MONROVIA — The House of Representatives has cited the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Director of the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) to appear before Plenary next Thursday to brief lawmakers on the status of the Local Government Act (LGA) of 2018. The decision follows a communication from Rep. Nyah Flomo (Nimba County, District #2) pressing for stronger oversight of the law’s rollout.
In a letter to Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and her colleagues, Rep. Flomo said timely and transparent implementation is essential if the LGA’s goals are to be realized. “To enable the full realization of the objectives of this Act, the required time-bound implementation and investment plans have to be made,” she wrote.
Passed in 2018, the LGA is a landmark reform designed to devolve power to local governments, deepen citizen participation in decision-making, and ensure fiscal support for county and city administrations. Lawmakers say a clearer picture of progress—and bottlenecks—is needed to guide policy and constituency engagement.
Rep. Flomo requested that the Ministry of Internal Affairs submit:
- A certified copy of all regulations and guidelines developed to operationalize the LGA;
- An official report detailing the status of all existing cities in relation to the Act’s provisions; and
- A comprehensive briefing on the operations of County Councils, including their establishment, functional capacities, and challenges.
“This information is vital for the members of the 55th Legislature, as it will directly inform our policy review, guide our constituency engagements, and shape the benefit of all Liberians,” Rep. Flomo added.
The upcoming appearance by the Minister of Internal Affairs and the LACE Director is expected to shed light on implementation progress and gaps across local governance structures, providing lawmakers with the data they need to strengthen decentralization and improve service delivery at the county and community levels.
Supporters say effective implementation of the LGA is central to Liberia’s broader goals of democratic resilience, community empowerment, and sustainable local development.
