PHOTO: Rep. Jones addressing his constituents
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- The Representative of Margibi second electoral district, Ivar K. Jones has delivered his 3rd annual legislative report covering January 2020 to December 2020 respectively.
The report details Mr. Jones’ activities and provides summary of Laws and other Legislative Instruments enacted during the sitting. It also captures his performance in the three traditional Legislative functions including Lawmaking, Representation and Oversight.
It divulges his contribution in Education, health and humanity among others in the district and county.
Delivering his annual report at the Christian Life Ministries Church in Unification Town recently, the Margibi County District #2 Lawmaker said his office effort to report to the citizens annually is in compliance with Article 15c of the 1986 Constitution which is an embodiment of the principle of good governance for the governed.
“To consistently encourage participatory representation, this document is opened to genuine constructive comments, civisms, petitions, etc” he said.
The Lawmaker stated that the essence of the report is to keep the district #2 residents well informed of activities at the closure of every Legislative Sitting something he added is his obligation as enshrined in the 1986 Constitution, Article 15c.
Rep. Jones continued: “The democratic realistic fact remains that you are our employers and at such, we have to be in compliance and demonstrate good conduct in the discharge of our duties. This report discloses and entrenches with information of our personal interactions with citizens and institutions in the District and beyond”.
The Representative who said Legislative Representation plays a pivotal role in getting things done on the citizens behalf revealed that during the year 2020he made numerous representations in their behalf.
He indicated that February 20, 2020 he presented to President George M. Weah a petition craving his consideration for Unification Town squatter’s right beneficiaries to become legitimate owners of the land they have squatted on for over 70 years.
Jones disclosed that the issues of legitimacy to the Land is documented in the annals of history in District # 2, Margibi County noting that it took him time and resources to have it done.
Additionally, the Lawmaker narrated that as one of his campaign promises to the people of Unification Town, immediately after taking the oath of office of District 2, Margibi County, he embarked on this journey that lasted from 2018 up to December 4, 2020.
He added that Unification Town Citizens are no longer squatters, evidence by the presentation of the Grant Deed on December 4, 2020 to the citizens of Unification Town.
Speaking further, Rep. Jones said in fulfillment of the November 9, 2019 resolution in Dolo Town, which mandated the delegates of the District Development Council to allot a portion of the Seven Hundred, Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (USD750, 000.00) the County received from China Union was adhered to in the County Sitting.
According to him, the Bridge connecting Unification Town and Dolo Town was captured among other projects in the County 2019/2020 resolution.
He mentioned that in keeping with the applied sections of the Budget Law of Fiscal Year 2019/2020, the amount of Seventy Nine Thousand United State Dollars ($79,000.00USD) was allotted for the Construction of Unification Town and Dolo Town Bridge, Pavement of Unification Town Road and Constriction of Addition Classrooms at Charlesville Public School, but considering the amount, priority was given to the construction of Unification Town and Dolo Town Bridge though the Bill of Quantity was one hundred twenty one thousand two hundred thirty United State Dollars ($121,230.06USD).
“On a tour visit at the construction site, I made a financial assistance request to the President, Dr. Dr. George M. Weah. With immediate effect, the President instructed the Minsters of States for Presidential Affairs and the Finance and Development Planning to make available forty five thousand United States dollars (US$45, 000.00) contribution for the bridge Construction. Twenty five thousand United States dollars ($25,000.00USD) of said amount was received and deposited in the County Account, while modalities are being worked out for the balance $20,000.00” he explained.
As for his contribution to the health sector, Jones said through his trip to the United States of America and subsequent engagement with individuals and organizations, his office received a 40ft container of medical supplies and equipment that his office and the District Development Council distributed to clinics, and hospital in the district, county and country respectively.
Some important medical supplies and equipment he mentioned are modern delivery beds, Freezers for vaccine, ventilators, modern wheel chairs and modern movement scales among others.
Dolo Town Health Center, Barclay Farm Health Center, RIA Health Center, Karwah Memorial Health Center, Charlesville Health Center, the C. H. Rennie Hospital, the Optimist Medical Clinic of both upper and lower Margibi accordingly, benefited from the gesture as well as donation to the Special Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.
The District two Representative said in his quest to improve health care, he remains engaged with friends and partner for more interventions in the health sector.
Reporting to the gathering his contribution to education during the period under review, he recounted that education remains pivotal in the growth and development of the district, therefore, his office continues to explore ways to ensure that citizens get maximum output in the sector.
In this regards, he asserted that the District Development Council reached a decision to direct portion of the 50% salary remittance to the construction of the Charlesville Public School annex in order to elevate the school to a senior high status putting the cost of the project at US$46,478.18.
He said of this amount, a payment of seventeen thousand one hundred ten United States dollars and sixty seven cent (US$17,110.67 USD) made and a balance of US$29,368.11 due the contractor.
He informed the gathering that the project is being completed, dedicated and is currently in used.
As per scholarship, Rep. Jones noted that the District Development council was also mandated during the district sittings of 2019/2020 to allot 15% of the china Union Fund for scholarship staying that like other Legislators of Margibi County, his office was allotted eleven thousand nine hundred ninety six forty three cent United States dollars (US$11,996.43), an amount which he mandated the District Development Council to oversee.
He maintained that report received from the District Development Council indicates that of said amount allotted, about 207 students for academic year 2019/2020 have benefited as the process continues.
Besides the China Union Scholarship, he pointed out that he has sustained a personal scholarship scheme under the Progressive Friends of Ivar K. Jones (PROFIJ) while for Academic Year 2019/2020, 127 students were awarded scholarships.
“Our scholarship program ranges from Kindergarten to University levels. The total of 1,358,050.00 LD has been paid to cover tuition and other fees. For this 2020/2021 Academic Year, vetting and other preparations are ongoing for enrollment” he added.
Going forward, Hon. Jones says cognizant of the annual disaster the district faced, the delegates appropriated 5% of the China Union Fund for disaster management, and of that said amount, each district benefited USD$6,315.00.
He narrated that a decision for each district to contribute five thousand United States dollars (US$5000.00) of the disaster management fund was reached when the Margibi Sports Association qualified to partake in the 2019/2020 County meet indicating that the District Development Council applied for the balance of one thousand one hundred twenty United States dollars (US$1,120.00) and purchased materials for distribution during the State of Emergency.
Rep. Jones expressed that District Two Development Council in collaboration with his office worked with two institutions, Yard-Liberia and the Disaster Management Students of Herbal College for the creation of Covid-19 awareness.
He also said as a result of the declaration of the State of Emergency, the District Development Council reached a decision to purchase humanitarian materials and provision for distribution to citizens and on April 12, 2020, from the 50% remittance of his Salary and other benefits, through the District Development Council, they were able to purchase 527 bags of 25kg rice during the Covid-19 lockdown and was distributed on old folks, disable and the needy in various communities of the district.
Meanwhile, the Lawmaker has reaffirmed his commitment to the payment of 50% of his salary promised in the spirit of genuine development through an accountable and transparent process.
In this regard, he said for the three years (January 15, 2018 to December 31, 2020), he has served the district, the total deposit of eighty sixty thousand, two hundred ninety two United State dollars (US$$86,292.00) and five million three hundred eighty-eight thousand eighteen Liberia dollars (L$5,388,018.00) were remitted to the District Two Development Council Accounts.
“In addition to the above remittances, a cost of eight thousand five hundred fifty United States dollars (US$8,550.00) covered the shipment and other fees for the 40ft container of medical supplies,” Rep. Jones said in his report.
Also reporting on personal intervention, the Lawmaker intoned that in June of 2020 his office received disastrous information that the Concrete Foundation High School in Cotton Tree and Hydro AG School in Hydro Community were de-roofed by storm and that students were out of school adding that upon receipt of the information, he promptly intervened by donating 5 bundles of 32 gage zinc, one cartoon of zinc nails with twenty thousand Liberian dollars (L$20,000.00LD) each for workmanship.
Also on June 20, 2020, the Representative reported that his office identified with the Single Parents Inc. located in Barclay Farm by presenting five hundred United States dollars (US$500.00) as initial contribution towards her empowerment program while plans are underway to work with them in such drive.
He said in continuation of his effort to empower women, and based on the request made by the school authority, his office made available one thousand United States dollars ( US$1,000.00) for the training of over 37 women in soap, chloride and Dettol making.
Under Lawmaking, he said during the third sitting of the 54th Legislature, the House of Representatives had 69 regular sessions, 47 Special Sessions, and 20 Appearances of Ministers and Directors, totaling 138 Sessions.
He argued that the House received 50 legislative instruments and of this number, 29 passed and 21 in committee rooms adding that some of these instruments originated from the Executive, Senate and House of Representatives with some Key instruments enacted.
He named the National Budget of 2020/2021, an Act to ratify Financing Agreement of the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalization Project, between the Republic of Liberia and International Development Association, forwarded to the President for Approval, an Act to establish a National County and Social Development Fund ( CSDF), Pending concurrence by the Liberian Senate and the Resolution Authorizing the State of Emergency Declared by President George Manneh Weah on April 8, 2020 as key instruments enacted during the period under review..
The National Budget for Fiscal Year 2020/2021 he stated was passed by the Legislature in the tone of five hundred seventy million one hundred and eleven thousand-one hundred seventy-three United States dollars ($570,111,173.00).
Jones report indicates that in the 2020/2021 Budget, an appropriation of two hundred and fourteen thousand eight hundred ninety one United States dollars (US$214,891.00USD) was budgeted as County Development Fund and twenty six thousand-two hundred fifty one United States dollars (US$26,251.00) as Firestone Land Rental Fees, totaling two hundred forty one, one hundred forty two United States dollars (US$241,142.00) for Margibi County.
He said other appropriations in the 2020/2021 Budget that benefit institutions in the district directly are Harbel College which received US$$541,434.00, the Dolo Town Health Center received US$10,000.00.
“The Fiscal Year 2020/2021 Budget was recast from its original passage of US$570,111,173.00USD to US$505,025,260.00 respectively.
Let it be noted that the appropriation of $256,000.00USD as County Development Fund and the Firestone Land Rental in Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Budget was not paid to the county and other counties due to the State of Emergency” he says.
He extended thanks and appreciations to the citizens for their continued sacrifices, resources and efforts exerted in fostering the achievements made thus far.