-Nimba Superintendent gets inducted
By: Shallon S. Gonlor/shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
SANNIQUELLIE, NIMBA CO. – Nimba County inducted Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono has outlined a seamless plan towards a promising future characterized by a broad spectrum of development initiatives countywide.
With her visionary leadership, Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono’s incoming administration has reaffirmed a sense of commitment to initiate a bold journey of transformative economic reforms, accountability, transparency, education, good health delivery, youth and women empowerment, gender equity, and unity towards sustainable growth and development.
Contained in her induction statement on Monday 13 May, Sup. Gono stressed the important need to lead by example as a humble servant but not a dictator with a sense of development programs to improve Nimba County, citizens’ livelihood, and wellbeing.
Held at the Tubman Hall in Sanniquellie City, Sup. Gono further emphasized that at the heart of her led administration is to achieve the ruling Unity Party’s “ARREST” agenda, a pivotal policy designed to stabilize the economy, attract foreign investment, and create more jobs for citizens.
Attend by dozens of citizens, Co-chairs and members of the Nimba Legislative Cause, stakeholders, women, and youth groups, she said these development plans will not only improve the quality of life for the people of Nimba but will also create a more attractive environment for foreign and local businesses including tourism to foster economic growth and promoting Nimba as a key investment and tourist destination.
The establishment of social services, youths, women, girls, and children’s educational and empowerment programs are also another area where Superintendent Gono’s administration has promised to make substantial strides.
Noting that the construction of more technical and vocational education facilities, improvements in healthcare systems, and gender-sensitive programs will aim toward building human capital to drive future growth.
She added that by increasing access to quality education and the healthcare system, Nimba will gain more valuable assets, focusing on human capital development that aims to transform the economic landscape and improve citizens’ living standards.
As Nimba moves forward, the sense of optimism under Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono’s visionary leadership is glaring.
Nimba County, founded in 1964 is seeing a resurgence of hope as the second-largest populated county working towards overcoming past challenges.
This journey, Sup. Gono said will only be achieved with support from citizens and it is expected to be marked by significant milestones that signify a departure from old struggles toward new achievements.
Nimba’s progress to be achieved under Sup. Gono will showcase that the county is in transformation, fueled by a commitment to reform, unity, gender equality, inclusiveness, women and children empowerment programs including education.
These initiatives when unfold, they hold the promise of realizing a prosperous and inclusive Nimba, an aspiration that once seemed distant but now appears within reach.
This new era of leadership under a female, development serves not only as a testament to Nimba’s resilience but also as an inspiration to counties nationwide striving for renewal and progress in female inclusion in leadership.
Talking about accountability, Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono vowed to audit the outgoing county administration headed by Former Superintendent Nelson Korquoi to account for their financial management.
The proposed audit of former Superintendent Korquoi’s administration’s financial management of the County Social Development Funds (CSDF) is a must to fix the accountability crisis that has crippled the county’s development progress, undermining public trust and key developments not been done over the years up to now.
The audit, if conducted will develop public trust to ensure that thousands of dollars per year spent by local county authority is properly accounted for and local administration to be held accountable for their decisions and spending.
Local public bodies are responsible for thousands of dollars of expenditure each year, delivering public services that taxpayers rely on every day.
However, the current format and content of accounts turnover notes of outgoing Sup. Korquoi to incoming Sup. Gono is so complicated.
Nimba Former Superintendent, Nelson Korquoi turned in notes at an elaborate induction ceremony on Monday said he inherited over US$2,000 million of dollars in the county’s coffer, thereby leaving over 3 million on the account of the county.
According to him, his administration achieved tremendously, completing about 52 projects, a statement which sparked severe public condemnation, throwing jabs at him.
Following the public intimidation and criticism, former superintendent Korquoi immediately disappeared from the hall seconds after presenting his turnover notes, escaping the gamely-packed occasion with shame and disgrace.
Accepting the complicated report, incoming Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono echoes citizens’ opinions to work with the audit sector; and the GAC to ensure audit Nelson’s administration to account for the county’s financial management to ensure the oversight of public spending and strengthen local democracy and accountability.
Meanwhile, Liberia’s Internal Affairs Minister, Francis Nyumalin has charged the Nimba Superintendent to run the affairs of the county in close consultation with chiefs and elders.
Minister Nyumalin noted that other land ministries and agencies within the county should not be left out in the process coupled with a corruption-free governance system.
He however disclosed the new way mechanism put in place consulting the decentralization process on how chiefs and elders will be consulted in the administration of the ruling UP government.
