Bong County: Officials Give Conflicting Accounts on US$4.9M Budget Release

In Liberia, officials in Bong County are providing conflicting accounts regarding the public release and accessibility of the county's approved US$4.9 million 2026 budget, months after its approval by the County Council. The County Finance Officer, Silas Tokpa, asserted that the budget was made public on May 28, 2026, through photocopies distributed to a select group and remains available at his office, attributing journalists' previous lack of access to their failure to specifically request it. Conversely, County Administrative Officer D. Sam B. Elliot stated that the document is still being prepared for online publication, expected by the end of August, and indicated that the finance officer is responsible for this online dissemination. This discrepancy highlights a significant lack of clarity and coordination within the county administration regarding public financial transparency. The budget itself saw an increase from an initial US$3.94 million proposal to US$4.9 million after the County Council identified additional funds, including US$50,000 from Cavalla Resource and US$950,000 from ArcelorMittal, underscoring the importance of its public availability.