Gbarnga, Bong County – The Bong County Chapter of the Unity Social gathering has raised a complete of L$752,000 in July to assist native improvement initiatives and improve community-driven governance throughout the county.
By Selma Lomax [email protected]
The fundraising was introduced throughout a working session held on the celebration’s headquarters in Gbarnga, the place leaders of the Unity Social gathering, authorities officers, and members of the group convened to evaluate progress and description a improvement technique for the approaching months.
The chairperson of the Unity Social gathering Bong Chapter, Martha Morris, confirmed the quantity raised and credited the success to a united effort involving elected representatives, appointed officers, and dedicated celebration members.
Morris stated the fundraising initiative stemmed from a plan initiated by Bong County Senator Prince Moye and a number of other different officers earlier this yr, geared toward guaranteeing that the celebration performs a extra lively position in addressing the event priorities of the county.
She described the marketing campaign as an intentional transfer to cut back overreliance on nationwide authorities and reveal the county’s potential for self-sustained progress.
“This quantity is not only a determine, it symbolizes our collective will to foster financial independence, assist women-led enterprises, and create lasting alternatives for our folks. Each greenback raised displays the dedication of the Unity Social gathering to ship on guarantees of excellent governance and inclusive progress,” Morris stated.
She emphasised that the funds could be used to profit all residents of Bong County no matter political affiliation, including that farmers, market ladies, youth, college students, and motorcyclists should be a part of the dialog on governance. Morris additional acknowledged that native leaders should step past partisanship and start viewing improvement as a shared obligation.
“We should serve the complete county – not simply our supporters, however each citizen of Bong County,” she stated.
The L$752,000 raised will likely be positioned right into a particular account established for improvement functions. William Kortee, the 2023 marketing campaign supervisor for the celebration in Bong County, has been appointed to supervise the account and guarantee correct administration of the funds.
Kortee is predicted to work carefully with a monetary oversight committee to watch expenditures and supply common updates on how the cash is spent.
Morris additionally introduced the formation of a multi-stakeholder committee tasked with figuring out and managing improvement initiatives in varied communities throughout the county. She famous that schooling assist could be one of many first priorities, and urged group members to supply names of scholars in want of help. In response to her, the aim is to make the Unity Social gathering’s improvement agenda impactful and visual to strange residents.
“We encourage our communities to convey ahead names of scholars or people who want instructional help. We wish this initiative to the touch lives straight,” Morris stated.
The occasion additionally featured remarks from Deputy Minister of Finance and Improvement Planning Invoice McGill Jones, who praised the Unity Social gathering’s Bong Chapter for what he described as an necessary grassroots achievement.
He acknowledged the constraints of the central authorities in addressing all native wants and inspired different counties to copy the Bong mannequin.
“We face vital limitations on the nationwide degree in reaching each Liberian family, however the Unity Social gathering’s efforts right here in Bong reveal that native motion can bridge these gaps. This mannequin ought to be replicated throughout different counties,” stated Jones.
Following the fundraising milestone, the Unity Social gathering has now set a month-to-month goal of L$1,000,000, hoping to keep up momentum and increase its assist for rural improvement initiatives. Social gathering officers consider {that a} constant stream of native funding will allow extra focused interventions in areas resembling schooling, agriculture, healthcare, and highway infrastructure.
A number of celebration members and group stakeholders attending the assembly expressed optimism concerning the initiative. Girls’s teams, pupil organizations, and youth leaders urged the management to make sure transparency and urged the committee to think about all sectors when implementing improvement applications. Additionally they harassed the significance of involving folks from all backgrounds to make sure long-term sustainability.
Individuals reaffirmed their dedication to supporting the Unity Social gathering’s improvement imaginative and prescient for Bong County. They referred to as for steady engagement, collaboration, and accountability as the muse for making significant change within the county.
