Ganta, Nimba County – Local county authorities in Liberia are participating in a three-day Revenue Sharing Act Dialogue, aimed at promoting and sustaining fiscal decentralization across the country. The training, supported by Sweden Sverige, Irish Aid, the Government of Ireland, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is held under the theme “Strengthening Citizens’ Participation in Fiscal Decentralization.”
By Franklin Doloquee, Nimba County Correspondent
Speaking at the opening of the event, Professor Alaric Tokpah, Chairman of the Governance Commission, emphasized that the dialogue seeks to build the capacity of 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. This is in line with Liberia’s Local Government Act of 2018 and the 2022 Revenue Sharing Law.
Professor Tokpah stressed 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. He noted that this shift is essential for implementing a decentralized governance system in Liberia.
The capacity-building dialogue is organized by the Governance Commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Liberia Revenue Authority, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning. UNDP Liberia is supporting the initiative.
“With this capacity-building policy dialogue, we can establish a system that will facilitate the proper management and coordination of development and public service delivery, particularly at the county and sub-county levels. This will help gain the confidence of donors and development partners. I urge you to take ownership of the decentralization program and actively participate in this dialogue to achieve its objectives,” said Professor Tokpah.
He added that if local government authorities and citizens understand the importance of revenue sharing between central and local governments, as well as the concept of sustaining fiscal decentralization, Liberia will remain on the path of economic growth and sustainable development.
Professor Tokpah 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, including stabilization, redistribution, and resource allocation.
He also explained that local authorities will need to develop domestic resource mobilization strategies to foster economic growth and development. These officials, including superintendents from Maryland, River Gee, Grand Kru, and Grand Gedeh Counties, as well as coordinators from County Service Centers in the Southeast, civil society organizations (CSOs), and students, will be expected to collect and distribute revenue to sub-county governments in line with national development programs.
The Governance Commission Chairman pointed out that local governments will be responsible for managing their own-source revenue—derived from taxes and fees authorized by local governments—for sustainable development.
Professor Tokpah emphasized that utilizing local governments as a tool for development is a priority for Liberia. He noted that under local economic development frameworks, authorities can strengthen their capacities to maximize the economic potential of counties, municipalities, districts, and towns, creating jobs and reducing inequalities.
He also mentioned the impact of local public services, such as healthcare, clean water, and social services, on the daily lives and well-being of citizens. He lamented that many communities lack access to these vital services, and stressed the urgent need for capacity building as the country prepares to engage stakeholders in policy dialogues and knowledge-sharing initiatives to promote national development with support from the central government and development partners.
Professor Tokpah called on local governments to demonstrate full commitment to designing and supervising clear fiscal arrangements that support local service delivery.
“For decentralization to succeed in Liberia, the time has come for men and women to work together for gender-responsive governance, sustainable development, and the promotion of human rights,” he added.
For their part, Selena Polson Mappy, Deputy Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; James A. Jaber, Assistant Commissioner for Real Estate Tax Division at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA); Angeline Sackie, County Treasury Coordinator at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning; and Eric Boykae, Monitoring and Evaluation Analyst for the Liberia Decentralization Support Program at UNDP, pledged their support for the government’s plans to enhance and promote development activities across the country.
They 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.
Deputy Minister Selena Polson Mappy urged local authorities to prepare for development, as President Joseph Boakai’s administration envisions transformative changes across the country. She warned that government officials who are not ready to participate in development activities will be dismissed from their roles.
