Monrovia – Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has called for clarification from the Government of Liberia regarding certain appointments within the leadership structure of the Ministry of Local Government, citing what it describes as apparent inconsistencies with the law establishing the Ministry.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
Naymote, a civil society organization focused on promoting democratic governance and accountability, said it has observed that the positions of Deputy Minister for Peacebuilding and Assistant Minister for Peacebuilding do not appear to be explicitly provided for in the recently amended Act that created the Ministry.
The law establishing the Ministry of Local Government was passed by the Liberian Legislature and signed into law by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. on July 28, 2025. The legislation repealed Chapter 25 of the Ministry of Internal Affairs under Title 12 of the Executive Law of 1972 (Liberian Code of Laws Revised) and created a new institutional framework aimed at strengthening decentralization and local governance in Liberia.
However, Naymote says the publicly available provisions of the amended law do not clearly reference the peacebuilding positions that have since been announced as part of the Ministry’s leadership structure.
“In the interest of transparency, accountability and adherence to the rule of law, Naymote respectfully calls for clarification regarding the legal basis for these positions,” the organization said.
The group emphasized that ensuring consistency between enacted legislation and executive appointments is critical to maintaining the integrity of Liberia’s governance system. It noted that if the appointments were made based on provisions not widely known to the public, the government should provide clarification to avoid any misunderstanding.
Naymote also urged the Government of Liberia to explain how the positions were introduced within the Ministry’s structure.
At the same time, the organization called on relevant committees of the Liberian Senate to carefully review the positions during the confirmation process as part of their oversight responsibility to ensure full compliance with the law establishing the Ministry of Local Government.
Despite raising the concern, Naymote encouraged the government to continue providing the resources necessary for the Ministry of Local Government to effectively carry out its mandate.
According to the organization, strengthening decentralization, improving local governance, and implementing County Development Agendas are critical to ensuring that governance becomes more accountable, accessible and responsive to the needs of the Liberian people.
Naymote reaffirmed its commitment to promoting transparency, the rule of law and constructive engagement in support of Liberia’s democratic governance and institutional development.
