Africa-Press – Liberia. The government, through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Governance Commission, and the Liberia Revenue Authority, with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has held a two-day workshop on the revenue sharing act bill in Bong County.
The training was intended to dialogue and find a way forward for promoting and sustaining fiscal decentralization in Liberia with Counties Superintendents, Financial Officials, County Council members, Civil Society Actors, Youth, and student Representatives, among others.
The policy dialogue on fiscal decentralization and revenue-sharing mechanisms for local authorities is being attended by local leaders from Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Lofa, and River Cess Counties. It is held under the theme: ‘Strengthening citizens’ participation in fiscal decentralization’.
Cllr. Stanley S. Kparkillen, Commissioner of the Governance Commission, revealed during the opening ceremony of the dialogue that the gathering aimed to enhance the practical realization of the fiscal decentralization and revenue-sharing mechanism as envisioned by the Local Government Act of 2018.
He emphasized that as the Ministry of Internal Affairs will eventually be transitioned to the Ministry of Local Government, the structural framework meant to enhance effective local governance across the country, such as the revenue sharing mechanism, must be put in place and started.
“We want to applaud the collaborative efforts co-existing amongst the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Liberia Revenue Authority, and the Governance Commission with strong partnership and support from the UNDP in making these dialogues happen,” he added.
He continues: “As we participate in these two-day working sessions, it is expected that at the close of the exercise, more workable and realistic resolutions will be derived to set the stage for the actualization of the revenue-sharing law by clearly delineating the roles of the county council, the county administration and the Liberia Revenue Authority with focus to ensure prudent fiscal management and boost domestic resource mobilization consistent with the government’s fiscal management regime.”
He revealed that their deliberation over the next two days will highlight the composition and attending technical requirements and skills of personnel who would be recruited to maintain the county treasury which will serve as the nerve of the revenue-sharing mechanism.
The Commissioner at the Governance Commission encourages all of the participants to actively participate with an open mind and frank exchange of views so that at the end of this policy dialogue they all will have achieved the goal for which we are gathered here in the County.
Sam K. Flomo, Financial Management Officer at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning emphasized that the dialogue seeks to build the capacity of Superintendents, county administrations, and other stakeholders in the proper, legal, effective, efficient, and accountable management of locally generated wealth and revenue allocated to the counties by the central government.
He further stressed that the goal of the dialogue is to initiate a process of shifting the responsibilities of revenue collection and expenditure from the central government to local authorities.
Mr. Flomo noted that this shift is essential for implementing a decentralized governance system in Liberia.
Also speaking, James A. Jaber, Assistant Commissioner for Real Estate Tax Division at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), highlighted that revenue sharing is a key component of fiscal decentralization, which emphasizes the roles and responsibilities required by county and local officials in managing fiscal policy.
The Assistant Commissioner for Real Estate Tax Division at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), urged the participants of the two-day dialogue to take the training seriously.
For his part, Eric Boykai, the Focus Person for Liberia Decentralization Support Program at UNDP, pledged UNDP’s support for the government’s plans to enhance and promote development activities across the country.
He asserted that such initiatives would bring more development to rural parts of the country and empower citizens to engage in tax compliance due to the tangible benefits they receive, contrasting past administrations where tax payments did not result in visible returns.
The dialogue is being attended by several local authorities, including McNeil Mani Wilson, Program Coordinator and Program Manager of the Governance Commission.
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