Discuss Counties Development Agenda
Monrovia, Liberia – The Ministry of Finance and Development planning (MFDP) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have engaged with the Legislative Caucus Chairs from Bong, Lofa, Maryland, Grand Kru, and River Gee Counties on the recent consultations of the Counties Development Agenda and the formulations of the national Agenda for inclusive development (AID).
During the engagement Friday, September 27, 2024 in Monrovia, Finance Minister, Augustine Kpehe Ngafun disclosed that the timeline given for the formulation of the AID which will supersede the ARREST Agenda is ambitious, therefore, the government cannot retreat because of the challenges ahead.
Augustine Kpehe Ngafun, Liberia’s Minister of Finance, explained that President Joseph N. Boakai will be meeting with the MFDP and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to discuss the Agenda for Inclusive Development (AID) submission period.
In order to ensure that their opinions are taken into consideration for the national agenda for inclusive development (AID), which will give everyone the opportunity to be heard through agenda for the next six years, Ngafun said, the county development plan is intended to gather opinions from citizens in rural areas of the nation, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
He also mentioned that by the end of November 2024, the Finance Ministry of the executive arm of government will submit the National Budget for the fiscal year 2025. After providing an overview, Hon. Wellington Barchue, Assistant Minister for Development Planning at MFDP, said, “We [MFDP, MIA] divided the consultations into two parts namely, the sub-National level and the National level were conducted and completed on August 15, 2024.” On July 22, AID and the public sectors met to discuss investment programs and the development agenda for the 15 counties.
In his view, MFDP and MIA have played a crucial role in giving the two consulting firms the support they needed to turn these development plans into the National Agenda for Inclusive Development AID after the consultation process was completed.
Senator Prince K. Moye, the Bong Legislative Caucus head, praised the finance ministries for their “great initiatives.”
Speaking on behalf of his Caucus colleagues, Senator Moye conveyed his sincere appreciation to the Internal Affairs and Finance ministries for requesting the opinions of the public on the county, particularly regarding the advancements they desired for their cherished region.
“I am thrilled to be a part of this engagement, because before the local government acts of 2018 were enacted, counties Caucuses were the ones deciding developments for their county, making it difficult for the completions of said projects and the people’s subsequent neglects because, they were left out of the decision-making process.”
