Published: July 11, 2025
MONROVIA – Township commissioners in Montserrado and other parts of Liberia say they are being neglected by the central government, complaining of inadequate support and poor salaries that are undermining local governance efforts mandated by the Local Government Act.
Edward Horton Lahai, Commissioner of the Congo Town Township in Montserrado County, told The Liberian Investigator in an interview that without meaningful support from the central government, local government structures cannot fulfill their mandate to drive development and community engagement.
“If the current approach to local governance continues, there will be no progress—regardless of who the President is,” Commissioner Lahai said.
He noted that 15 months into President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration, many local government offices remain “unfunded, understaffed, and overlooked,” despite the administration’s pledge to decentralize power and resources.
Lahai described his office’s condition upon taking office as dismal: “We inherited a roofless building, no electricity, and a bank account that had been dormant for six years.”
His public comments, he said, are not politically motivated but rather a desperate call for national attention to the challenges that prevent township commissioners from delivering basic services.
“Leadership should no longer be driven by politics. Campaigns are over. It’s time to serve,” Lahai said. “We do not want to fail our people, but without the necessary support, we will.”
Appointed and confirmed by the Senate on July 11, 2024, Commissioner Lahai said he has had to rely on friends and private partners to rehabilitate the township office building, restock essential tools, and organize monthly cleanup campaigns to address ongoing trash management issues.
Low Pay, High Responsibility
As chairman of the Montserrado County Commissioners’ Council, Lahai also raised alarm over what he called an unsustainable compensation scheme for township commissioners and their staff.
“We are called ‘Honorable,’ but the honor stops at the title,” he said. “In May, my salary dropped to US$91.99 and L$7,794. Some colleagues haven’t received a single Liberian dollar since taking office.”
He added that the government owes him nearly a year’s salary in back pay.
Despite these setbacks, Lahai said he remains committed to avoiding corruption and leading with integrity. He noted that many local staffers earn less than the national minimum wage, even though they handle critical issues such as land disputes and public health emergencies.
Montserrado County hosts 33 local jurisdictions, five cities, 21 townships, one borough, and five chiefdoms. However, fewer than five receive regular budgetary transfers, Lahai said, citing county records.
He explained that community fees intended for trash collection, streetlights, and minor infrastructure projects are rarely collected due to a lack of public awareness and disillusionment over the lack of visible benefits.
“When I took office, we had 74 enlisted volunteers. I had to reduce the number to 50 because we couldn’t sustain the payroll,” Lahai added.
Seeking Reform and Decentralization
Lahai said he has established departments for sanitation, dispute resolution, and parking enforcement—but noted that each remains underfunded. “Our first wheelbarrow came from the Monrovia City Corporation. Imagine starting without even brooms or shovels,” he said.
He urged national officials, especially ministers and superintendents, to recognize the critical role local governments play in translating national policies into community action.
“We cannot continue on the same ugly path of the past,” he said. “Service centers must truly function—not just exist in name.”
He criticized national ministries and agencies for launching projects in communities without consulting local commissioners. “They arrive from Monrovia with directives, bypass us, and then blame us when projects fail,” Lahai said. “That’s not decentralization. True decentralization means handing over both power and purse strings.”
Commendations and a Call for Budget Reforms
Lahai commended Montserrado District #5 Representative Prescilla Abram Cooper for funding a new fire substation in Congo Town. He also praised local residents Richard Dorbor and Cytarus Grace Dahn, whose combined L$75,000 donation helped launch the township’s parking-meter service, now its most reliable revenue stream.
He called on the national government to include a protected line item in next year’s national budget for each local administration. He also urged legislation granting townships clearer authority to collect local government taxes within their jurisdiction.
“Liberia cannot develop from Newport Street down,” he said. “Give local governments the tools, and watch how fast communities change. A country cannot survive on improvisation forever.”
Another commissioner, speaking anonymously by phone, expressed similar frustration.
“Give us the support we need and see if we don’t deliver,” the commissioner said. “Let’s take governance to another level—for God’s sake.”
Internal Affairs Ministry Responds
When contacted, Internal Affairs Minister Francis Sackilla Nyumalin said he had received no formal complaint from any township commissioner but was open to engagement once concerns are formally communicated.
“We welcome dialogue and look forward to understanding the issues they face,” Minister Nyumalin said.
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