Grand Kru County activist, and student leader, Emmanuel G. Doryen, has called on residents, and advocacy groups to broaden their focus beyond political criticism to issues relating to county development, concession benefits, revenue generation, and youth welfare.
Doryen said, although scrutiny of elected officials, and county authorities are necessary, citizens should meanwhile, pay attention to other crucial aspects of development.
He recalled how during previous county development sittings, county administrations presented financial reports on the County Development Fund (CDF) from the government, and the Social Development Fund (SDF) associated with concessionaires.
Doryen expressed concern that discussions about those sources of county development financing have declined.
“In this current dispensation, we no longer hear such reports from the county, and there’s no one who is bothered by that decline in the revenue generation.”
Doryen has also called for public discussion about the benefits the county receives from concession operations, particularly those involving Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL).
He questioned why citizens have not demanded explanations concerning the status of the SDF while GVL continues its operations.
He also questioned the absence of new concessionaires following the departure of Atlantic Resources Incorporated, and raised the issue of whether a new concession arrangement should be considered in District #2.
“Do we care to ask why we don’t have new concessionaires since the Atlantic Resources Incorporated left Grand Kru, and the necessity of having a concession in District 2?”
Doryen further suggested that citizens should examine the GVL Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to determine whether the county is receiving its appropriate benefits.
He also raised questions about the scholarship program associated with GVL, saying: “Citizens should seek clearer information about its implementation, and beneficiaries.”
