Liberia's decentralization agenda received a powerful endorsement this week as House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon reaffirmed the Legislature's unwavering commitment to the full implementation of the Local Government Act (LGA) during a high-level county dialogue in Bentol, Montserrado County.
The gathering, held at the Bentol Administrative Building, brought together over 75 stakeholders from government institutions, civil society organizations, international development agencies, and grassroots communities.
The event was organized by Naymote Partners for Democratic Development under the theme: "Strengthening Local Government in Advancing County Development Agendas: Building Inclusive and Accountable Communities."
Speaker Koon's message, delivered by Hon. James Kolleh of Bong County on his behalf, addressed growing concerns about the implementation of the 2018 LGA and the risk of recentralization. His remarks provided reassurance that the 55th Legislature remains committed to the spirit and letter of the Act.
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"The 55th Legislature has no intention to weaken the law," said Kolleh, quoting Speaker Koon. "Our goal is to strengthen its application for the benefit of all Liberians."
In his address, Rep. Kolleh emphasized that Liberia must move away from the long-standing culture of centralized control toward grassroots empowerment and fiscal decentralization. He recommended electing County Superintendents to provide democratic legitimacy and leadership security. He also called for transforming County Councils into fully functioning mini-legislatures, backed by national budget appropriations. He stressed the importance of conducting and supporting Chieftaincy Elections to uphold traditional authority in line with the LGA. Kolleh also urged for strengthening the Revenue Sharing Scheme to ensure equitable wealth distribution across all counties, expanding the Open Government Partnership framework to amplify citizen engagement and oversight, and enforcing financial management rules and transparency mechanisms to combat corruption and inefficiency.
"If today's dialogue stays true to its objectives, it should set the tone and pace for a renewed strategic partnership between the government and the people," Kolleh declared.
He also highlighted key coordination and implementation challenges in Montserrado County, noting that the County Council currently performs only two out of its eight to nine mandated functions, and that there is weak coordination between the Superintendent's office and the Legislative Caucus.
"No institution is in competition with another," Kolleh cautioned. "We must work together--central government, local government, and civil society--to realize the vision of the Local Government Act."
In his opening remarks, Eddie D. Jarwolo, Executive Director of Naymote, delivered a compelling analysis of Liberia's historical governance failures, linking them to the country's over-centralized system.
"Since 1847, Liberia has suffered from a centralized form of governance that excluded the majority of citizens and contributed to the civil crisis," Jarwolo stated. "The 2012 National Policy on Decentralization and the 2018 Local Government Act were designed to correct these historical wrongs."
He expressed concern over limited budget allocations to Montserrado County, which is home to 36 percent of the national population, yet receives only $186,000 from the County Development Fund and $77,000 from the Social Development Fund.
"These amounts are grossly inadequate for the size and needs of Montserrado," Jarwolo emphasized. "County Councils must be empowered to lead development, and citizens must have the tools and space to hold them accountable."
The event also featured special remarks from the Ambassadors of Sweden, Ireland, and the European Union, as well as the Resident Representative of UNDP, all of whom reaffirmed their governments' support for Liberia's decentralization and governance reforms.
A technical panel brought together top government officials and academics, including Hon. Selena Mappy, Deputy Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; Hon. Dehpue Y. Zuo, Deputy Minister for Economic Management at the Ministry of Finance; Dr. Rudolph M. Bropleh, Vice President of Cuttington University Graduate School; and Hon. Edward Mulbah, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs.
Also featured was Hon. Dorbor Jallah, Commissioner General of the Liberia Revenue Authority, who delivered a status report on the Revenue Cost Sharing Mechanism, which provides funding for county-level development initiatives.
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The dialogue will conclude with a Call to Action, which outlines strategic steps to strengthen the application of the Local Government Act. These include increasing civic education on the LGA and citizen rights, promoting inclusive participation of youth, women, and marginalized communities, strengthening coordination among central and local government institutions, deepening public financial management, transparency, and oversight, and protecting decentralization reforms from political interference.
The final recommendations will be submitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Liberian Legislature, and international development partners for further policy action and implementation.
As the county-level dialogue concluded, stakeholders expressed optimism that the Local Government Act can succeed--but only if all actors, including the Legislature, uphold their end of the bargain.
"We are committed," Speaker Koon assured through Rep. Kolleh. "The Local Government Act is not just a law; it is a promise to the people of Liberia that they will have a voice, a choice, and a stake in their own development."
