FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. June 25, 2025GoL, UNDP and Other Partners commence Fiscal Decentralization Training for County Council Members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. June 25, 2025GoL, UNDP and Other Partners commence Fiscal Decentralization Training for County Council Members

Ganta, Nimba County – In a major step toward strengthening local governance and public financial management in Liberia, the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning (MFDP) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and other partners, Wednesday commenced a three days capacity-building training on Fiscal Decentralization and Financial Management for County Council Members in Ganta, Nimba County.

The training aims to equip council members with the skills to scrutinize and approve development projects and budgets aligned with their County Development Agendas (CDAs). Participants will be trained in project formulation, budgeting, and reporting—key tools to ensure that public resources are effectively used at the local level.

Speaking at the start of the training, the Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning, Hon. Tanneh G. Brunson through her proxy, Assistant Minister for Development Planning, Hon. J. Wellington Barchue, I. reaffirmed the Ministry of Finance commitment to supporting implementation of the Local Government Act (LGA).

“The Act stands. Power is inherent in the people, and we will proceed accordingly,” he declared.
Minister Barchue also emphasized that County Development Agendas (CDA’s) will now serve as a benchmark for project approval and funding. “If your proposals are not aligned with your CDA, we will return them through the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” he warned, stressing that development plans must move beyond paperwork to tangible implementation.

He praised UNDP and national partners for their role in supporting decentralization and informed the participants that Liberia is regaining its rightful position among the comity of nations as evidenced by the recent international achievements—including Liberia’s successful bid to host a Youth Development Center and winning a seat on the UN Security Council—as signs of the country's growing stature.

He further that Liberia is poised to do more if citizens unite to support the President’s vision. He indicated that Power is inherent in the people; hence the County Councils should use their authority to ensure that the local government officials account for every fund that they (the local government officials will use on projects and to facilitate their operations in their respective county.

For his part, the UN Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Louis Kukpen underscored the significance of the training amid Liberia’s ongoing push for democratic governance and inclusive development.

“This training comes at a pivotal time as the Government of Liberia deepens its commitment to the operationalization of the Local Government Act and Revenue Sharing Law — landmark steps toward institutionalizing decentralization and fiscal accountability,” Mr. Kuukpen noted.

He described County Councils as “the voice of the people and stewards of local governance,” stressing that their capacity to manage public resources with transparency, integrity, and discipline is essential to the successful implementation of the national development plan, the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), and County Development Agendas (CDAs).

Mr. Kuukpen also praised the Government of Liberia for committing US$650,000 in co-financing toward the decentralization project and reaffirmed UNDP’s continued support for domestic resource mobilization through the proposed Integrated National Financing Framework.

“We must take our development into our own hands. Aid is declining, global shocks are increasing, and the world is experiencing a shift in multilateralism.

Now is the time for Africa, and Liberia, to prioritize fiscal discipline and innovative financing,” he warned.

Dr. Romeo D. N. Gbartea, Director of Fiscal Decentralization at the MFDP earlier providing the overview of the training reinforced the call for capacity development, noting the slow but steady progress Liberia has made in decentralization. Reflecting on years of effort by stakeholders, he urged participants to focus on learning and accountability.

“We have moved from delegation to deconcentration, and now we must structure it substantively before proceeding to full devolution. Don’t get tired of building your capacity,” Dr. Gbartea told the participants. “When counties manage their budgets, they must also manage peace and development.”

The training forms part of the Liberia Decentralization Support Program (LDSP), funded by development partners including the Governments of Sweden and Ireland, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, and UNDP.

Participants were drawn from all fifteen counties of Liberia, to form part of the training which dive deep into the function of county councils and how it will contribute toward shaping a decentralized Liberia that ensures equitable development and efficient public service delivery.

The training has brought together an array of high-level dignitaries including Assistant Minister for Development Planning at the Ministry of Finance, Hon. J. Wellington Barchue, I. Prof. Alaric Tokpa, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission; Nimba County Superintendent, Kou Meapea Gono and Louis Kuukpen, Deputy Resident Representative, County Councils members from the fifteen counties, amongst others.