By: P Uriah Suah
Ganta, Nimba County…The Concerned Elders of Bain-Garr have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the leadership of Ganta’s current Mayor, Samuel Hardt. The elders claim they are being disrespected and excluded from the decision-making processes within the mayor’s office.
In a statement, they expressed frustration over their lack of representation in the mayor’s office and said they are not aware of the leadership structure under Mayor Hardt. They pointed out that in the past, they were actively involved in governance, but their contributions have been completely disrespected by the current administration.
“We, the indigenous elders of this area, are being respected by the current mayor. In the past, those who held this position recognized our importance and respected us,” the concerned elders asserted.
The elders described the mayor’s actions as a “slap in the face,” and called for immediate intervention from District 1 Representative Samuel N. Brown Sr. to address their concerns.
Additionally, former Gompa Mayor Amos N. G. Suah revealed that the transition process to Mayor Hardt had not been completed properly, with the outgoing mayor accusing Hardt of disrespecting established procedures. He further claimed that Hardt had burglarized the Gompa city corporation GCC’s office and publicly denigrated him on the radio.
On March 25, 2024, President Joseph Boakai Sr. nominated Samuel Saye Hardt as the municipality head of Ganta City, and the Senate eventually confirmed him. However, the former mayor claims that he has not officially handed over the mantle of authority to the new mayor since his ascension to the position and said the current mayor has accused him of leaving the Gompa City Corporation office in a filthy condition.
During a weekend dialogue with Representative Brown, Franklin Gonlepa, speaking on behalf of the elders, appealed for the inclusion of their elders group on the stipend list by the district representative’s office. They promised to use their inclusion as leverage to support the lawmaker.
In response to the elders’ complaints, Representative Samuel N. Brown Sr. assured that he would engage with Mayor Hardt to address the grievances.
Brown emphasized that no one, not even the President of Liberia, should disrespect elders. He expressed concern over the rapid rise in complaints against the new mayor, within just seven months of his appointment, and pledged to restore the elders’ dignity.
When reached for comment, Mayor Samuel Hardt promised to address the allegations at a later time.
