The Bo City Council has on Wednesday 19th October, 2022 handed over couples of projects to community beneficiaries, which signals the commencement of those projects. The projects handed over were the rehabilitation of the RC Model Primary School at New Gerihun road, rehabilitation of the Salina Market, rehabilitation of the Musa street market and the construction of an abattoir (slaughterhouse) at Bomeh.

Speaking at the various locations during the sites handing over ceremonies, the Chief Administrator of the Bo City Council, Veronica J. Fortune hastened to inform residents that funds for the projects in their respective communities “were not sent from the Central government. Rather, they are funds gathered from the taxes paid by residents which are called Own Source Revenue.” At the RC Model Primary School, she maintained that several other schools within the municipality are in need of rehabilitation but the Council does not have the wherewithal to undertake the needed refurbishments at every school at a go so it does it in phases. “Please note that we are not here to construct new buildings or classrooms as what we do as local councils is to rehabilitate schools and not build schools; and so we do not wish that you shall scold the contractor when he is doing what he has been directed by the Council to do,” stated CA Fortune. She told the business people at Musa street market that they have for a long while clamored for a refurbishment of their trading premises and she had always told them to be patient as the Council has not and will not forget them. “I gave you my word and we are here today to fulfill that. The rooftop which leaked during the rains and many other poor conditions you suffered will henceforth be a thing of the past all because you have been paying your taxes which will be used to rehabilitate this place for the good of us all,” she told them. She encouraged them and other residents via the media to continue paying taxes and expect quality service delivery from the Bo City Council.

The Bo City Council’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor David J.N. Smart asserted that many a time people say the Council does nothing with what is collected when in actual fact it does a lot on a daily for the good of the residents within its locality. “Last year we rehabilitated couple of schools including but not limited to Hope Royal Academy, SDA in Kandeh town and Quranic at Borborkombor and this year we are here at RC Model Primary school; there are more to come in subsequent years. So that tells you that development is a gradual process and it reaches residents like blessings from God almighty, everyone is not blessed at the same time,” he remarked. He called the projects at each location “a reflection of the people’s money” which he encouraged them to continue paying. “One cannot give what he or she does not have and that is the same for the Bo City Council; if the Council must be visible and agile in carrying out development then we all must ensure we pay our taxes as and when necessary,” he averred. The Deputy Mayor called on the residents of each community to own the projects and ensure quality work is done at the end of the day. “Put your mouth where your money is,” he said, “money for these works are yours so do not let the works go down the drain, take charge of them,” he ended.

In like vane, the Bo City Council held its maiden sensitization of and awareness raising in community people around the Sewa road Community as the council with funds from JICA undertakes the rehabilitation of BDEC Pre school in the community. The project which shall be undertaken within a month and half will see the upgrading of the pre-school where community people during the stakeholders engagement described as a place where “the children have been suffering as it becomes hot during the dries and the rooftop leaks during the rains courtesy of the poor roofing it had received some years ago.”

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At each location, residents of the various communities expressed elation and satisfaction with the advent of the projects brought to their respective communities by the Bo City Council. Headteacher of RC Model Primary school, Mr. Sheriff said he and the rest of the school’s administration regard the rehabilitation of the school as a “dream come true” for they have long yearned for such but has been financially handicap to undertake same. Chairlady of the Musa street market gratified officials from the Council for hearing their cries as the state of the market had been deplorable but they can now breath a sigh of relief. Musu Tucker, a resident of Kindia town who witnessed the site handing over for the construction of a slaughterhouse at Bomeh stated that building a new slaughterhouse at the said location is timely as the existing one at Kindia town has been troubling residents therein. She acknowledged that a bigger and better one now to be constructed by the Bo City Council will be of great relief to not just her but many other residents of Bo City.

All projects handed over and awareness raised about shall commence immediately.

SOURCE:  BO City Council Communication Unit