Africa-Press – Liberia. Four Liberian Civil Society Organizations have issued a joint statement, opposing the attempt to amend the Local Government Act of 2018.
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) and its partners Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) and the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG) have called for cancelation of a proposed amendment to the Local Government Act of 2018.
Addressing a news conference in Monrovia, the Integrity groups say the proposed amendment introduced by Representative Jeremiah Sokan of Grand Gedeh County, undermines the decentralization agenda, transparency, and citizens’ participation in local governance.
“We are deeply concerned about the introduction of a bill to amend the Local Government Act of 2018 and undermine the viability of County Councils.
According to the groups, the governance system has been largely centralized, with local people having little or no say in decisions that affect their livelihoods.
They said this realization led to the timely passage of the Local Government Act (LGA) into law in 2018 under the administration of former President George M. Weah.
They emphasized that decentralized governance is essential for Liberia’s development and stability, allowing citizens to have a say in decisions that directly impact their communities and giving local leaders the tools to address regional challenges
“The law represents an important attempt at decentralization by re-configuring local government structures and providing them with powers hitherto not granted. Notable is the County Council, whose membership comprises representatives from women, youth, people with disabilities, chiefs, elders, and civil society.
Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen said an inclusive structure is essential for gender equity, as it ensures that everyone, especially women and persons with disabilities, has a voice in decision-making processes at the local level, an important step in addressing the historical marginalization of women in governance.
Mr. Miamen noted that despite the passage of the LGA in 2018 amidst loud applause, no meaningful efforts were applied by the then government to make the law operational, stressing the it would take five years to see movements around implementation of the law in 2023, an indication of limited political will to give citizens greater roles in local governance truly.
The proposed changes, which target subsections 2.2(e) and 2.2(f) of the Act — covering the approval of county development plans and budgets — have drawn strong opposition from the Council, which views them as a reversal of progress.
“This proposal represents a direct threat to the significant strides made in decentralization, citizens’ participation, and equitable revenue-sharing initiatives that are pivotal for effective local governance in our nation,” the Integrity group said.
Meanwhile, the joint rejection of the proposed amendment to the Local Government Act of 2018 was signed by Mr. Anderson D. Miamen, Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia; Eddie Jarwolo, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development; and Esther Yango, Women NGO Secretariat of Liberia.
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