Local government appointees for Nimba County last Thursday, March 28, 2024, received a very poor reception from Nimbaians in Ganta City.
Though the Liberian Senate has not confirmed the local county authorities, they visited the county recently.
As the local officials entered the provincial city, the people on the streets of Ganta were very poor.
In the past, local county leaders have been well received, but the stories of Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono, County Inspector Daniel Zekpeh, Development Superintendent Peter Kangbay, Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Affairs Dudley Debois, and Ganta City Mayor Samuel Hardy were poorly received by Nimbaians.
Superintendent Gono with a handful of women
Before they arrived in the county, most citizens, including partisans of the ruling Unity Party, had expressed disappointment and frustration with President Boakai regarding government appointments.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]
According to them, those who fought to bring the UP to power are being ignored by those referred to as helpers, benefiting from their sweat.
A few days ago, the District Coordinator for the nine electoral districts of Nimba Moses Ghicarn expressed disappointment and frustration, accusing Vice President Jeremiah Koung of prioritizing members of his MDR party for appointment.
Printiss T.K. Domah, youth chair of the Nimba Chapter of the UP told reporters in the county that they as partisans and Nimbaians will not cooperate with Vice President Koung and County Chairman Nelson Bearngar for what they term their bad leadership.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Districts coordinator Ghicarn and Youth Congress chair Domah expressed disappointment and frustration with President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah Koung for not recognizing them for local government positions.
Recently, Nimbaians threatened not to work with local authorities appointed in the county.
According to them, those appointments were made based on the interest of Vice President Jeremiah Koung rather than the general interest of the people of Nimba.
They referred to Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono as an American citizen who had no idea about county politics, as she had spent all her years in the United States.
Due to the very poor reception, citizens of the county were seen at a local entertainment center, Jackie Guest House, where they greeted and welcomed the new superintendent alongside her team instead of an official ceremony at the administration hall in Sanniquellie.
Daniel Nya Gboe and others were seen pledging their support to her rather than citizens turning out in huge numbers to welcome her.
Superintendent Goo told a few citizens who came to greet her that she didn't come as a superintendent but rather to see the county.
She and her group could not tour other parts of the county except Ganta. Editing by Jonathan Browne
