— From US$1.4M to US$763K
The Bong County Council has revised its proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2024 from US$1,446,400 to US$763,500. The adjustments were made to accommodate the expenses of County Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris during the fiscal period.
The budget session, chaired by Aaron Sackie Fenlah, culminated in the formal handover of the revised budget to Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris on November 11, 2024, at the Gbarnga Administration Building.
Key allocations in the updated budget include funds for furniture, renovations of the administrative complex, fencing of the administration building, vehicles for county officials, support for local initiatives and infrastructure, and allocations for education and healthcare facilities.
The approved budget includes US$30,000 for furniture for the Superintendent’s compound and US$300,000 for renovations to the Superintendent’s 3-in-1 administrative complex.
This includes the demolition of the old Circuit Court building to create a guest residence, renovations to the palava hut, and the opening of a road leading to the People Living with Disabilities office.
Additionally, US$40,000 has been allocated to fence the administration building, and US$75,000 will go toward vehicles for county officials, including the Superintendent, County Administrative Officer, and County Finance Officer. This vehicle allocation reflects a reduction from the initial draft budget, which proposed US$100,000 for four vehicles.
Support for local initiatives and infrastructure includes US$10,000 for youth training through the Liberia Opportunities Industrialization Center (LOIC) and US$12,000 for community radio stations, an increase from the previous US$10,000 draft allocation.
The budget also designates US$25,000 for fuel and maintenance of borrowed earth-moving equipment to assist in road opening projects in Gbarnga, as well as US$50,000 for vehicle maintenance for county leadership.
In support of education and healthcare, the budget allocates US$40,000 to Bong County Technical College (BCTC) and US$23,000 to CB Dunbar Hospital’s community pharmacy, an increase from US$20,000 in the draft budget. Bong Mines Hospital will receive US$20,000 for medications, while Phebe Hospital will receive US$23,000, increased from US$20,000.
County Council sittings were allocated US$12,000, up from US$10,000, while US$7,000 has been allocated to support programs for people with disabilities.
Other budget allocations include US$1,500 for Security Council sittings, US$2,500 for feeding and cleaning at the Gbarnga Prison Compound (an increase from US$2,000), US$2,000 for the Bong County Police, and US$5,000 for the Gbarnga City Corporation.
Additionally, further funds have been set aside for essential administrative expenses, such as US$10,000 for county office supplies, US$4,000 for council rental fees and office supplies, and US$67,000 for administrative costs, reduced from the draft’s US$74,900.
Notwithstanding, the total allocations amount to US$763,500.00.
Meanwhile, certain proposed allocations have been put on hold to clarify usage plans and resolve leadership issues within specific institutions. These include US$470,000 for seven electoral district projects, which currently lack a clear usage plan, and US$100,000 for the Bong County Sports Steering Committee, which typically receives funding from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Other allocations on hold include $100,000 for arrears or liabilities, US$10,000 for the County Health Team’s maternity home, US$500 for the Youth Group’s Bong County Youth Center, US$1,000 for the Bong Student Union, US$1,000 for the YMCA Youth Program, US$1,000 for the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY), and US$500 for the Bong Talent Hunt program.
Mr. Fenlah noted that funds for certain institutions remain on hold due to unresolved leadership issues, with final approval pending clarification of these matters.
The approved budget, totaling $763,500, is now in effect with the aim of supporting administrative and developmental needs in Bong County across diverse sectors.
