Published: June 18, 2025
CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA — The House of Representatives is reviewing a bill that would amend the 2018 Local Government Act to restore the oversight role of county legislative caucuses in the approval of county budgets and development plans.
The measure, sponsored by Grand Gedeh County District No. 1 Representative Jeremiah Garwo Sokan Sr., seeks to repeal and amend portions of Section 2.2 of the Act, which currently grants exclusive authority to the County Council to approve annual county budgets and development initiatives without input from the elected legislative caucus.
In a communication to plenary, Rep. Sokan argued that the exclusion of the County Legislative Caucus—comprising senators and representatives from each county—undermines transparency, weakens accountability, and denies citizens effective representation in key financial and developmental decisions.
Under the current law, Section 2.2 (e) and (f) of the Local Government Act authorizes the County Council alone to approve budgets and development plans. Rep. Sokan contends that this structure contradicts the spirit of democratic governance by marginalizing elected officials who are directly accountable to the public.
“The County Legislative Caucus plays a crucial role in ensuring that county budgets and development initiatives align with the needs and priorities of the constituencies they represent,” Sokan wrote. “Excluding this body from the approval process diminishes their ability to represent their constituents effectively and to hold county officials accountable.”
He further warned that such an arrangement opens the door to mismanagement, misuse of county resources, and reduced transparency in how local governments function.
The proposed bill, titled “An Act to Repeal Section 2.2 (e & f) of the Local Government Act of 2018,” would require the County Council to submit both the annual budget and development plan to the County Legislative Caucus for approval before implementation. If passed, Section 2.2 (e) would be revised to state that the Council shall submit every county budget to the caucus for approval. Section 2.2 (f) would require the caucus to approve all development plans prior to execution.
Rep. Sokan argued that the amendment would strengthen Liberia’s local governance framework by reinforcing the constitutional principle of checks and balances and increasing legislative engagement at the county level.
The bill has been forwarded to the Committees on Internal Affairs, Judiciary, and Ways, Means, and Finance for review. The committees are expected to examine its legal, fiscal, and administrative implications before submitting a report to plenary for final deliberation.
The Local Government Act of 2018 was enacted as a key pillar of Liberia’s decentralization strategy, aimed at empowering local authorities with administrative, fiscal, and political responsibilities. However, the omission of the county legislative caucuses from decision-making processes on budgets and development plans has sparked concern among lawmakers who argue that elected officials must have a say in how public funds are allocated and spent at the local level.
Critics of the current law say that removing lawmakers from county-level budgeting and planning undermines transparency and invites unilateral decision-making that could lead to the mismanagement of development resources.
If adopted, the amendment would take effect immediately upon official publication, restoring legislative checks in county governance and signaling a shift toward more participatory and accountable local government.
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