SANNIQUELLIE, Nimba – Fong G. Zuagele, Nimba’s superintendent, has strongly reacted to recent statements by Sen. Prince Y. Johnson that there will not be a county council sitting held until Zuagele’s administration can make a formal report to the Nimba Legislative Caucus.

The county council sitting is held annually by each county to deliberate on how to spend county development funds. The meeting, which usually lasts two to three days, is supervised by each county’s legislative caucus and draws delegates from across the county.

After expenditures have been made, the county administration is responsible for producing a report on the various disbursements.

Contrary to Johnson’s assertions, Zuagele said Nimba is on record of making timely reports and that he has since made his report.

“Check the record,” he countered. “Nimba County is the most accurate reporting county. I made my report long ago at the time it supposed to have been submitted. The report was submitted to the Nimba [Legislative] Caucus, [the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission], the Ministry of Finance and all those that we needed to present the report to. They all have received it and I have signatures of people who received it.”

Zuagele said the issue of convening the council sitting was required by law, not to be decided by Johnson’s whims. The superintendent also did not take too well to the senator’s suggestion that Zuagele’s administration had been involved in corrupt practices.

“I came to this county and the one thing I said here [was] that I will achieve this challenge – that the use of Nimba County’s resources will have a base of accountability and transparency,” he said.

Zuagele is an economist who was appointed as superintendent in 2014 by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf after the tenure of Christiana Dargadu.

The Bush Chicken has requested a copy of the report from the superintendent’s office.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah