Gbarnga, Bong County - A group of concerned citizens from Bong County, under the banner "United Citizens for Mass Action Against the Repeal of the Local Government Act of Liberia," has announced plans to stage a peaceful protest in Gbarnga on Monday. The planned action comes in response to a proposal by the House of Representatives to amend key provisions of the Local Government Act (LGA) of 2018.
The proposed amendment aims to revise Sections 2.2 (e) and (f) of the LGA, which currently grant County Councils the authority to approve county budgets and development plans--a central pillar of Liberia's decentralization and local governance reform agenda.
If enacted, the amendment would transfer that authority back to the national Legislature in Monrovia -- a move organizers argue would undermine local autonomy and weaken citizens' participation in development decision-making.
Speaking during a radio interview over the weekend in Gbarnga, Mr. Aaron G. V. Juakollie, Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for International Dignity (FIND), stated that the protest will be peaceful, inclusive, and aimed at raising awareness of the implications of the proposed changes.
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"This is not just a political issue; it is about protecting the voice of the people in county governance," Juakollie stated. "The Local Government Act was designed to empower communities and foster development through local leadership. Weakening it now would be a major step backward."
Passed in 2018, the Local Government Act was celebrated as a landmark achievement in Liberia's effort to devolve authority and promote local accountability. Sections 2.2 (e) and (f) specifically empower County Councils to review and approve local budgets and development plans, marking the first time in Liberia's recent history that local entities were given such authority.
Critics of the amendment warn that reverting those powers to the Legislature will concentrate decision-making in Monrovia and significantly erode local input and oversight.
"This amendment contradicts the spirit and intent of the Act," Juakollie continued. "It effectively silences the County Councils and, by extension, the citizens they were created to represent."
Also speaking ahead of the protest, Bong County Council Chairperson Mr. Aaron Sackie Fenlah disclosed that citizens from all districts of Bong County -- including youth, women's groups, traditional leaders, and civil society organizations -- are expected to participate in the march.
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Protesters plan to present a formal petition to the County Superintendent and members of the Legislative Caucus, calling on them to reject the proposed changes and preserve the Act in its current form.
"As civil society and ordinary citizens, we believe in development from the ground up," Fenlah said. "The people must remain at the center of decisions that affect their lives."
As debate surrounding the amendment intensifies, governance advocates and community leaders across Liberia are beginning to rally in support of protecting the Local Government Act, warning that its repeal or weakening would jeopardize gains made in transparency, inclusion, and local empowerment.
The peaceful march is scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. Monday at the Gbarnga Administrative Building. From there, protesters will march through the city's key streets before returning to the County Administration compound to deliver their petition.
Citizens across Bong County and beyond are now closely watching to see how lawmakers respond, with many viewing the protest as the beginning of a broader, grassroots movement to defend local democracy in Liberia. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
