Africa-Press – Liberia. The Executive Director of Integrity Watch (IW), Harold Aidoo, said the passage of the Revenue Sharing Bill into law will assist in accelerating Liberia’s development by putting money in the hands of local government authorities for development purposes.
He said the bill is tied to the overall function and operation of the Local Government Act and seeks to address horizontal inequality across the country, particularly between Montserrado and other counties.
Aidoo added he believes that everyone should support the passage of the bill, especially the lawmakers, as it will take burdens off their heads in terms of building schools, health centers and other infrastructures in their various constituencies. He said the local government will now have the responsibility to build these assets.
Mr. Aidoo said the Local Government Act of 2018 is a “useless” piece of Legislation in the absence of the Revenue Sharing law. Therefore, he advised, there is a need for CSOs and media to advocate for the passage of the bill.
“Imagine having a brand new car from the factory, and no oil for the engine to run it. No matter how new the vehicle is, you will not be able to run it without oil,” Aidoo narrated.
Aidoo said if the bill is passed, the Revenue Sharing Law will serve as the basis for the function of the country’s decentralization, stating: “In the absence of revenue, no local government will be able to function or work.” He praised the Local Government Act for creating the County Government that addresses perennial underdevelopment in Liberia, lack of citizens’ participation and fiscal non-transparency, as well as the lack of accountability in the way the local governments operate.
Aidoo made the remarks recently at a joint advocacy forum for the passage of the Revenue Sharing Bill organized by the Rural Human Rights Activists Programme (RHRAP), held at the YMCA in Monrovia.
The Executive Director of RHRAP, Lorma Baysah, said the bringing together of media practitioners and CSOs actors was aimed at discussing the importance of the bill and creating awareness about it. Baysah said the decentralization of power is the best way out for Liberia’s development and, in order to make it workable, the Revenue Sharing Bill must be passed.
“The Revenue Sharing Bill is a key component of the realization of Liberia’s decentralization, as it looks at how revenue will be shared among the local governance structures. This bill is at the Legislature and needs to be passed and we must all support and work for the passage of the bill,” Mr. Baysah said.
According to Baysah, the County Service Centers, which are in a few counties, raise money for the government but lack many things including photocopy machines, stationery, and necessary items. “How can we call it decentralization?” he wondered. “But if the local authority owns it, more will be done.”
Baysah noted he believes that without the passage of the Revenue Sharing Bill, Liberia is making no progress in its decentralization program.
The forum was held under the theme: “Pass the Revenue Sharing Bill to Enhance Genuine Decentralization”. It brought together civil society actors from different organizations and media practitioners. It can be recalled that in November of 2021, President George M. Weah submitted the bill to the Legislature with a call for the lawmakers’ consideration.
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