By Shallon S. Gonlor | shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — A L$11 million modern ‘Education Guesthouse’ project in Nimba County, meant to be a revenue source, lies abandoned, sparking outrage among students and locals.
The project, which began construction in 2018, was intended to provide a state-of-the-art facility for educational events and accommodations.
However, the building remains unfinished, with reports of corruption scandal and mismanagement of funds forcefully collected from struggling students years back and currently. The abandoned building has become a haven for criminal activities, roof damaged, while the structure remains exposed to the dangerous elements, like snake endangering residents’ lives.
Situated in the heart of Sanniquellie, the structure is hidden beneath a blanket of overgrown grass at the Ministry of Education’s Administrative Compound in the county. The guesthouse, designed to feature 15 guest rooms, a conference hall, and various amenities, including internet services, was meant to benefit the Nimba County School System.
Unfortunately, the project has been plagued by controversy, with students having been asked to contribute approximately L$150 each academic year to support its completion. Locals and students are calling for an investigation into the project’s abandonment and for those responsible to be held accountable, questioning the ministry’s local integrity and accountability in using public funding.
Scores of concerned citizens, including students, parents, and elders, have expressed their dire frustration and disappointment over the abandoned ‘Education Guesthouse’ project in Nimba County.
Speaking to journalists, they voiced their concerns about the manner in which funds raised for the project were utilized by the Nimba County School System authority, including the County School Board.
Student Princess Cooper, Betty Saye, a parent, and elder John Duo were among those who expressed their heartwarming frustration over the project’s prolonged standstill. They claimed that authority coerced them into rallying support for the project, only to have it abandoned. “We were told that this project would benefit students and the community, but it’s been years, and there’s nothing to show for it,” said Princess Cooper. “It’s heartbreaking to see our money being mismanaged like this.”
Betty Saye, a single mother, echoed Cooper’s sentiments, saying, “Parents were asked to contribute from their little income to support this project, and now it’s just sitting there, unfinished.” Elder John Duo called for accountability, stating, “Those responsible for this mess should be held accountable. We demand answers and action.” he citizens are calling for an investigation into the project’s abandonment and for those responsible to be held accountable.
The community is calling for the Ministry of Education’s central office to launch an immediate investigation into the abandoned ‘Education Guesthouse’ project and prosecute anyone found responsible. They hope that this will bring much-needed transparency and accountability to public service in Nimba County.
The Nimba County School System, particularly the County School Board, has so far remained silent on the issue, with efforts to reach them for comment unsuccessful.
