Published: October 15, 2025
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has vetoed 12 bills recently passed by the House of Representatives, citing violations of the Local Government Act and lack of basic infrastructure in proposed townships and districts.
The vetoed legislation includes nine bills to establish new townships, two to create new districts, and one to establish the Paynesville Community College.
In a formal communication to the House on Monday, President Boakai said none of the proposals met the legal and administrative benchmarks required for new local governments under the 2018 Local Government Act.
Township Proposals ‘Failed to Meet Standards’
Boakai said the township bills fell short of the minimum criteria set out in Section 2.16(e) of the Act, which mandates that new townships must demonstrate viable populations, functioning waste systems, schools, health centers, cemeteries, and recreational facilities, among other services.
“Given Liberia’s ongoing infrastructural and economic limitations, it is imperative that any proposed township demonstrably satisfies the statutory benchmarks,” the President wrote.
He noted that none of the bills defined their geographical boundaries or provided evidence of meeting the population threshold of 5,000 residents, a key legal requirement for township status.
District Bills Also Fall Short
Two bills proposing new districts were also struck down for breaching Section 2.15 of the same law, which governs Sub-County Local Governments.
The President reminded lawmakers that existing statutory districts remain valid for only seven years after the Act’s passage, until November 23, 2025, after which they must be dissolved. He said the new proposals failed to clarify whether the intended districts were statutory or administrative.
“If statutory, their legal lifespan would be limited to just three months, making their creation both impractical and inconsistent with existing law,” Boakai wrote.
Paynesville College Bill Blocked
Boakai’s veto also halted the Paynesville Community College Act, citing unclear funding sources and weak administrative provisions. The President said the bill lacked specificity on how the proposed institution would sustain its operations or integrate within Liberia’s tertiary education framework.
House Moves to Engage Executive
Following the communication, Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon said the House has “taken seizure of the matter” and will open consultations with the Executive to review the President’s concerns.
“The Leadership of the House assures that it will work constructively with the Executive Branch to determine an appropriate course of action consistent with the Constitution and the Local Government Act,” Koon stated.
The House Committee on Judiciary is expected to scrutinize the vetoed bills and engage the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Governance Commission before any reconsideration.
Lawmakers Welcome Review
Several lawmakers described the President’s action as corrective rather than confrontational.
Montserrado County District #3 Representative Sumo Mulbah said the detailed explanation offers “a guide toward strengthening legislative work.”
“I don’t see the President’s action as a confrontation,” Mulbah told this paper. “It’s an opportunity for us to make corrections and ensure that any bill we pass meets the legal and technical standards set by our own laws.”
He urged colleagues to treat the process professionally and avoid politicizing it.
Broader Governance Implications
While the veto represents a setback for lawmakers who championed local development initiatives, the move underscores Boakai’s stated commitment to enforce the rule of law and rationalize public administration.
If both branches reach consensus, the review process could produce stronger, evidence-based legislation and prevent the proliferation of under-resourced local entities, a recurring challenge since Liberia’s decentralization drive began.
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