MONROVIA – As part of its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), ArcelorMittal Liberia is mandated to contribute $3 million annually to the County Social Development Fund (CSDF) to Nimba, Grand Bassa and Bong Counties, with each county expected to receive $1 million annually. Although the funds are meant to support development projects in the respective impacted counties, there have however been issues with the disbursement and utilization of the funds, especially in Grand Bassa County. As The Analyst reports, Grand Bassa County Senator Gbehzohngar Milton Findley and other prominent Grand Bassa citizens are accusing the Liberian government of withholding Bassa’s share of the CSDF over many years, thus amounting to $8M that should have been used for development projects in Grand Bassa County.
Reacting sharply to the Grand Bassa County Legislative Caucus Chairman’s recent comments, another prominent Bassolian, Rev. Wynston Dixon, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ablee-Jay Media and Consultancy, Inc. has called on Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan to ensure that the $8M CSDF allotted to Grand Bassa County by ArcelorMittal Liberia be disbursed to the county resolve contending development priorities.
“According to Senator Gbehzohngar Findley, the Government of Liberia, under your stewardship, is currently withholding access to $8 million allocated to Grand Bassa County by ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML). These funds, we understand, remain in the national coffers. This situation is deeply troubling and calls for immediate action.
“While some of us have had the opportunity to pursue higher education abroad, the reality for the vast majority nearly 90% of young people in Grand Bassa is starkly different. Our educational institutions are grossly underfunded, lacking basic resources such as textbooks, science and computer labs. Overcrowded classrooms, poorly maintained infrastructure, and inadequate salaries for our dedicated teachers and nurses are the norm.
“Moreover, our only referral health facility the Liberian Government Hospital is critically under-equipped, struggling with shortages of essential medicines and supplies. Buchanan’s streets remain in disrepair, our communities lack reliable electricity, and many of our people still rely on unsafe water sources.
“Two years ago, we experienced a heartbreaking tragedy: the loss of a young child, Baby Tiah, due to the unavailability of life-saving medication. By the time help arrived from the Board of Ablee-Jay Media and Consultancy, Inc. it was too late. Her death is not an isolated incident but a grim reminder that negligence and inaction can be as devastating as violence.
“Mr. Minister, I respectfully urge you to use your position to immediately release the $8 million designated for Grand Bassa County. These funds are not merely numbers on a ledger they represent hope, health, and opportunity for an entire generation. We cannot, in good conscience, allow another child to die or another dream to fade due to preventable neglect.
“The youth of Grand Bassa are the future of our county and our country. We have a moral and national obligation to invest in them. I implore you: let us act now, not later, to avoid repeating the painful mistakes of the past. Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I trust that you will act in the interest of justice and the well-being of all Liberians,” Rev. Dixon lamented.
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