BOPOLU, Gbarpolu – Local officials in Gbarpolu have ended a meeting to discuss transitioning the management of development projects in the county to the County Council, in line with the Local Government Act.
The act grants the County Council authority to approve the county development plan, oversee its implementation, and allocate funding accordingly. However, before the law, development projects were primarily managed by the Project Management Committee, comprising officials elected by delegates at the annual county sitting.
Now, with the authority being passed on to the County Council, there is a need for proper transitioning to ensure accountability during turnover, as the mandate of the previous PMC had not fully ended.
In an initial meeting convened by Gbarpolu Superintendent Sam K. Zinnah on July 5, local authorities stressed the need to enhance the functionality of the County Council.
“With the PMC’s presence impeding the County Council’s functionality, it is imperative that we take decisive steps to implement the Local Government Act as mandated by President Boakai,” Zinnah said.
Stakeholders highlighted how other counties, like Bong, had made progress in implementing the Local Government Act, with its county council’s approval of the administration’s first 100-day deliverables.
As the tenure of Gbarpolu’s PMC had not yet ended, many felt this could impede the work of the local administration. Zinnah said the meeting was called to rally stakeholders to find solutions that are in the best interest of Gbarpolu.
PMC Chairman Robert Benda agreed to a peaceful transition and recommended that the process be seamless to allow his team to provide updates on completed and ongoing projects and banking information.
Benda also stressed the importance of managing this transition carefully to avoid any disruptions to the county’s development initiatives while also appealing for the disbursement of the remaining US$27,150 honorarium from the county’s account for the PMC, as approved during a county sitting in September 2021.
The delegates at the sitting allocated 10 percent of the approved budget as an honorarium to fund the operations of the PMC for the past three years.
The chair of the Gbarpolu County Council, Lucia Massaquoi, thanked the PMC for cordially agreeing to transition its responsibilities to the council.
“I commend the PMC for their willingness to hand over duties ahead of the 3-year tenure ending on September 30, 2023,” Massaquoi said.
She also praised the county leadership for fostering a culture of dialogue and collaboration essential for effective governance.
At the close of the meeting, Superintendent Zinnah promised to consult with the county legislative caucus to facilitate a second meeting in which the PMC would formally report on its activities and officially hand over its responsibilities to the County Council, marking a significant step towards strengthening local governance and ensuring the effective implementation of the Local Government Act.
Other dignitaries at the meeting included Gbarpolu’s county development officer, the county administrative officer, and the county finance officer. The County Council was also represented by its chair and five members.
Featured photo by Henry B. Gboluma, Jr.
