More Questions than Answers in Bong’s US$250k Saga

There are conflicting explanations about the expenditure of US$250, 000.000 set aside in Bong County for the pavement of streets in Gbarnga.

According to our Bong County correspondent, the amount was allotted at the last county sitting before the Ebola crisis for an assessment on the pavement of major streets in the Central Liberian Town.

Authorities of Bong County have, however, disclosed that they were now making documents available to the public on how the US$250,000 allotted for the assessment exercise was expended.

Superintendent Selena Polson- Mappy told delegates from across the county attending the past county development sitting that “she used the money to ‘fight Ebola’”, despite the allotment of US$50,000.00 by the county leadership, including the Legislative Caucus, to fight the deadly Ebola virus.

But Superintendent Mappy’s information officer Leon Harris and some administrative staff told reporters at the Gbarnga Administration Building recently that their boss was in error when she said the money was used to fight the deadly Ebola virus.

Our Bong County Correspondent quoted them as however clarifying that the amount in question was used to “undertake development projects and pay staff of the Project Management Committee” at the peak of the Ebola crisis.

Superintendent Mappy’s pronouncement and the clarification by her office staff continue to create more tensions and questions than answers in the county, with many emphasizing the urgent need for the superintendent to say the truth.

As tensions continue, Information Officer Leon Harris has informed reporters that documents were now available on the how the money was spent, and that individuals desirous of pursuing the matter would be given a copy.

He called on the public to take advantage of the Freedom of Information law by requesting such documents.

According to Harris, the documents clearly speak to the fact regarding how the superintendent expended the US$250,000 during the Ebola crisis, further urging Bong County citizens to stop addressing the issue with sentiments. He did not, however, copy this paper with such facts. –By Papa Morris from Gbarnga, Bong County