Published: July 29, 2025
MONROVIA, Liberia – Prominent civic tech strategist and governance advocate D. Freeman Myers has joined a growing chorus of criticism against a proposed repeal of Sections 2.2(e) and (f) of Liberia’s 2018 Local Government Act (LGA), warning that such a move threatens the country’s decentralization efforts and undermines local governance.
Myers, who also works with Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, argued that the attempt by the House of Representatives to repeal the provisions will reverse progress made in empowering local communities and citizen participation in development planning.
His remarks align with opposition raised by civil society groups such as CENTAL, WONGOSOL, and the Center for Democratic Governance, who fear that removing these key sections would roll back hard-won reforms.
“These provisions were deliberately designed to ensure counties don’t remain mere administrative arms of Monrovia,” Myers said. “Stripping County Councils of their authority to approve budgets and development plans reintroduces central control and weakens civic engagement.”
Repeal Threatens Fiscal and Governance Gains
Myers, a former data analyst assistant for the EU Election Observation Mission and a known advocate for transparency, emphasized that the repeal would significantly weaken fiscal decentralization. He noted that under the current LGA structure, County Councils are empowered to approve and oversee development projects tailored to local realities.
“These sections are not ornamental,” he stated. “They are the operational bedrock of local governance. Removing them turns County Councils into ceremonial entities, unable to influence outcomes or address citizens’ needs.”
He warned that repealing the provisions could centralize control over county-generated revenues, reducing efficiency and responsiveness in service delivery. “In 2022 alone, County Service Centers generated over US$148,000 and L$12.6 million across 11 counties,” he said. “These funds must be reinvested locally under county-approved budgets, not sent back to centralized coffers.”
Inclusive Local Leadership at Risk
Myers further stressed that the County Councils are a model of inclusion—comprising youth, women, traditional leaders, persons with disabilities, and civil society voices. “Their decision-making integrates a range of perspectives. Undermining that structure excludes entire constituencies and risks politicizing development.”
Citing the Revenue Sharing Act of 2022, he added, “Forty percent of revenue from County Service Centers is legally allocated for local development. Handing control of that back to central authorities invites stagnation and weakens accountability.”
Myers also recalled efforts by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, UNDP, and MFDP to establish County Development Planning Units and train personnel in six counties. “Over 60 county staff, including 15 women, were trained to implement the very sections now under threat,” he said. “The repeal would waste these investments.”
He concluded by urging the Liberian government and lawmakers to strengthen, not reverse, decentralization. “To empower local leadership is to strengthen democracy,” he said. “These amendments should be dropped in their entirety to protect Liberia’s fragile gains in governance.”
“Striking down Sections 2.2(e) and (f) would not only disrupt existing systems but signal that Liberia has no intention to deepen democratic governance,” Myers emphasized. “Instead, the government must prioritize implementation, timely fiscal transfers, and capacity development to ensure truly people-driven leadership at the local level.”
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