US$250, 000 disagreement rocks Salala

Bong County Representative Adam Bill Corneh has threatened lawsuit against the county administration for allegedly allocating over US250, 000 for projects to be implemented in the county’s electoral district #6 without consulting citizens of the district.

Speaking to reporters recently in his office at Corneh’s Farm in Salala District, Bong County, Representative Corneh said the County administrators allegedly ear marked several projects to be implemented in the district with funding to come from the coffers of Salala District without the inclusion of citizens of the district, who are the direct beneficiaries of those projects.

Representative Corneh said the decision taken by the Bong County administration contravenes the law. The lawmaker said he will not sit supinely as representative of the people of Salala and they are taken advantage of, adding the county administration will have to answer questions before the law its decision.

Superintendent Selena Polson Mappy and some of her administrators allegedly convened a meeting in Salala District on Monday, October 19, 2015where it was announced to the citizens that about six separate projects, totaling over US$250,000 have been earmarked for implementation in the district.

During that meeting, it was also made explicit to some of the citizens, who attended that part of the money for the six projects will come from the district’s share of the pending county development fund. Following the meeting, Rep. Corneh said his people are not little children for decision to be made for them without their involvement.

He wondered how the county administration arrived at the figure from an amount that is yet to be announced. According to him, from the last county sitting, authorities of Bong made it crystal clear an amount of US$50, 000 was allotted for projects in Salala District, which are yet to be implemented, while Superintendent Mappy and some of her officials have made extra allotment of US$250, 000 which they say is to come from the district’s coffers, a decision he described as a trick.

Representative Corneh said any amount of money to be announced for Salala District in the next county sitting will have purpose and the citizens should also have a say in how the amount should be expended or utilized. This paper is yet to independently verify these claims by the Salala District lawmaker.

By Ramsey N. Singbeh, Jr. in Margibi – Edited by Jonathan Browne