The Bong University Students Union (BUSU) has officially notified the Bong County Legislative Caucus of its intent to present a peaceful petition demanding greater educational access, accountability, and transparency from both local officials and foreign concessionaires operating within the county.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to Hon. Prince K. Moye, Sr., Chairman of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, BUSU leaders voiced growing frustration over what they describe as “deep and growing grievances” affecting the student population. The issues highlighted include a lack of accessible scholarship opportunities, an alarming rise in student dropouts, and the failure to implement provisions that are supposed to benefit students under national agreements such as the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) signed with China Union (Hong Kong) Mining Company Limited.
The MDA, signed in 2009, includes an annual US$200,000 scholarship commitment, with 25% of that fund earmarked for students from Bong County, along with promises of training, job preparation programs, and support for education in mining and geology. However, BUSU claims these promises remain largely unfulfilled.
“Our students are dropping out of school because they cannot afford tuition,” the letter reads. “Promised scholarship programs are either not accessible, not transparent, or completely unknown to the student community.”
Signed by BUSU Secretary-General Andrew P. Wormeli and approved by President Gabriel T. Saah, the communication paints a stark picture of youth being “left behind” in their own county despite being at the heart of national development discourse.
The student body is now calling on county lawmakers to take urgent action, including:
1. Holding concessionaires accountable, particularly China Union;
2. Ensuring full enforcement and transparent disbursement of scholarship provisions in the MDA;
3. Engaging relevant ministries and companies to prioritize Bong County students for academic and employment opportunities.
“This petition is not just a document, it is a cry for justice and a call for hope,” the letter emphasizes.
While the specific date and venue for the presentation of the petition have yet to be announced, BUSU assured lawmakers that further details will be communicated shortly.
As tensions rise over unfulfilled commitments, BUSU’s move marks a significant moment in student activism within Bong County, demanding that education not be treated as an afterthought but as a right essential to Liberia’s development.
