The Chairperson of Bong County Legislative Caucus, Representative Moima Briggs-Mensah, writes the House of Representatives here, craving the indulgence of Plenary to invite the Ministers of Health, and Finance and Development
Planning to explain processes and procedures through which budgetary allocations for Gbondoi Health Center were disbursed and expended since Fiscal Years 2019-2022.
Rep. Mensah, who represents Bong County electoral district#6, reveals that the National Budget of 2019/20 under Line 301 Ministry of Health Page 221 titled 'Objects of Expenditure# 264291', US$40,000 was transferred to Gbondio Health Center, while in 2020/2021, US$23,330 was transferred there, US$23,330 for 2019 and US$23,176 for 2020/2021, respectively.
She adds that in the Special National Budget of 2021, the ministry transferred US$30,000 to the health center, while in 2022 it transferred US$50,000.
The Bong caucus chair says in the spirit of coordination and in line with her legislative oversight duty, she wrote the Deputy Minister of Finance for Budget and Development Planning Tanneh G. Brunson, requesting similar details as mentioned supra but the minister has allegedly refused to respond to her request.
"Few months ago, I made it known to the Liberian people through plenary that the facility called Gbondoi Health Center was not visible and if there were plans to construct one, it should have started long ago after reviewing the legislative allotment made over the years", Rep. Mensah recalls.
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She says it would be in the interest of the people of Gbondoi, Electoral District #6, to know what has been the obstacle and delay in constructing said facility or what has been done with the allocated funds over the years.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has forwarded the communication to its Committee on Health, Ways Means, and Finance and Development Planning to report in one week.
There has been growing tension between Representatives Moima Briggs-Mensah and Marvin Cole of Bong County over the construction of Gbondoi clinic.
The two Bong lawmakers have been trading claims and counter-claims over the alleged existence of the clinic, though the National Legislature has since approved twenty-five thousand United States Dollars for the facility in the 2023 National Budget.
