IPNEWS: RHRAP with funding from UNDP organized a joint advocacy forum that brought together Likeminded Civil Society Organizations, Media actors and international Non-governmental Organizations. As sustained engagements with the National legislature continues at various levels to move the legislature to pass the Revenue Sharing Bill into law, RHRAP hosted a one-day forum for stakeholders including the media, and likeminded Civil Society Organizations intended to include them into the education and advocacy initiatives that will swiftly move the lawmakers to pass the bill into law.

National government and partners have embarked on initiatives that promotes decentralize revenue collection, budgeting and expenditures across all levels that include sub-national structures. In 2012, a National Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance was launched as a means of establishing a framework for effective and efficient service delivery at the subnational level to enhance participatory resource allocation and expense decision making processes. To also create peace-building and    national reconciliation as well as strengthening local planning, monitoring and management capacity. In addition, in 2013, the government of Liberia with support from the UNDP and other development partners, established the Liberia Decentralization Support Program (LDSP) to serve as a vehicle for resource mobilization and program support in making decentralization a reality. In addition to the gains made are the establishment of the County Service Centers, the passage of the Local Government Act (LGA), amongst others. However, more need to be done especially in creating the avenue for decentralized revenues collection, budgeting and expenditures that will involve the participation of local and subnational structures. The project “Legislative Advocacy for the passage of the Revenue Sharing Bill” seek to advocate and influence the National Legislature to pass the Revenue Sharing Bill into Law that will enable citizens to have access to revenue at local level.

According to RHRAP Executive Director, Lorma Baysah, his institution is working in collaboration with Integrity Watch (IW) to engage various actors at various levels for the passage of the important bill.