Nimba Superintendent Announces Plan to Sell County’s Damaged Earth-Moving Equipment

GANTA – Nimba County Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono has announced plans to sell all of the county’s damaged and idle earth-moving equipment.

While it remains unclear how many of the county’s twenty-two pieces of road-building equipment are damaged and slated for sale, Superintendent Gono stated that proceeds from the sale would be directed towards other development priorities to benefit the people of Nimba County.

“It’s a general consensus from the caucus and the county administration that those old machines, which have been sitting idle, be sold, and the proceeds used for development,” Superintendent Gono disclosed.

She accused previous county officials of using the equipment as a means to siphon funds from the county, referencing past audit reports to support her claims.

“If you look at all the audit reports, you will see that the machines have been used as an excuse to extract money from the county. So much money has been allocated for repair and maintenance of these machines, yet they remain non-operational,” she argued.

In 2011, Nimba’s local administration and legislative caucus agreed to purchase 22 pieces of road-building equipment with funds from the County Social Development Fund (CSDF), provided by global steel company ArcelorMittal. Under a Mineral Development Agreement signed in 2006, ArcelorMittal provides $1.5 million annually to Nimba County as part of the CSDF.

The equipment, procured for $5.4 million, was intended to grade and maintain farm-to-market roads across Nimba, improving access for rural residents, primarily farmers, to bring their goods to market.

After acquiring the equipment, the Nimba County Administration, through the Government of Liberia, signed an agreement with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to provide technical assistance. The agreement included the procurement of spare parts, maintenance, and operation of the equipment for one year.

However, the partnership faced a significant setback when UNOPS suspended operations due to Nimba County’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations under the agreement. Although the county later deposited $250,000 into UNOPS’ account, the organization declined to resume operations, stating that the payment was only sufficient to cover previous liabilities. This effectively ended the agreement between UNOPS and the Nimba County Administration.

Since the termination of the Nimba-UNOPS agreement, the maintenance and operation of the county’s road-building equipment have been plagued by controversies, despite substantial funding allocations at each County Council Sitting for repairs and operations.

The impact of the equipment and funds spent on maintaining them has been minimal, with many rural roads across Nimba still in poor condition. Several pieces of equipment remain grounded due to various mechanical issues, despite over $400,000 being spent on repairs, maintenance, fuel, and lubricants during the 2021 County Council Sitting.

The mismanagement of the equipment has drawn criticism from prominent Nimba citizens. Dr. Teeko Tozay Yorlay, former Assistant Superintendent for Development, has raised concerns about the poor handling of the machines, arguing that they have not effectively addressed the road challenges for which they were purchased.

Businessman Pharize L. Dekpah has also voiced his dissatisfaction, stating that the equipment are being used to the detriment of the county rather than benefiting its citizens. Dekpah recommended that the equipment be privatized to prevent further wasteful spending without tangible results for the county.