Margibi Lawmakers Push for Additional Funding to Reconstruct C. H. Rennie Hospital

By: Emmanuel Toe

As the 2024 national draft budget hit the floor of the House of Representatives, Margibi County lawmakers has begun pushing for an additional budgetary support for the reconstruction of the C. H. Rennie Hospital in the county amid the ongoing discussions on the 2024 draft national budget.

Key amongst them is Senator Nathaniel F. McGill who in a communication sent to the Liberian Senate, has requested an additional US$1 million budgetary allocation for the C. H. Rennie Hospital in the 2024 draft national budget.

“I write to bring to your attention the urgent need for the inclusion of CH Rennie Hospital in the current national budget. As you may be aware, CH Rennie Hospital, the only referral hospital in central Liberia, was tragically burned down in 2021,” the communication noted.*

The communication further stated that “In 2023, the government of former President Weah conducted a groundbreaking ceremony and allocated Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$800,000) to initiate the reconstruction, which is estimated to cost Six Million United States Dollars (US$6,000,000).”

Addressing legislative reporters Thursday at his Capitol Building office in Monrovia, the lawmaker recounted that the public health facility was gutted by fire in August 2021 and some cash was allocated for its relocation in the county.

According to him, in 2023, former President George Weah made available some funds for the reconstruction of the hospital but it did not take effect, noting that unfortunately, he said that the reconstruction fund is not captured in the 2024 draft budget.

The Margibi Senator, who formally wrote the plenary on the matter, stated that following his engagement with House Speaker Fonati Koffa and Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, both have assured him that the reconstruction project of the hospital will be captured in the budget.

He emphasized he will vote for the passage of the current draft budget if those major health priorities are considered, adding that anything to the contrary, he will vote against the passage of the instrument, pushing for additional US$1 million budgetary support to the C. H. Rennie Hospital in the county amid the ongoing discussions on the 2024 draft national budget.

Senator McGill called on the plenary of the Liberian Senate to consider his plea ahead of the debate on the legislative instrument, which is currently before the House of Representatives.

Foregoing, Representatives Ivar Jones, Ellen Attoh Wreh, Emmanuel Yahr and Clarence Gahr of districts #2,3,4 and 5 also pleaded with plenary, requesting that monies be made available to the C.H. Rennie Referral Hospital in Kakata.

They all defended that since the burning of the hospital facility years back, there has been nothing done by government to revive the hospital that caters to the needs of thousands of citizens from Margibi, Bong and Montserrado counties.