Gbarnga, Bong County - Unprecedented levels of dissatisfaction have since been expressed by residents of electoral district #2 in Bong County over the caucus’s decision to snub the area of social development projects at last week’s county development meeting – the first of its kind in the Selena Poson Mappy era.

According to the revised version of the 2011 budget law section 11 (b), development priorities (social and county development funds) are to be decided by the citizens whose resources are being depleted.

The budget law also provides that citizens’ decisions are to be reached during a county development sitting that involve vast majority of the citizenry from that local.

And it is from such context that has overwhelmingly spurred concerns from elites of the district who described the action as “a total disservice to their district”.

Spirited chants of “Where is District #2 Social Development share?” were uttered by scores of aggrieved youths who trooped at a local Hataye center while others aired their displeasure via Super Bongese, a local community radio in Gbarnga. The youths threatened to stage mutiny during next week’s Vision 2030 national conference slated for Gbarnga.

“That’s the only we think our concerns will be expressed. President Sirleaf needs to be aware about the caucus action,” says Francis Flomoku, a resident of Tamaita, District #2.

Flomoku said the second phase of the county development sitting was clearly all about denying the District of social development priorities as was evidenced by the fashion in which their District’s priorities were publicly snubbed.

Flomoku added: “We have been sensing that there is a growing mixed-feeling among lawmakers since the allotment of over USD 500.000 project in the District and today’s action has produced the evidence.”

Furious Rep. Moye demand projects

On his return from the United States of America, the District #2 Representative refused to accept that his District was denied County Social Development priorities.

In an exclusive interview with Super Bongese, the co-chair on Ways, Means and Finance at the House of Representatives said: “I don’t want to believe that District #2 was denied share of the county’s resources. If it happened then it was an oversight that needs to be ratified.”

Rep. Prince Moye said social development projects should be apportioned to every District in the county irrespective of how much a District benefits in the national budget contrary to what his colleagues (lawmakers) perceived.

The Bong County lawmaker further claimed that prior to his ascendency as a lawmaker the District was inexplicably short of a visible social development project despite the county being a recipient of over US$5 million.

Continuing, Rep. Moye added: “Count how many projects came to District #2 during the last six years. It’s it time for a place like District #2 to get on par in terms of Development?”

Eight against One?

It was seemingly during the passage of the budget that Rep. Moye obsessed his colleagues with the overdosing of his District with projects. The lawmakers’ spleen against the District #2 Representative’s actions was vented at separate programs they held in their districts days after Rep. Moye had taken the airwaves to justify his action.

Like Senator Henry Yallah and Rep. Lester Paye of electoral District #4, Rep. Edward Karfiah of District #5 mused whether Rep. Moye is representing a District or Bong County at the budget committee.

Many citizens are overwhelmingly convinced that the denial of District #2 of social development projects by eight of the lawmakers glaringly puts into perspective what the future hold for him and seemingly presents him what many would describe as “a gloomy task” ahead in his quest of soliciting projects for his District.

As many will say, Rep. Moye is a man of rare self-belief and one who has a strong link with the Unity Party. But, in fairness, he must have hit by the news on his return from the USA.

Many will argue that the continuity of this action by his colleagues during the next county development sitting is evitable once his colleagues are denied on the national scene.

Political Play suspected

The animosity towards the District #2 Representative, many say, is related not so much to his action during the budget hearing as many have perceived, but seemingly more to do with his open declaration to support his former employer Dr. Henrique Tokpa in 2014.

And that has since prompted an almost unhealthy degree of negativity especially from members of the Bong Legislative caucus who are enticed by senatorial slot or poised to support a candidate. Most notably, Senator Jewel Howard-Taylor and Rep. Lester Paye of District #4