By Eric Kanneh Gola Konneh District, Grand Cape Mount County
Residents of Mana and Laar Clans in Gola Konneh District have lodged a formal complaint against the leadership of the Gola Konneh Community Forest, accusing officials of withholding financial reports for nearly six years.
In a letter to Grand Cape Mount County Superintendent Foley J. Kiatamba, the group — under the banner “Concerned Citizens of Mana & Laar Clan” — alleged that members of the Executive Committee (EC) and Community Forest Management Body (CFMB) have failed to account for revenues and social benefits derived from forest operations.
The complaint specifically named: Abraham B. Sirleaf Jr., Executive Committee Chairman, Momo G. Daffah, EC Co-Chairman and County Relieving Commissioner, Madam Isatta Massquoi, CFMB member and Statutory District Relieving Commissioner for Porkpah and Gola Konneh and Alfred G. Varney, CFMB Treasurer and District Commissioner of Gola Konneh
According to the citizens, repeated calls for transparency have gone unanswered. “Both committees’ members have deliberately refused since almost six years to give account of our community forest social benefit and money realized,” the letter stated.
The complainants warned that continued silence could spark unrest and jeopardize forest resources. They urged the Superintendent’s office to intervene swiftly to prevent conflict and safeguard thousands of logs currently in the forest.
The letter, signed by representatives of both clans, pledged to provide a full list of implicated committee members if an official investigation is launched.
As of press time, neither the accused officials nor the Superintendent’s office had issued a response.
The Gola Konneh Community Forest is one of several community-managed forests in Grand Cape Mount County. Proceeds from logging and related activities are intended to support local development projects and social programs. Residents say the lack of accountability undermines those goals and erodes trust in forest governance.
Community members now await the county’s next steps, hoping for a transparent investigation that restores confidence in the management of their natural resources.
