CESTOS CITY — The Government of Liberia has launched a significant effort to transfer financial decision-making authority from Monrovia, protecting rural county budgets and requiring all government agencies to conduct transactions at the county level instead of the capital -- a reform officials say is long overdue in a country where centralized control has caused uneven development for decades.
The announcement was made during the opening of a week-long high-level sector meeting on fiscal decentralization, budget disaggregation, and fiscal rules held in Cestos City, Rivercess County. The event brought together county officials, spending entities, development partners, and representatives of international organizations, including UNICEF.
Deputy Finance Minister for Budget and Development Planning Tenneh G. Brunson informed participants that the initiative originates directly from a July 4, 2024, directive by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, which mandates all government spending entities to establish signatories and disaggregate budgets at the county level. She described the directive as transformative and emphasized that compliance is not optional.
"I want to re-emphasize this: all spending entities are expected to operate through county treasury structures in line with the Revenue Sharing Laws, related regulations, and the national fiscal decentralization policy," Brunson said. "This is not optional. It is a requirement for ensuring accountability, transparency, and efficiency in public financial management."
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Brunson acknowledged that Liberia's public financial management system has historically been concentrated in Monrovia, a structural imbalance that she said has limited development opportunities for citizens in rural communities. She said the government has already invested in capacity building by training 19 technicians and county leaders in fiscal decentralization and financial management at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria.
"Fiscal decentralization is not merely a policy shift. It is a national development strategy that will improve service delivery, strengthen accountability and transparency, stimulate local economies, and promote inclusive growth across all counties," she said.
The Ministry of Finance's Director for Fiscal Decentralization, Dr. Romeo D.N. Gbartea pushed back against what he called a persistent and unfounded narrative that county-level institutions lack the capacity to manage public resources.
"Whenever we talk about decentralization, some people claim those in the counties do not have the capacity," Gbartea told participants. "That is an illusion. The people in the counties are educated, qualified, and capable of managing public resources."
Gbartea said the government has already coded all budget activities by county to enable accurate tracking of expenditures and equitable resource distribution. Under the new arrangement, spending entities will process financial transactions directly through county treasury offices, eliminating the need for officials to travel to Monrovia for approvals and signatures -- a practice he said wastes public funds through unnecessary travel expenses and daily subsistence allowances.
"Everything will now be done in the counties," he said. "We have internal auditors, budget officers, financial management officers, and even check-printing machines in the county treasuries. You will process and receive your checks right there without coming to Monrovia."
Gbartea said compliance with the decentralization policy will be mandatory for all government spending entities and pledged continuous technical support and training. He pointed to the Ministry of Health's county health team structure as a model other entities should replicate, and urged county officials not to accept the perception that they are less capable than their counterparts in the capital.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Don't undermine yourselves," he told the gathering. "You have bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and diplomas. Nobody should tell you that you lack capacity."
UNICEF Liberia Deputy Country Representative Dr. Amadou Cisse reaffirmed his organization's support for the decentralization agenda, describing the partnership with the Liberian government as deliberate and sustained.
"This is an integral part of UNICEF's commitment to supporting decentralization in Liberia," Cisse said. "We are more than happy to support this initiative and strengthen the commitment we share together."
The Cestos City meeting is the first stop in a series of regional gatherings. The next session is scheduled for Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, on Tuesday, May 19, followed by events in Kakata, Gbarnga and Sanniquellie.
