Former Bong County Electoral District #7 Representative, Joseph Papa Kolleh, has strongly criticized county authorities over what he described as the growing culture of abandoned development projects and lack of accountability in the management of public resources in Bong County.
Speaking on issues surrounding ongoing county budget discussions, the former lawmaker called on members of the Bong County Council to focus less on launching new projects and instead target completing unfinished initiatives already funded with public money.
Kolleh stressed that the council’s responsibility goes beyond approving new budgets every fiscal year, warning that repeated neglect of stalled projects continues to undermine development across the county.
“The responsibility before you today goes far beyond simply approving new budgets,” Kolleh stated.
“Your duty is to ensure that the resources entrusted to you by the people are used effectively, transparently, and for real development impact.”
The former representative expressed deep concern over what he termed as alarming number of incomplete and abandoned projects scattered across Bong County, many of which were reportedly approved during previous county sittings but remain unfinished despite funds being allocated.
According to him, several projects identified by district leaders over the years either suffered from poor management, inadequate supervision, or questionable handling of public resources.
“Development is not about starting new projects every year,” Kolleh declared. “It is about completing what we have already begun.”
He pointed to the healthcare center project in Gbomokollieta, approved during the 2018 County Sitting, as one of the clearest examples of stalled development in the county.
The health facility, intended to serve residents of Sanoyea Chiefdom and Wallapolu Chiefdom, reportedly remains incomplete after construction stopped at the roofing stage due to what was described as insufficient funding.
Kolleh also raised serious concerns over a Maternity Waiting Home project approved for Sanoyea Town during the same 2018 County Sitting.
According to him, reports suggest that public funds were allegedly paid to a contractor for the project, yet construction work never commenced.
“Not a single block was laid on the project site,” he stated, describing the situation as troubling and one that raises “serious questions about accountability and transparency.”
The former lawmaker warned county authorities against presenting the Maternity Waiting Home as a new development initiative for political credit, insisting that the project had already been approved years ago.
“It is important to remind ourselves that the Maternity Waiting Home is not a new project,” he emphasized.
Kolleh has urged the Bong County Council to thoroughly review previous county budgets and verify the status of all projects where public funds were allocated before approving additional initiatives.
He maintained that unfinished projects should be prioritized over introducing new ones every budget cycle.
“The people deserve to see the results of the resources already spent,” he said.
Kolleh then called for stronger accountability, transparency, and continuity in county governance, warning that Bong County cannot achieve meaningful development, if public projects continue to be abandoned without explanation.
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