After a slight postponement, the Bong County Council is currently holding its third quarterly session in Gbarnga.
The gathering began on July 23, 2025, and is planned to wrap up on July 24. Council members, the county administrative officer, acting superintendent Mr. Sam B. Elliott, and other representatives from all parts of the county are participating in this important assembly.
By: Jacob Kermue, Bong County Reporter
The agenda is full, with discussions covering key development priorities for the county, reviews of current projects, and the creation of better strategies for how the county is run. With the Mayor of Gbarnga City also in attendance, it shows just how critical this meeting is for dealing with some of the most pressing issues the county faces.
Mr. Aaron Sackie Fenlah, who leads the council, explained at the session’s opening on the first day at the administration building in Gbarnga, that the Senate had asked for the previous postponement of the county’s activities, which had originally been set for July 14, 2025, so they could hear his insights on the civil society’s stance on whether the Local Governance Act should be repealed.
Mr. Fenlah remains optimistic that the council can deal with the things at hand, despite the delay. He mentioned that the council didn’t have its required meetings for the first two quarters of the year, which has caused concern among the people they represent.
The council chairperson stated that the session would mainly focus on important points of development, such as infrastructure, how money is allocated, and projects that are still in progress. He emphasized how important this get-together is for the county’s development and what it will be like in the future.
Mr. Fenlah voiced his worries about proposed changes to the Local Government Act, and suggested that these changes could let lawmakers misuse resources. He made clear the need for openness and responsibility in how the government is run.
According to section 2.8(a) of the Local Government Act of 2018, county councils are supposed to get together every three months. The superintendent, the council chair, or at least three members signing a resolution can call special sessions. Even so, there weren’t any formal meetings in the first half of 2025, but there was a special session in April that Bong County Superintendent Loleyah Hawa Norris asked for.
Mr. Fenlah emphasized how important it is to focus on problems in the community during this meeting, especially those that affect organizations based in the community. He called on the public to get involved, especially youth and women’s groups, civil society members, marketers, motorcyclists, and religious leaders.
He urged, Community members should come and help us find projects that will help their areas, stressing how important it is for communities to be involved in making decisions.
The Bong County Council has been getting some bad press lately because its meeting schedule is inconsistent, and people think it sides with the county administration, which makes them wonder if it is truly independent. Chairman Fenlah has been accused of supporting projects that Senator Prince Moye likes, but he strongly denies that.
He also talked about delays in submitting required performance reports to the county administration, which shows how important they are for the council’s accountability and planning. He said, It’s not our fault that there’s a delay; it’s because the county administration didn’t give us the reports we needed to review.
Mr. Sam Bayogar Elliott Sr., the Bong County Administrator, stood in for the superintendent at the start of the two-day session. He gave the Bong County Council thorough reports and mentioned that the county administration has moved forward with projects within the county.
Mr. Elliott clarified that the county leadership hasn’t heard from ArcelorMittal about accepting letters from people who applied for jobs that require specific skills. He also said that County Superintendent Madam Loleyah Hawa Norris will be moving into her newly remodeled property before the end of August.
Along with these updates, Mr. Sidike Kromah, the county Development Officer, gave a summary of different projects that the county administration has started, and displayed the government’s dedication to development.
Stakeholders in Bong County are hoping that these discussions will result in practical steps to take care of the immediate needs of their communities and to make sure there is long-term development throughout the region.
