BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa County – The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), through its Fiscal Decentralization Unit, has commenced a high-level technical session to review and update the County Treasury Financial and Operational Manual. The session is being held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, from February 24–28, 2026, under the theme: “Strengthening County Treasury Financial Management for Accountability, Transparency, and Sustainable Development.”
The exercise is aimed at aligning the existing manual with recent legal, regulatory, and administrative reforms that support Liberia’s decentralization agenda and strengthen public financial management (PFM) systems at the county level.
The technical session brings together key PFM stakeholders, including representatives from the Comptroller and Accounting General’s Department, the Ministry of Local Government, and other integrity institutions. Participants are working collaboratively to ensure that the revised manual reflects current national standards and international best practices.
Speaking at the opening of the session, Acting Finance Minister, Hon. Anthony G. Myers, described the review as both timely and necessary. He noted that the existing County Financial Management Manual was developed prior to the establishment of County Service Centers and County Treasuries, making an update essential to address current operational realities.
“Just like textbooks go through first, second, and revised editions, governance documents must also evolve to keep pace with changing realities,” Hon. Myers intimated.
He explained that since the manual was adopted more than a decade ago, several significant reforms have been enacted. These include the Local Government Act, which devolves political, administrative, and financial responsibilities to county authorities; amendments to the Public Financial Management Act to support fiscal decentralization; the Revenue Sharing Law and its 2025 regulations; and revisions to the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission Act, including provisions for public-private partnerships.
According to Minister Myers, incorporating these reforms into the manual will promote consistency in financial management practices across all counties.
“We cannot have Montserrado practicing one system simply because it is closer to central government institutions, while other counties lag behind. Standardization is key to accountability,” he emphasized.
He further encouraged public institutions to institutionalize periodic reviews of operational guidelines, recommending updates every three to five years to remain responsive to emerging trends and reforms.
Also speaking at the opening session, Hon. Elwood T. Netty, Comptroller and Accounting General, underscored the importance of well-documented processes in public financial management.
“Public financial management cannot be effectively executed when processes are undocumented,” Hon. Netty stated. “From planning and documentation to execution and reporting, every step must be guided by clear and validated standard operating procedures.”
He stressed that while decentralization empowers counties to manage their finances, it must be implemented within a framework consistent with national laws and accounting standards to maintain transparency and accountability nationwide.
For his part, Hon. F. Sakila Nyumalin Sr., Minister of Local Government, welcomed the initiative and called for broader participation of technical staff from his ministry in the review process.
“When laws are developed with the full participation of the institutions they affect, implementation becomes much smoother,” Minister Nyumalin noted.
He reaffirmed the Government of Liberia’s commitment to decentralization, stating that President Joseph Boakai has placed the program at the center of national development priorities. Minister Nyumalin also disclosed plans to construct service centers to accommodate 24 ministries, agencies, and commissions involved in decentralization efforts. He revealed ongoing discussions with MFDP to house County Treasury offices within these service centers to improve coordination and reduce operational costs. Funding has already been allocated in the national budget to begin piloting the construction of two centers.
Providing an overview of the exercise, Dr. Romeo Gbartea, Director of the Fiscal Decentralization Unit at MFDP, urged participants to approach the review process with seriousness and professionalism.
“This manual is not about centralization or protecting anyone’s position,” Dr. Gbartea said. “It is about building a sustainable framework that will serve future generations.”
He called for the completion of the first draft ahead of the next round of consultations and encouraged participants to circulate the draft within their respective institutions for further input. Dr. Gbartea also emphasized the importance of leveraging local expertise to produce a comprehensive and practical document that reflects Liberia’s laws and operational realities.
The ongoing technical session represents a significant milestone in strengthening Liberia’s fiscal decentralization framework. Once finalized, the updated manual is expected to enhance transparency, improve accountability, and promote consistent public financial management practices across all counties.
As Liberia advances its decentralization agenda, stakeholders agree that updating key governance instruments remains critical to achieving sustainable development and improving service delivery at the local level.
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