Tensions have escalated in Nimba County as Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono and Senator Samuel G. Kogar engage in a heated dispute over the management of the County Social Development Fund (CSDF).
Senator Kogar is calling for a full audit of Superintendent Gono’s administration, alleging that parts of the CSDF have been misused and diverted from their intended purpose of supporting community projects in health, education, and infrastructure. Speaking during the donation of a 40-foot container of medical supplies to the Nimba County Health Team, Kogar emphasized that the fund was designed to directly benefit citizens rather than finance government-led initiatives.
“The County Social Development Fund is not intended for government projects. It is meant to impact the lives of our people directly… this must be investigated,” the senator said.
Superintendent Gono, however, dismissed the allegations as politically motivated. On her official Facebook page, she challenged the senator’s call for an audit while suggesting that his push is an attempt to gain control over county resources.
“Call for your audit! I challenge it!! But you will never, I mean never, be susu pa for Nimba money at County sittings,” Gono wrote, referencing the Liberian term susu pa, a trusted custodian of funds in local savings clubs.
The public confrontation has sparked debate in Nimba County. Some residents back Senator Kogar’s demand for transparency, arguing that audits are crucial for proper accountability of public resources. Others support Superintendent Gono, seeing her stance as a defense of her stewardship and a rejection of political interference.
Political analysts warn that the dispute could escalate tensions in Liberia’s second-most populous county. Senator Kogar has yet to respond formally to Gono’s remarks, leaving citizens eager to see whether the disagreement will evolve into a broader county-wide conflict.
