga City Corporation.
Further funds have been set aside for essential administrative expenses, such as $10,000 for county office supplies, $4,000 for council rental fees and office supplies, and $67,000 for administrative costs, reduced from the draft’s $74,900.
In total, these allocations amount to $763,500. However, several proposed allocations have been put on hold pending further clarification. These include $470,000 for seven electoral district projects, which currently lack a clear usage plan, and $100,000 for the Bong County Sports Steering Committee, which typically receives funding from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Other allocations on hold include $100,000 for arrears or liabilities, $10,000 for the County Health Team’s maternity ward, $500 for the Youth Group’s Bong County Youth Center, $1,000 for the Bong Student Union, $1,000 for the YMCA Youth Program, $1,000 for the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), and $500 for the Bong Talent Hunt program.
Council Chair, Aaron Sackie Fenlah, noted that funds for certain institutions remain on hold due to unresolved leadership issues, with final approval pending clarification of these matters.
