IPNews-Monrovia, Liberia-5 May 2018: Members of the Liberian Senate committee on Internal Affairs and Good Governance has presented to plenary “a comprehensive work” on a bill known as ‘Local Government Law of Liberia 2017’.
The bill which was previously submitted to that body during the leadership of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Bill which seeks to decentralized and sustained governance through local participation was first presented to the legislature by the Executive Branch of Government in August, 2015 and subsequently passed by the House of Representatives in December of the same year and sent to the senate for concurrence but had been languishing in committee room since two years now.
Though the Senate through its relevant committee with the involvement of local and international experts and traditional leaders, conducted three public hearings in Buchanan, Ganta, and Tubmanburg respectively, yet, the bill is still in committee room of the Senate.
During Thursday’s deliberations, following a PowerPoint presentation by the Chairman, committee on Internal Affairs, Senator Gbleh-bo Brown in the Chambers of the senate, many senators welcomed the provision in the Bill that called for the decentralization of the country through the election of local government authorities, especially superintendents, commissioners and mayors, but raised serious indignation over the election of chiefs.
For his part, Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman, who displayed a huge consignment of Liberia Law Review books, among many arguments, welcomed the election of superintendents and commissioners but warn of the inclusion of chiefs, whom he said work under the “higher-ups.”
Sen. Sherman urged his colleagues, not see themselves as being threatened by the strengthening of local government, and suggested that the committee introduce a standardized criteria for qualifications for the creation of cities, statutory districts and other local government structures.
Consequently, in the spirit of democracy Cllr. caution them that Liberia is a unitary state, as indicated in Article 56 (A) which says, “All cabinet ministers, deputy and assistant cabinet ministers, ambassadors, … superintendents and other government officials, both military and civilian are appointed by the President. But the ‘B’ says, there shall be elections of paramount, clan and town chiefs by the registered voters… to serve for a term of six years.”
Constitutionally, Liberia currently has 113 cities, with Sinoe and Grand Kru counties having 42 and 32 cities respectively.
Sen. Brown at a press conference on Thursday, expressed belief that decentralization will strengthen the country’s resolve for peace, adding: “Since 1847, governance system has been heavily centralized, with every major decision, activity, direction coming from Monrovia and decisions handed down to the local people, so decentralization is to give the legal regulatory framework some of the powers back to the people.”
Brown maintained that citizens want to participate in decisions as to the running of the country as well as decide their own fate from the clan, chieftain, the district and to the county levels.
“Every county is going to have a development plan and agenda through the Social Development Fund, and this calls for a decentralized plan using the participatory approach, which eventually brings ownership and helps bring about sustainability and peace,” Sen. Brown said.
He has since served as Maryland County Superintendent during the regime of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf until now.
Sen. Brown furthered that the passage of the Bill will promote economic development in rural counties, as the law will empower every county to collect some level of revenues that will be used for their own activities, while at the same time helping the central government.
Administratively, Brown assured that the passage of the Bill will help in the harmonization and rationalization of the country’s local structures, adding: “The current system is overlapping, with some countries having a proliferation of cities and structures.
“So if this bill is passed, it is going to standardize the creation of cities, statutory districts and it will make sense out of our current local government structures,” Sen. Brown said.
He maintained that his committee is convinced that the benefits to be accrued from the Bill outweighs some of the concerns harbored by other senators.
Meanwhile, Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf, who was present at Thursday’s hearings, informed Senators that the Ministry OF Internal Affairs has already commenced the process of boundary harmonization, “which is a very important component of the Local Government Bill, and prerequisite to some of the conditions for its passage.”
However there are concerns that the passage of such a bill could be a first step towards the holding of a national referendum on the issue, since Article 56 clearly provides for county superintendents to be appointed by the president and that they shall hold office at the pleasure and will of the president.
