Demonstrators demand project resumption

Students of the Bong County Technical College and some citizens Tuesday held a peaceful demonstration to draw the attention of the county leadership to the perpetual delay in the completion of the college’s facilities.

The Bong County Technical College is currently leasing the United Methodist High School facilities in Gbarnga, where students and administrative staff continue to complain of inadequate environment to host them and basic teaching materials.

Tuesday’s demonstration took the students and citizens through the principal streets of Gbanrga to the administration building where they presented a position statement to the local county leadership. The demonstrators were escorted by members of the joint security in the County despite early warning from County Attorney Cornelius Wennah that the action by the students was illegal on grounds that the Ministry of Justice did not give authorization for such demonstration.
But in their petition, the students and citizens called on the leadership of the county to speedily resume work on the college’s facilities to enable them leave from the rented facilities for conducive learning environment.

They told the leadership of the county to ensure the resumption of work on the college’s facilities within a week. Construction works have been stalled for about four years now. They also called on the county leadership to make available a copy of the new agreement it had with the Chinese construction company.

Bong County Superintendent Selena Polson-Mappy, who received the demonstrators’ petition, welcomed the steps taken by the students and citizens, adding that it would keep their feet on the fire as leaders. Mrs. Mappy assured the demonstrators that work on the facilities will shortly resume, following the signing of an adjusted agreement with the project’s contractor.

She, however, commended the demonstrators for being very peaceful and in their activities. The General Auditing Commission or GAC indicted several former and current officials of the county, including former Caucus Chairman George Mulbah, for mismanaging about four million United States Dollars reportedly spent on the project. Editing by George Barpeen