By Ethel A Tweh
The plenary of the Liberian Senate has cited Youth and Sports Minister D. Zogar Wilson to appear before it this Thursday 3 February 2022 at 1 PM to give clarity on the materials that were missing from the Youth Center in Bentol, Montserrado County.
Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph raised the concern, saying it was brought to his attention that the materials that were kept at the youth center in Bentol have been stolen.
Mr. Joseph has accused the Director of Youth Development at the Ministry of Youth and Sports of allegedly being involved in the looting of the youth center.
He claimed that the community people even went on strike, urging that they should be brought before plenary to answer questions.
Minister Wilson will also inform the Senate about the plan of action or programs his ministry has for youths across the country under the present budgetary allocation.
According to Senator Joseph, the youth center there is being monitored and supervised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
He said he went to Bentol and visited the youth camp which according to him, has the capacity to host about 2,000 to 3,000 youths.
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In that area, Senator Joseph explained, beds were already there, noting that all that was needed was to have the girls’ dormitory and the boys’ dormitory.
He added that the land space is so big to carry on agriculture activities and that the center could even grow its own food.
He said the Ministry of Education is giving a contract of $1m dollars to companies to fix armchairs for schools around, but up to now, some schools haven’t gotten their chairs.
“That contract could have been given to that center to fix those chairs. In that center there is already equipment … but the Ministry of Youth and Sports is not doing anything,” said Senator Joseph.
At first, the senator continued, he felt that the Ministry of Youth and Sports wasn’t working at that center because the road was in a bad condition. However, he noted, if you carry a small car there presently, you’ll drive smoothly.
Joseph stated that there is no program for youths in the country, even though there is US$ 750,000 in the budget for such programs.
 The decision of the plenary to cite Minister Wilson was based on the concerns raised by Mr. Joseph.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/senate-gives-nfaa-autonomy/
