Monrovia, Liberia -A day-long Legislative and Stakeholders Dialogue organized by a civil society organization ”InfoQuest Liberia” with the goal of promoting a swift effort to pass the Local Government Ministry Bill of the Revenue Sharing Act Regulation has ended in Monrovia.
Speaking at the one-day workshop on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor, Matthias Yeanay, Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia, explained the significance of the revenue sharing act regulation’s full adoption and subsequent implementation as well as the Local Government Ministry’s bill’s passage into law.
The Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia, Matthias Yeanay emphasized the necessity and significance of the Local Government Ministry’s bill becoming law as well as the adoption and subsequent implementation of the revenue sharing act regulation.
In addition to helping the locals expand their potential and create jobs, he claimed that the Ministry of Local Government, when passed into law by members of the National Legislature, will return authority to the people.
ED Yeanay promised InfoQuest Liberia full support to the adaption and implementation of the bill, noting that, in order to make sure that this national campaign is fully realized, the organization will continue to advocate for and engage with all relevant parties, including the national Legislature.
Nikolina Stalhand, program officer at the Swedish Embassy, emphasized the value of decentralization, adding that it is crucial for economic growth and fostering social compact between the people and the government.
He added that national ownership and cooperation between various stakeholders are necessary for decentralization to succeed. Stalhand maintained that sustainability is a crucial factor that the government must take into account in the event that donor support is not available.
It is time for the nation to build on the advances made by accelerating the adoption of the Ministry of Local Government Bill and validating the revenue sharing act regulation, according to UNDP Resident Representative Louis Kuupen, who noted that doing so will promote public involvement.
He said, decentralization has never worked well without the necessary political will, legislative backing, financial resources to enable subnational entities to improve service delivery, and local government administration all of which are vital to the process.
Revenue sharing art, according to UNDP Resident Representative Kuupen, will act as a catalyst for the successful implementation of the revenue sharing act of 2021 and present a unique opportunity for decentralization and sustainability while bolstering inclusive governance and social cohesion at subnational levels.
The UNDP’s Resident Representative praised the EU, the governments of Sweden and Ireland, and other development partners for their assistance in the process and urged all parties involved to demonstrate political will and a concerted effort to see that this is accomplished.
In addition to rallying support from members of the National Legislature for the Ministry of Local Government’s swift passage into law, Madam Loretta Pop Kai, the chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, reaffirmed her institution full commitment to seeing the bill through to completion.
She emphasized that this is a direct way of returning power to the people, noting that it is the right to do in accordance with democracy.
