Local Government Act of 2018 - 10 year implementation plan

14 février 2023

Governance centralization has historically been a major problem for Liberia. Centralization has undermined popular participation in national decision making and created inequities in access to social services and economic opportunities for the majority of Liberians. It has contributed to conflict. At the end of the Liberian civil war in 2003, a national consensus emerged to undertake governance reforms to address the situation.

The Local Government Act of 2018 (LGA-2018) is the legislation authorizing and directing national governance decentralization. Decentralization is a political reform program. It is revolutionary in that for the first time in Liberia’s 172 years existence, the way Liberia has governed itself will radically change. While Liberia will remain a unitary nation-state, most of the political and economic decisions that affect people will now be made by the people themselves in local government.

Enormous work is required to implement the LGA-2018. Given the lack of capacities at both central and local levels, it will take many years. Attending to emerging problems while learning and adapting along the way will be part of the process. This Implementation Plan is a road-map for the first 10 years of decentralization. It is divided into two five-year phases, and takes into account the need for phasing and sequencing of strategic areas and their imperatives.
The Plan is aligned with the government’s priorities enshrined in the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD). Plan implementation will empower popular participation in national governance (Pillar One : Power to the People). Local economic development will promote entrepreneurship, attract investment and incentivize value addition industries across the country (Pillar Two : The Economy and Jobs.) More investment will engender increased employment, household incomes, and taxes, leading to better social services, quality of life and enhanced political stability (Pillar Three : Sustaining the Peace). Decentralization promotes good governance as citizens can take ownership and responsibility in governance. Decentralization also promotes inclusiveness, transparency and accountability (Pillar Four : Governance and Transparency).

---

Téléchargez la page au format PDF

---