MONROVIA – Liberia’s Governance Commission (GC) on Monday, September 29, welcomed a high-powered delegation from Sierra Leone’s Office of the President for a working session aimed at deepening collaboration on public sector reform and governance modernization.
The visiting team, led by Hon. Amara Kallon, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, was received by Professor Alaric K. Tokpa, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission, who described the engagement as more than a routine visit.
“This is a reaffirmation of the bond our ancestors forged and our fathers nurtured,” Prof. Tokpa said, stressing the historic and geographic ties that bind Liberia and Sierra Leone as “sister nations.”
He highlighted Liberia’s ongoing reform momentum under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., citing key initiatives such as the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court, the launch of an asset recovery and property retrieval program, mandatory asset declarations for all public officials, intensified institutional audits, and the rollout of a Performance Management and Compliance System (PMCS) for ministries and agencies.
Tokpa also underscored the government’s commitment to decentralization, aligning with Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which focuses on Economic Transformation, Infrastructure, Rule of Law, Governance and Anti-Corruption, Environmental Sustainability, and Human Capital Development.
Minister Kallon, in remarks, praised Liberia’s reform strides and emphasized the purpose of the visit as a learning and knowledge-sharing exercise.
“We have come to study Liberia’s reform efforts and share our own experiences,” Kallon said. “Our two nations have enjoyed peaceful coexistence for centuries, and this engagement will deepen bilateral cooperation while identifying best practices for improved governance.”
The Sierra Leonean delegation made a PowerPoint presentation highlighting progress in their country’s governance and reform journey. Both sides expressed keen interest in mutual learning, especially as Liberia and Sierra Leone prepare for the second-generation review of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).
The visiting team also held discussions with the Public Sector Reform Tripod—comprising the Governance Commission, the Civil Service Agency (CSA), and the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA)—which in October 2024 signed a tripartite agreement to jointly drive civil service and governance reforms in Liberia.
Concluding the session, Prof. Tokpa delivered a symbolic message of solidarity:
“May the spirit of our ancestors continue to guide us. May love, cooperation, and unwavering solidarity forever bind Liberia and Sierra Leone.”
The working session was marked by a spirit of fraternity and a renewed commitment to institutional cooperation, signaling strengthened ties between the two Mano River Union neighbors.
