BUCHANAN, GRAND BASSA Co.: Grand Bassa County Chapter of the Civil Society Council (CSO), has called on the county leadership to implement the 2018 approved Local Government law, by setting up the County Council.
According to the local COS council, the full implementation of this very important law in the county is cardinal to transparency and accountability in local government operations.
It said the implementation of the law will increase participation of all, thus, accelerating development, especially at the local level.
Addressing a news Conference held in Buchannan City, Grand Bassa County over the weekend, Mr. K. M. Barley Togba, Chairman of the Grand Bassa County Chapter of the Civil Society Council said, the focus of the CSO Council is on the implementation of the Local Government Act with specific reference to Section 2, which speaks about the establishment of the County Council.
He stated that the function of the Civil Society Council in the county is to make sure that the laws are upheld for development and progress.
However, he said, there have been blatant violations of the laws by people at the helm of power in grand Bassa.
“This is very concerning because, people who are not respecters of the law cannot continue to lead; this is because public officials are role models of the society,” he said.
Mr. Togba indicated that the establishment of the County Council is the engine for county development, transparency and accountability.
“The Local Government Act supersedes the budget laws as ruled by the Justice-In-Chambers, Jamesetta Wollokollie, in the case filed by Bong County Civil Society against their county’s leadership, he stressed.
According to him, in Bassa, they are mainly concerned because this 2023 is election year; and with information spreading that the County Superintendent will be contesting for a legislative seat in the county, makes the establishment of the County Council more imperative.
According to him, five years now, there has been no audit of the finances in the county, something he said, is a violation of the Public Financial Management Law (PFM) of Liberia.
“This, therefore, makes the formation of the County Council more demanding,” Togba asserted.
The new Local Government Act, particularly Section 2, abolishes the National Budget Law, Section 10, this presupposes that the leaderships of the various counties lack the legal authority to expend county funds without the full establishment of the County Councils, he said.
He pointed out that, the Civil Society Council of Grand Bassa County will not sit idly and allow local government officials who are supposed to be protectors and upholders of the laws of the nation, to continuously violate the laws. “We remain unbending and unrelenting in protecting the rights of the people of Grand Bassa County,” he added.
He, however, threatened that the Council will take the leadership of the county to court for failing to uphold the laws of the country, particularly the Local Government Act.
He stressed that, the Council will “rally the support of the suffering masses of Grand Bassa County and believers of transparency and accountability to stand with us in these very important times of our struggle.”
He expressed the belief that the success of every nation is based on upholding the rule of law-this, he noted, is a fundamental principle for national development and national unity.
Grand Bassa County leadership is yet to comment on the call of the Grand Bassa County Chapter of the Civil Society Council (CSO).
