By Amos Harris
Naymote Partners for Democratic Development recently convened a county-level dialogue in Bensonville City, Montserrado County, to address the challenges and opportunities of implementing the Local Government Act (LGA) of 2018. The event, held under the theme “Strengthening Local Government in Advancing County Development Agendas Building Inclusive and Accountable Communities,” brought together over 75 stakeholders, including government officials, civil society leaders, and community representatives. The dialogue aimed to accelerate the decentralization of power from the national government to local administrations, a move intended to enhance democratic participation and promote development across Liberia.
Historically, Liberia’s governance structure has been highly centralized since its independence in 1847. This system has often been cited as a factor contributing to the country’s civil war, as it marginalized large segments of the population from political and developmental decision-making. In an effort to address this, the government enacted the LGA in 2018, which empowers counties to make critical decisions, establishes local administrative structures, and introduces revenue-sharing mechanisms.
However, seven years after its passage, the LGA’s implementation remains uneven and underfunded. A prime example is Montserrado County, which accounts for over 36% of Liberia’s population but receives only a fraction of the funding needed for development. The dialogue highlighted the stark disparity, noting the county receives only $186,000 in County Development Funds (CDF) and $77,000 in Social Development Funds (SDF).
The forum saw a diverse group of participants, including all 21 township commissioners of Montserrado County, city mayors, and representatives from various ministries. Prominent national figures, such as Speaker of the House of Representatives Richard N. Koon and Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, were also in attendance. Both leaders emphasized the need for sustained government commitment to funding and enforcing the LGA, especially in densely populated areas. They also called for greater citizen participation and oversight in local decision-making.
Development partners, including ambassadors from Sweden, the European Union, and Ireland, as well as the UNDP Resident Representative, reaffirmed their support for Liberia’s decentralization efforts. They stressed that local governance is crucial for peacebuilding, effective service delivery, and sustainable development.
A key highlight of the event was a presentation by Hon. Dorbor Jallah of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), who detailed the implementation of the revenue cost-sharing component of the LGA. He underscored the importance of counties creating their own functional revenue systems and accountable mechanisms to manage locally generated funds.
The dialogue culminated in the creation of an Action Plan and a comprehensive Call to Action. This plan outlines specific strategies to strengthen local governance, including:
- Increased Budgetary Support: Providing more funding to county administrations.
- Capacity-Building: Training for township commissioners and county council members.
- Inclusion: Ensuring youth, women, and people with disabilities are part of the decision-making process.
- Regular Dialogues: Institutionalizing communication channels between national and local governments.
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Educating citizens about the LGA and their rights.
Organizers and stakeholders hope the event will lead to increased public awareness of the LGA, concrete policy recommendations for improved transparency and accountability, and strengthened partnerships between government, development partners, and communities.
As Liberia continues its journey of post-war reconstruction, decentralization remains a powerful tool for promoting inclusion and responsive governance. The stakeholders at the dialogue expressed optimism that such engagements will build momentum toward fully operationalizing the LGA and empowering local communities to drive their own development
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