Induction Statement by Caimon Joe Kollie, National President, United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA) – Get a copy of July 23rd Edition of The Analyst Newspaper for center spread pictorial in color from the Induction ceremony

Office of the National PresidentUnited Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA)

July 21, 2021

On behalf of our community first lady, Leonora Kollie, our Vice President, Madam Towan Kollie-Peters, the elected leadership team, our campaign leadership organizing team, and myself, I want to thank you for honoring us with your votes. We recorded one of the most votes cast for a candidate in UBCAA elections. You delivered to us a clear mandate that supports our vision to work in making UBCAA a well-structural 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization that will unite us in working to address some of the critical needs facing community, both here in the USA and in Bong County, Liberia. We are greatly moved by your expression of confidence in us to lead our beloved United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA).

We are immensely grateful to our families, UBCAA members, friends, and supporters who so generously contributed their time, money, and expertise to enable us to run a professional campaign with positive messages. We are reaching out to those who did not support us to join us in working to address some of the critical needs in our community. Let us focus on our common denominator, which is Bong County as well as its numerous challenges and opportunities to build our community. Together, we can work to address some of the critical needs in our community.

We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Mr. Samuel Sondah, former President UBCAA, the UBCAA Executive Leadership, and the Board of Directors of UBCAA for their service to our beloved UBCAA community. Thank you, President Sondah and your leadership team for the sacrifices you made, sometimes using your personal resources to facilitate your travel around the United States to visit our people. We are looking forward to your continuous support to make UBCAA better.

This year’s 2021 UBCAA National Convention was a huge success with the preliminary reports showing more than 200 persons in attendance and more than $20, 000.00 raised.

We extend special thanks and appreciation to Bong Kwatekeh Association II of Minnesota for successfully hosting the 2021 UBCAA National Convention. The Convention was graced by dignitaries from the Liberian community, including Dr. Lucy Valhmu, Keynote Speaker; Hon. Jackson George, Jr., the Honorary Consul General, Republic of Liberia, Minnesota; Hon. Joe Mason, President, Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA); Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey-Yarkpawolo, President of the Salvation Army Polytechnic, Monrovia, Liberia; and more than 200 Bong County citizens, community organizations, partners, and friends of Bong County. We were honored by your presence.

On Saturday, July 17, 2021, the newly elected President of United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCCA), Mr. Caimon Joe Kollie, appointed a Leadership Transition Team (LTT) that includes the following individuals: Mr. Leo Mulbah (Chairman), Mr. David Parker (National Treasurer, UBCAA), and Mr. Gabbo Z.M. Tokpah, Sr. (Financial Secretary, UBCAA). The term of reference for the Leadership Transition Team (LTT) is to develop and execute the new UBCAA Administration’s Transition Operational Plans (TOP), implementing the transition process between the current leadership and former leadership of UBCAA, which includes but not limited to the following activities:

• Leading the transferring of all Federal and State registrations and other legal documents from the former administration to the current administration.
• Obtaining all UBCAA banking records, including financial reports, bank account information, the changing the on names on UBCAA Bank Account to the current leadership.
• Obtain a comprehensive 2021 UBCAA Convention reports from the former UBCAA administration.
• Transition campaign committees’ operational plans to full operational administrative mode. The committees include Strategy & Planning, Membership Mobilization, and Finance & Fundraising.
• To conduct due diligence, recruit, and the vetting of the members of the administrative leadership team who will be responsible for implementing the new administration’s vision, policies, and operational plans.
• To develop operational budget for the rest of this years’ months ending December 31, 2021.
• To develop a draft proposal to transition UBCAA from a 501 (C) (4) to 501 (C) (3) full non-profit organization.
• To organize the new leadership inauguration program.

We say thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you our beloved UBCAA for the next three years. We pledge to work in making the vision for a better UBCAA alive. Together, we can work to address some of the critical needs in our community by implementing the vision for a better UBCAA, which includes the following actions:

• Build a robust and well-structural UBCAA organization to strengthen our union in serving our UBCAA membership, youth, elderly, and those with special needs, here in the Diaspora and Bong County, Liberia.
• Create a collaborative partnership with Bong County citizens, stakeholders, Bong County affiliated organizations, and community partners to address the needs in our community.
• Help to strengthen/revitalize existing UBCAA local chapters and establish new ones.
• Develop a national directory of Bong County citizens in the U.S.A. and Canada to know where our people are and their interests.
• Build an interactive professional website that will highlight programs, activities of UBCAA, including a section, wherein members can share their suggestions and/or comments for the betterment of our UBCAA community.
• Establish a framework for civil engagement and accountability between UBCAA and citizens of Bong County, political leaders, civil society, community organizations, stakeholders, etc.
• Establish a fully staffed UBCAA operational office in Gbarnga City, Bong County to identify and engage in community development projects.

My fellow Bongese, our Bong County community has given us a clear mandate in support for our vision to build a well-structured 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization that will address some of the critical needs in our community.  Our Administration is fully committed to doing its utmost best to work with our citizens, partners, friends, student organizations, non-profit organizations, civil society, Bong County leaders, community organizations, and other stakeholders to work together in making Bong County a successful story.

Together, we can work to build UBCAA by employing the massive human and material resources in our community to help address some of the critical needs in our community here, in the USA and in Bong County, Liberia.

Thank you. May God bless our beloved UBCAA and may God bless our beloved Bong County.

Caimon Joe Kollie

National President

United Bong County Association in the Americas (UBCAA)