Liberian Journalist Jonathan Paye-Layleh, a native of Nimba County, has hailed the resolve of the County’s Legislative Caucus in advocating for the payment of the County Social Development Fund (CSDF).
Mr. Paye-Layleh’s letter this week comes in the wake of the delivery of checks of US3.1 million from ArcelorMittal’s payment of CSDF to Nimba, Grand Bassa and Bong Counties by the Liberian government.
FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER BELOW
New Georgia Township
Montserrado County
Republic of Liberia
July 8, 2020
Hon. Samuel G. Kongar
Member of the House of Representatives
& Member, Nimba County Legislative Caucus
Capitol Building
Monrovia, Liberia
Dear Hon. Kogar
I bring you compliments and wish to, through this open letter, thank you immensely, on behalf of the Zao Development Association of Nimba County and in my own name as a citizen of Nimba County, for your tireless advocacy to get some understanding of the status of the county’s social development fund from ArcelorMittal through a mineral development agreement.
I feel relieved that, at long last, we are hearing about the release of some monies by the company to Nimba and the other two affected counties —– Grand Bassa and Bong.
Whatever was responsible for the long delay, I really wish we didn’t have to get so strangulated as a county before the monies could be made available to us. This is supposed to be a just benefit for extracting minerals from a county that has given so much to the building and development of Liberia over the years.
During my current travels in parts of Nimba as part of my ongoing humanitarian intervention, citizens have asked me to join people like you in seeking some real understanding of what is actually happening to their county development funds. They honestly want to know.
I therefore wish to urge you, Hon. Kongar, and the rest of the legislators on the Nimba Legislative Caucus to be on top of your game and ensure that Nimba County is henceforth treated fairly and with the respect due it as far as the handling of the ArcelorMittal Social Development Fund is concerned. This includes ensuring that the channel of releasing the funds to Nimba County in accordance with the Mineral Development Agreement is respected and followed and not unnecessarily politicized.
You can rest assured we are watching.
Best regards
Sincerely yours
Jonathan Paye-Layleh
Citizen of Nimba County
&
President
Zao Development Association
Zao Township, Meinpea-Mah District
Electoral District Number 8
Nimba County