GBARNGA, Bong County - A political standoff is ensuing in Bong County after the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), led by Representative Musa Hassan Bility, broke ground for a US$500,000 bridge in Gbarnga.
The move by the opposition party has drawn strong criticism from Superintendent Loileyah Hawa Norris who has accused Bong County District #3 Representative, Josiah Marvin Cole, and CMC political leader of disrespecting county authority and ignoring administrative procedures.
Speaking on Super Bongese Radio during a broadcast over the weekend in Gbarnga, Superintendent Norris expressed frustration at what she called "total disregard for the county's leadership structure." She stated that her office was not officially informed about the groundbreaking and described the action as "politically motivated and procedurally wrong."
"I only saw it on social media that Hon. Cole and Mr. Bility were coming to do a groundbreaking," Superintendent Norris said. "This is a city project that needs proper planning and a blueprint from Public Works. You can't just appear and make it look like the county is against development. We welcome progress, but it must be done the right way."
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Norris emphasized that the bridge site is within Gbarnga City's jurisdiction and must comply with legal requirements. She warned against politicizing local development, saying, "Let a man bring a blueprint and go through Public Works. We are not against progress, but disrespecting the office of the superintendent is unacceptable."
She also accused CMC leader Bility of bypassing her office and publicly discussing county matters without notifying local authorities. "If Mr. Bility can come to my county and talk about our county and our senator without passing through my office, that's total disrespect," Norris stated. "I run this county; I'm the administrative head and vice chair of the County Council. You can't just walk in and start construction."
The controversy stems from the October 3, 2024 groundbreaking ceremony organized by the CMC to build a bridge worth over half a million U.S. dollars.
Speaking during the event, CMC political leader Rep. Musa Hassan Bility described the initiative as proof of his party's belief in "development with accountability." "When we formed the CMC, our goal was simple -- to change politics and end continuous promises and betrayal," Bility said. "If you have been in power for 15 years and cannot build a bridge, then you are in the blueprint business, not the business of development."
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Bility further criticized what he called Liberia's culture of political inaction, noting that the bridge and other CMC-backed road projects worth US$192,000 show a new approach to governance. "When we come back for elections in 2029, we won't campaign with words -- we'll show what we've done," he said.
However, Superintendent Norris insists that the project, while commendable, must follow proper channels. "Public Works has to provide the design and approve the plan before any construction starts," she stressed. "You cannot just wake up and start a $500,000 bridge without coordination."
Meanwhile, Representative Josiah Marvin Cole has announced on his official Facebook page that he will "formally and forcefully respond" to Superintendent Norris's remarks. His upcoming response is expected to further inflame tensions within the county's political and administrative circles.
Currently, citizens remain divided -- with some praising CMC for taking initiative in development, while others support the superintendent's call for accountability and order. For now, Bong County's latest bridge project has become more than just a construction plan; it is the heart of a growing divide between politics, procedure, and power
