PHOTO: Rep. Samuel Enders, Montserrado District #6 Representative
By Aruna Goepogui
MONROVIA, Liberia—The Montserrado County Legislative Caucus has not received 95 percent of the county’s Social Development Funds, says Montserrado District #6 Representative, Reverend Samuel Enders
Speaking at the District #6 Youth Leadership Town Hall Dinner held at the African Dream Academy school campus recently, Rep. Enders disclosed that the Boakai-Koung administration has excluded Montserrado from the Western Cluster for reasons he said have not been disclosed.
But the Lawmaker’s claim is yet to be independently verified.
Rep. Enders explained that under the Local Government Act, development funds are managed by the County Superintendent and the Minister of Internal Affairs, while a council was established to work with both officials in overseeing local development activities.
The Montserrado County District #6 Rep. clarified that lawmakers do not directly receive development funds to implement district projects. Instead, lawmakers identify and present projects, which are subsequently implemented based on the availability of funds, reveling that US$40,000 has been allocated toward the development of the Thinkers Village Market.
According to him, the project is progressing with the approval of the Superintendent.
“Once the PPCC approves the project, the Superintendent’s Office will take over, not me or my contractor,” emphasizing that the Superintendent’s Office has the authority to implement development projects.
The district six lawmaker denied reports that US$40,000 had been provided for a road or other district development project under his direct control. each lawmaker was allocated US$100,000 for development projects through the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), with 10 percent deducted for LACE’s administrative overhead.
He explained that LACE projects are managed and supervised exclusively by the agency, and lawmakers are prohibited from receiving funds intended for such projects.
According to Representative Enders, contractors are identified to implement approved projects and must be vetted and approved by LACE before funds are transferred for implementation.
He said he distributed the remaining US$90,000 toward addressing key development needs in District #6.
The allocations, according to Rep. Enders are:
Cola Tee Bridge: US$20,000
Kendeja Health Center: US$15,000
District Office: US$40,000
Jone L. Moore: US$7,500
Kendeja High School: US$7,500, stating that the allocations are intended to address some of the major development challenges confronting residents of District #6.