Rep. Koffa Wants US$590k Allocation For Major Facilities In G/Kru

–Sasstown & Barclayville High To Benefit

The Plenary of the House of Representatives has mandated its committees on Internal Affairs and Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning to scrutinize Grand Kru County District#2 Representative J. Fonati Koffa’s proposed allotment to be captured in the FY 2020/2021 fiscal budget for major facilities in Grand Kru County.

The National Budget in the tone of US$535.4m is currently before the joint committee on Ways, Mean, Finance and Development Planning of the Legislature for scrutiny before passage.

In a communication submitted to the House’s Speaker Bhofal Chambers, read on Thursday, September 10, 2020 during the 51^st day sitting, Cllr. Koffa indicated that he will be prepared to vote for the passage of the FY 2020/2021 Fiscal Budget if his colleagues accept his amendments to be included in the budget before passage.

In his amendment, Rep. Koffa is seeking an allocation of US$ 150, 000 for the renovation of Sasstown High School. He justified in the communication that since the school was built in 1982, it has undergone no renovation and has had its maintenance budget severely reduced, adding “This amount is necessary to prevent collapse of the already deteriorating structure and enable hundreds of student to have access to quality education”.

House’s Judiciary chairman further called for an allocation of US$150,000 for Barclayville Central High School, which he said was constructed around the same time as Sassatown High School and is suffering the same fate, also he noted that the school plays host to the Grand Kru Vocational and Technical College. He is at the same time seeking an allocation of US$100,000 for the Rally Time Hospital, the County only Referral Hospital which is currently undergoing renovation by a German NGO.

According to him, the County Health team will need US$100, 000 in equipment and upgrades to compliment the renovation.

Additionally, the Grand Kru District # 2 Lawmaker wants an allotment of US$100,000 for upgrade in hospital equipment for the Domo Nimene Hospital in Sasstown, which he said is the primary Hospital serving new mothers and infants.

In his final request to Plenary, Rep. Koffa is seeking the indulgence of his colleagues for the allocation of US$90,000 for the rehabilitation of Nyankopo road.

This 24-kilometer road he indicated, serves the district seat of the six statutory districts in electoral District 2, noting “ This road serves a major session of the population in Bolloh district and has become impassable, increasing the cost of goods and services on an already impoverished population. Moreover, as the census approaches, thousands of citizens will not be counted because the census enumerators will not be able to reach them”.

He further indicated that most of recent development in the County has occurred through Presidential initiatives, personal projects sponsored by Lawmakers, or projects undertaken by non-governmental organizations.

“Under increasingly stark realties that Lawmaker’s salary is not the panacea for rural development, we come to this august body seeking its assistance in ensuring that portions of the parts of Liberia you do not see get their share of the National pie” he intoned. Using as a backing, Cllr. Koffa concluded by reminding his Colleague of Article 7 of the Constitution of Liberia.

Article 7 states: “The republic shall, consistent with the principles of individual freedom and social justice enshrined in this constitution, manage the national economy and the natural resources of Liberia in such manner as shall ensure the maximum feasible participation of Liberian citizens under conditions of equality as to advance the general welfare of Liberian people and the economic development of Liberia”.

Meanwhile, the Joint Committee is expected to report on Tuesday. The amended motion carried included the major counties’ senior high schools and major referral hospitals of all the 15 counties.