Monrovia – Citizens of Gbarpolu County are urging their County’s Legislative Caucus members to ensure the holding of a county sitting in order to foster development.
Report By Lisa T. Diasay, FPA Contributor
Gbarpolu County last held its county sitting in 2015. The county’s citizens think the lack of resolution to fast track development is hampering development in the county.
Among things agreed upon in the 2015 Resolution ranged from construction of clinics, bridges, etc. The implementations of these projects are stalled due to insufficient funds, which happened in the absence of two consecutive sittings as the County Social Development Fund (CSDF) is being held by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Before the Budget Law’s amendment, counties received US$200,000 as appropriation under the CSDF for developmental purposes. In July 2018, the Legislature amended Section 9 of the Budget Law in order to give citizens the full access and right over the expenditure of the CSDF. With this, a county sitting is held and resolutions are crafted by citizens for the full implementation of the CSDF.
The amended Budget law creates a full accountability of previous amounts consistent with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) and Public Financial Management (PFM) Law. This means, the county will not receive new funds if it cannot provide a report of how it spent previous funds. Under the previous law, the Minister of Finance Development and Planning (MFDP) was authorized to issue allotment based on the resolution of each county council against the amount appropriated in the budget for CSDF for each county.
Gbarpolu County has not received any CSDF due to the lack of county sittings to decide further projects with the funds and previous reports on resolutions of projects implemented.
As a county in Western, Gbarpolu is challenged with roads connectivity and the lack of several basic social services to improve the livelihood of its citizens in the county. The county comprises of three electoral districts namely, Bopolu, Gbarma and Belle. There are five members of the Legislative Caucus, including Sen. Daniel Naathen, Sen. Armah Z. Jallah, Rep. A. Kaine Wesso, Rep. Alfred Koiwood and Rep. Joseph Matthews.
Currently, there seems to be no coordination among lawmakers of the county; thereby leading to concerns over the setting up of the county caucus. According to the Budget Law on the CSDF, chairperson of a county caucus chairs the sitting and ensures citizens’ participate and have a greater voice.
A citizen, who prefers to be anonymous, believed that the action of lawmakers undermines development and forward march of the county in the wake of stalled developments.
“If our lawmakers will place the county above self-interest and personal beef, then we will go somewhere with development and even improve immensely; we are lagging behind with development, seriously.
“We are asking our lawmakers to see reason and hold together and ensure we have our county sitting so we can get other monies that have been outstanding to move the county forward in terms of development,” this Gbarpolu citizen said.
Recently, citizens, through the county leadership including Superintendent J. Keyah Saah, wrote their caucus on the importance of holding a county sitting which will drive rapid development.
In the Oct 3, 2018 letter, they stated: “As you are aware, Gbarpolu as a county did not go to the County Sitting for Fiscal Year 2017/2018, we write to inform the caucus of the planned County Sitting from November 1st to the 2nd 2018 in Bopolu City.”
Each caucus member confirmed receipt of the citizens’ letter but refrained from commenting on controversies surrounding the chairmanship. To date, it is still unclear as to whether the county caucus will be formed and a set date for county sitting remains doubtable. Series of controversies have erupted as to whom becomes the next chairman of the county caucus. This has led to split among the lawmakers.
According to the County’s Fiscal Affairs Superintendent, Anthony Yoker, several projects have been stalled in the county due to the lack of funding for its completion owing to the absence of county sitting. “We have just done a letter to the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning for the transfer of our funding from the Ministry’s escrow account to our CDF account so we can begin to implement because we are contemplating on having county sitting”.
The citizens’ letter showed a backup support from the caucus in requesting the transfer of funds to the county from the MFDP.
Mr. Yoker named the constructions of women, disable, youth centers in Bopolu City, which is 90 to 95 percent complete, the construction of a five-room teachers’ quarter, which is complete and awaiting dedication. Others are the construction of clinics in Monaquilleh, Norman and the construction of the Commissioners’ compound in Baluma, Belle District; the construction of a radio station (Voice of Gbarpolu) which is currently at 80 percent completion and the construction of the Tuma River bridge in Bokomu connecting Gau District, among others.
“Since we are just taking over, we have to access all of the other projects to ascertain the level of work, payments and outstanding initiatives that were earmarked under the 2015 Resolution. But we are challenged with vehicle to move in the six administrative districts to see those existing projects,” he stated.
He indicated that projects that are reachable will be assessed until the government can provide the necessary logistics during the Dry Season.
Mr. Yoker stressed the need for holding the county sitting to address challenges of projects completion; adding: “We are seeing the necessity to go to county sitting for our people to decide on projects because the past two fiscal years the county didn’t receive money to carryout development.”