– MoGCSP Nimba Coordinator Exposes Weak Governance in Two Years
By: Shallon S. Gonlor |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — Liberia’s Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection local county office in Nimba has attributed its underperformance in implementing major gender, children, and social protection programs from 2024-2025 to a lack of budgetary support from the new government’s two years in power.
However, officials of the local office praise the intervention of local and international partners in a few projects. Speaking to WOMENVOICES NEWSPAPER, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection Nimba County’s Gender Coordinator, Yaah Belleh Suah, described the ministry’s performance in the county as “poor” under the Unity Party’s ‘ARREST’ and Rescue Mission agenda.
She disclosed that the local gender office really did not do well, no achievement in two years of Boakai-Koung’s administration, adding that she did not receive any support from the government through its Monrovia national office. Madam Suah contrasts the current situation with the immediate past administration, recalling the six years of former President George M. Weah’s government, which she said was marked by total neglect and abandonment, leaving the local office to struggle with cases without government funding.
Nimba County’s Gender Coordinator, Yaah Belleh Suah revealed that the local office has relied on partner projects and support from Nimba Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono, who renovated the county’s Safe Home and provided support to rape survivors.
But, for the government through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, it did not actually do anything like support for the ‘Safe Home’ or to support survivors at the county level, she stated.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has launched initiatives like the Liberia Women Empowerment Project, a $44.6 million project aimed at promoting gender equality and reducing gender-based violence. Madam Suah highlighted that despite the government’s abandonment, she used her own salary to keep the office proactive, providing support to a few survivors.
She expressed gratitude to the Sexual Offenses Division Court at the 8th Judicial Circuit in Nimba for impartial justice and speedy handling of sexual offense cases. “The court did some good work, sentencing perpetrators in many cases,” she said. The County Coordinator also lauded NGOs like ERDI and Samaritan’s Purse for supporting gender-related issues in the county.
She stated that the lack of budgetary support has paralyzed gender protection programs in communities of Nimba County. “We don’t have a vehicle to transport survivors from here to Monrovia like before. The jeep we had broke down,” she said, highlighting logistical challenges.
According to Madam Suah, the local office of the Ministry of Gender further faced financial severe obstacles in 2024-2025, hindering achievements. “We can’t say this is what the ministry actually did from the national level, based on funding sent,” she added.
She named persistent non-support, abandonment, child labor, and abuse as frequently reported cases at the county level, but noted that prompt investigation has been challenging due to resource constraints. “Over the years, the gender office has been dormant. People thought we weren’t existing, but those with cases knew we were here,” Madam Suah said.
Madam Yaah Belleh Suah stated that without government budgetary support, anti-SGBV radio programs and outreach efforts have dwindled. “We weren’t doing much because we lacked support, but we tried with our own resources,” she said, highlighting the office’s reliance on personal funds and small businesses to stay operational.
According to Suah, the lack of funding hindered community engagement and awareness programs, making it challenging to address SGBV issues. She urged the government to allocate operational funds to revive gender-sensitive programs across the country.
Nimba Gender Coordinator, Madam Yaah Belleh Suah, welcomed the New Year 2026 with optimism, highlighting a positive development.
The Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection has for the first time in history, requested the local office to prepare a yearly operational budget plan, she stated. According to Suah, this move could revitalize the ministry’s programs, including children’s and adolescent initiatives, rural women empowerment, and women in cross-border businesses. “If the budget is taken quarterly, the ministry will grow like before,” she added.
Suah is committed to achieving more in 2026, emphasizing that government support could lead to significant progress. However, she noted that the office has been understaffed, with some workforce transferring to other ministries or the NGO sector.
“We’re now just three running the local office,” she said, adding that she would be retiring soon after serving 22 years as Nimba County Coordinator.
