Published: December 18, 2025
MONROVIA — The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has raised new concerns over how County Social Development Funds (CSDF) are administered, citing alleged child labor, weak oversight, and limited community participation in projects that are supposed to drive local development.
Releasing its 2025 research report, Open Expenditure: Examining CSDF Projects in Six Counties, CENTAL said the study revealed visible progress in some areas but also persistent governance failures that continue to undermine the purpose of the fund.
The assessment, conducted in June, focused on Nimba, Bong, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Rivercess and Gbarpolu counties. Researchers visited more than 30 project sites—including schools, hospitals, markets, bridges and administrative buildings—and interviewed county officials and community stakeholders.
“This research revealed progress that communities can see, but also persistent challenges that weaken the impact of the CSDF,” CENTAL Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen said at a Dec. 17 press conference in Monrovia. “Citizens acknowledged new schools, renovated town halls and improved health facilities, but they also highlighted incomplete projects, slow implementation, and the exclusion of vulnerable groups.”
Progress Undercut by Structural Weaknesses
The CSDF is financed through concession payments from companies operating in Liberia’s natural resource sectors, supplemented by national budget allocations. It is intended to support infrastructure and public services in the counties most affected by resource extraction.
But CENTAL reported that the fund remains highly centralized, with much of the money channeled into government infrastructure in county capitals rather than remote communities where basic services are scarce.
“In many instances, communities were excluded from decision-making and denied access to information on disbursements,” Miamen said. “Without transparency, citizens cannot track projects or demand accountability.”
The report also found that CSDF resources were often spread across too many sectors, leaving projects underfunded. In Nimba County, a youth center in Bunadin was completed but lacked critical amenities—an example of infrastructure built without provisions for long-term functionality.
Child Labor and Accessibility Gaps
One of the most serious findings involved the use of child labor at a school construction site in Gbarnga, Bong County. CENTAL observed children working on the project in violation of Liberia’s Children’s Law of 2011. The situation persisted until county authorities intervened.
In contrast, the Fenlah Town Hall project in Bong County was cited as a model of proper supervision and community ownership.
CENTAL found that most CSDF-funded buildings across the six counties lacked accessibility features. Miamen said the exclusion of persons with disabilities remains a widespread problem.
“Accessibility must not be treated as an afterthought,” he said. “Persons with disabilities continue to be left out, even in newly constructed projects.”
Oversight Weaknesses and Capacity Strains
The report noted inconsistent procurement and payment systems across the counties. Some counties used phased payments to ensure accountability, while others struggled due to uncertain concession revenues and irregular budget support.
County Councils—established under the Local Government Act of 2018 to strengthen local oversight—were found to be severely under-resourced. Many councils lacked basic logistics, office support, and stipends, limiting their ability to monitor CSDF-funded projects.
In Rivercess County, tensions surfaced between local administrators and the County Council over resource constraints, further complicating oversight.
CENTAL Calls for Targeted Reforms
CENTAL recommended that counties shift toward fewer, high-impact projects that can be fully completed and put to use, rather than dispersing funds across multiple unfinished initiatives.
The organization also urged counties to make accessibility standards mandatory and to involve disability groups from the design stage of all projects.
“County Councils need stronger institutional support to carry out their responsibilities,” Miamen said. “Technical capacity must be built to improve planning, monitoring and accountability.”
CENTAL called on the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to ensure the timely release of CSDF allocations, warning that erratic funding contributes to delays, cost overruns, and abandoned projects.
“Structured County-level monitoring mechanisms must be established,” Miamen added. “Oversight should be regular, participatory, and independent, involving County Councils, civil society, women and youth.”
He said better cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs, county administrations, County Councils, and civil society organizations will be essential for improving project delivery and safeguarding public funds.
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