Liberia: Bong County 2026 Budget Access Disputed by Officials

Published: August 26, 2026

GBARNGA, Bong County — Bong County’s approved US$4.9 million 2026 budget is not available on any public platform months after the County Council passed it, and the two officials responsible for it gave conflicting accounts this week of whether it has been released at all.

By Rancy Clarke

County Finance Officer Silas Tokpa said the budget was made public on May 28, 2026, when his office photocopied it and handed copies to a select group of people. County Administrative Officer D. Sam B. Elliot said the document is still being prepared for publication online and will be out by the end of August.

“I have copies of the budget in my office and we will try to hire people to build a website so we can put the information there,” Tokpa said.

Tokpa said copies remain available at his office. He said journalists who had visited his office previously did not receive copies because they did not specifically ask for the budget.

Elliot, for his part, said the finance officer was handling the online publication.

“The county finance officer is preparing the budget to send it on the website for everybody to see it,” Elliot said.

Elliot did not say what caused the delay. He said journalists and members of the public who wanted the budget should have requested copies during the County Council’s deliberations.

“I knew I could face this question,” Elliot said.

The council approved the US$4.9 million budget and turned it over to the county administration. The approved figure was an increase on the administration’s initial US$3.94 million proposal. The council said its review identified more than US$1 million that the initial proposal left out, including US$50,000 from Cavalla Resource, US$50,000 in national government operational support and US$950,000 from ArcelorMittal for construction of a sports park.

The review also raised questions over more than US$280,000 allocated to administrative programs, amid concerns about the use of county development funds for operational expenses.

The competing accounts surfaced Tuesday during a joint broadcast on Radio Gbarnga, Super Bongese and Premium FM that was called to address the prolonged absence of Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris. Journalists turned the discussion to the budget.

Elliot said Norris traveled to Turkey for advanced medical treatment on the advice of Liberian doctors, and that she was able to walk and speak before leaving the country on medical leave.

The county administration has not said why the budget is not available through a publicly accessible platform, or what standard it applies in deciding that photocopies handed to selected individuals amount to public disclosure.