Africa-Press – Liberia. The National County Council of Liberia in collaboration with leading civil society organizations have strongly condemned Grand Gedeh County Representative, Jeremiah Sokan, and his collaborators’ quest to amend key provisions of the Local Government Act of 2018.
Sokan and team’s focus is on sections 2,2/2,2f of the LGA, which talks about the establishment of the county council.
At a press statement released at the close of a workshop held in Ganta recently, the County Council, which represents 14 of the 15 political sub – divisions, described Rep. Sokan and other colleagues in the House of Representatives act as regressive, anti-developmental, and self-serving.
“This unpatriotic act, presented through an ill – conceived ill and surreptitious legislative manoeuvring , is a calculated assault on the core of participatory grassroot democracy,” the council leadership said in a statement. “It is a direct affront to the Liberian people whose voice has been central to national policy , since the National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance was developed in 2012, which subsequently codified in the Act to Established the Local Government System/Act in 2018.”
The Daily Observer is yet to obtain the instrument that Rep. Sokan and others are reportedly using to repeal sections of the LGA, especially the one that has to do exclusively with the legality of the County Council.
The 2018 Local Government Act is a monumental legislative achievement and it remains democratically relevant by enshrining the devolution of political, fiscal and administrative powers to democratically constituted local government structure, the statement noted.
They explained that the act provides a platform for county – based decision making through elected county council to ensure the development priorities are community – driven, inclusive and accountable.
The council chairs believed that the mean attempt by Rep. Sokan and his co – conspirators(as they put it) to repeal these sections seek to transfer essential functions from the people to themselves(Legislature) as county legislative caucuses.
“Rep. Sokan and colleagues,” they called, “be reminded you were elected to serve three primary constitutional responsibilities, lawmaking, representation and oversight , but not to micro – manage county development.”
The council chairs cited Article 1 of 1986 constitution which gave all powers to the people and Article 34(d) which also outlined the responsibilities of the legislatures and Article 56(b) which support the appointment of elected officials to public service based on law and merit, not partisanship.
“This bill is a clear case of power exploitation and centralization, designed to serve the short term political interests of legislative profiteering over long term development,” they said.
The councils further argued that the county legislative caucuses by their very nature are not statutorily accountable to the people at the county level, regarding development priorities.
They observed that if the bill is amended, it will only deepen developmental inequality, promote entrenched patronage politics and hinder inclusive grassroots participation development.
However, the councils said the National Legislature had failed in some critical areas of the 2028 LGA which mandates them to set the benchmark for the county Council honorarium, which is yet to be done in the 15 counties, since its establishment.
“The Legislature has deliberately delayed setting this ceiling, leaving council members in a state of financial uncertainty and vulnerability,” they added.
“This inaction is a neglect of their duty and a direct violation of he law and we are calling on them to immediately and decisively fulfill their legal obligation by setting a fair and appropriate honorarium to ensuring the financial sustainability of county council members and reinforce the integrity of the local governance system,” said the county councils heads of 14 counties, excluding Nimba.
The position statement was signed by 14 county council chairs, with the exception of Nimba County chair Mrs. Beatrice Dokie, who accordingly was called by colleagues to sign but could not turn out.
However, the Daily Observer’s effort to get her views for not signing the position statement from her colleagues couldn’t.
Meanwhile , the County Council of Liberia and its allies are threatening to resist any attempt by the lawmakers to amend the LGA, by repealing the clause involving the establishment of the county council, boasting unwaveringly to defending gains made in the local governance and decentralization.
“We will mobilise all democratic instruments available to resist any effort to revert power back to the hands of self-serving lawmakers at the expense of local accountability, inclusion and grassroots participation,” the heads of county councils concluded.
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