By Festus Poquie
President Joseph Boakai has urged Liberia’s traditional leaders to partner with his administration to deepen decentralization, ahead of a push to create a new Ministry of Local Government that he says is central to national renewal.
Speaking at the National Assembly of Chiefs and Tribal Governors in Gbarnga, President Boakai described the gathering as part of his government’s commitment to “people-centered and inclusive” governance.
He said the government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), together with county-specific plans, will depend on local leadership and the meaningful participation of interior communities that he said have long been marginalized by a highly centralized state.
“Decentralization must not be a lofty policy phrase; it must be and is the key to Liberia’s development,” the president said.
Reiterating a legislative priority he presented to lawmakers on January 29, 2025, Boakai urged the Legislature to pass a bill to establish the Ministry of Local Government.
He described the ministry as the mechanism to fully implement the Local Government Act of 2018, strengthen local institutions, promote accountability and broaden public participation in decision-making.
“For too long, centralized governance has failed our people,” Boakai said, outlining what he called exclusion, elite capture and unequal growth as persistent problems that decentralization could address.
He called the proposed ministry “a transformation” that could have a greater impact than nearly any other reform before the government.
The president also highlighted recent government gains across sectors, including food security initiatives, road upgrades, anti-corruption measures, improvements in education and efforts to eliminate harmful traditional practices against women and girls.
He pointed to Liberia’s restored standing on the world stage, citing the country’s leadership role at the United Nations Security Council as evidence of renewed international respect.
As an outcome of the assembly, government officials and traditional leaders will draft an “Actions of Mutual Commitment” (AMC) document to record agreed priorities and responsibilities.
The Ministries of Internal Affairs and State for Presidential Affairs will track implementation and report progress at the next National Assembly, Boakai said, adding he expects the gathering to become an annual platform for exchange.
The meeting brought together chiefs, tribal governors, senior cabinet ministers, the diplomatic corps and representatives of development partners. Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and members of the Legislature were in attendance.
Liberia’s Constitution calls for the election of various chiefs at the county and local level. These elections have not taken place since 1986 due to war and financial constraints
Presently, chiefs are typically chosen through a mix of traditional customs and formal appointment, a practice that have left the country’s democracy incomplete.
Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin told lawmakers in 2024 that the ministry plans to hold local government elections by October 2026.
