By Stephen N. Tokpah
-Bong (freelance)
Bong County Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris, has submitted a proposed draft budget for FY 2024 to the County Council for approval of US$ 1,446,400 for the development of the county.
The Superintendent’s draft budget which was submitted to the County Council contained an allotment of US$470,000 for projects in the seven electoral districts, US$30,000 for the purchase of furniture for the Superintendent Compound, US$300,000 for the Renovation Works at the Administrative Complex (Supt. 3-in-1 Admin. Complex continuation).
According to the Superintendent, the allotted US$300,000 for the Administrative Complex will include the demolition of the old Circuit Court that was deroofed by heavy storms some years ago.
She said they intend to build a residential area for guests in the place of the demolished building. The Palava hut will also be renovated.
Norris revealed that in this same US$300,000, the road leading to the office of People Living with Disabilities (PWDs) will be opened because the first road left in the fence around the Superintendent’s compound.
The Administration Fencing (continues) will cost – US$40,000.
The superintendent said this will be used to lay out the entire compound of the administration building and also build a security booth, initiatives that were not initially captured in the budget for the fencing project.
US$100,000 is allotted for the Bong County Sports (Steering Committee), and similar amount is allotted for the purchase of four Vehicles (Superintendent, County Administrative Officer, County Finance Officer, and County Development Office)-.
The Superintendent detailed the draft budget which focused on several key sectors of development in the County as stipulated herein.
The Liberia Opportunity Industrialization Center (LOIC) was allocated in the draft budget US$ 10,000 for training of Youth, Community Radio Stations – US$10,000, Machine, Fuel, and Maintenance – US$75,000.
According to the superintendent, this US$75,000 includes the yellow machine that will rehabilitate roads in the city.
The Bong County Technical College was captured with an allotment in the draft budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (25%) – US$40,000, CB Dunbar Hospital (Community Pharmacy) – US$20,000, Bong Mines Hospital (Drugs for the Hospital) – US$20,000, Phebe Hospital (Drugs for the Hospital) – US$20,000, Arrears or Liabilities (services) – US$100,000, County Council Sitting – US$10,000.
County Health Team (Maternity Ward) – US$10,000, Youth Group (Bong County Youth Center) – US$500, while Bong Student Union received the allotment of US$1,000, YMCA (Youth Program) – US$1,000, Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY) – US$1,000, Bong Talent Hunt – US$500 and the PWDS (People with Disabilities) – US$7,000
Additionally, the Bong County development draft budget allocated to the Security Council Sitting – US$1,500, Gbarnga Prison Compound (Feeding/Cleaning Materials) – US$2,000, Bong County Police – US$2,000 and Administrative Cost – US$74,900.
Supt. Norris expressed that the draft budget submitted to the County Council in line with the Local Government Act of 2018 (LGA-2018) is the legislation authorizing and directing national governance decentralization. Decentralization is a political reform program.
The Local Government Act (2018) is the law passed to give legal effect to most of the provisions of the National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance.
Receiving the draft budget for the FY 2024 from Bong County Superintendent Norris, the County Council Chairman, Aaron Sackie Fenlah, lauded the Superintendent for the submission of the budget for the overall development of the county.
Following the submission of the budget, the Bong County Council hosted a two-day public hearing regarding the various allotments to institutions in the County.
Despite the two days of deliberations by the County Council on the draft budget, it vowed to scrutinize the various allocations to institutions before finally approving the instrument.
