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Monrovia-November 23, 2025: Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has urged members of the 55th Legislature to pass the Local Government Act of 2018 for the establishment of the Ministry of Local Government.
Speaking at the National Council of Chiefs and Tribal Governors meeting held in Gbarnga City, Bong County over the weekend, President Boakai said the establishment of the Ministry of Local Government will facilitate the full implementation of the Local Government Act of 2018.
The Liberian leader noted, “This law is the foundation of our decentralization efforts. I again urge the Legislature to pass this Bill. Its approval could transform Liberia more than nearly any other reform currently before us. Strengthening local institutions, promoting accountability, and increasing public participation are necessary steps toward building a Liberia that works for everyone, not just a select few.”
“When Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung and I took office on January 22, 2024, we pledged to lead a people-centered and inclusive government-one that would rebrand Liberia and restore public trust. Today’s gathering is part of fulfilling that promise,” President Boakai said.
He said in keeping with this commitment, he has joined the Minister of Internal Affairs and other government officials to meet with the Chiefs and Tribal Governors of Liberia to discuss local and participatory governance-especially issues related to peace, security, and national development.
“Our development plan, outlined in the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID), along with the county-specific plans, will rely on the leadership of local authorities. Your insights, concerns, and aspirations are vital to the success of these initiatives,” he intimated.
Boakai added, “This conversation is therefore essential. It allows your government to listen to you, understand your priorities, and plan with you. Governance works best when it grows from the ground up. Liberia can only be transformed if its people-especially those in the interior, who have historically been marginalized by an overly centralized state-are fully involved in the decision-making process.”
The Liberian Chief Executive noted that he expects that the meeting with chiefs in the country will become an annual platform for exchange between the government and local leaders-one that promotes peace, security, decentralization, and inclusive development.
“We promised to reform how government has operated in the past. For too long, centralized governance has failed our people. It has led to exclusion, marginalization, elite capture, and discontent. It has produced unequal growth-growth without development and entrenched the predatory nature of the Liberian state. That must change,” the President noted.
He said decentralization must not be a lofty policy phrase; it must be and is the key to Liberia’s development. “When government is too centralized, the majority of our people are left on the periphery of national life. When decisions affecting the well-being of rural communities are made far away from those very communities, development cannot be meaningful, inclusive, or sustainable.”
Bakai noted that true democracy thrives when people participate fully in shaping the decisions that govern their lives adding, “This is why decentralization is central to our national renewal.”
He furthered, “It is time to empower local government structures to work directly with the majority of our citizens-making sure that every Liberian, regardless of where they live, has a voice in the governance process.”
“On January 29, 2025, I presented my Legislative Agenda to the 55th Legislature. Included in that agenda was a bill to establish the Ministry of Local Government, which will facilitate the full implementation of the Local Government Act of 2018. This law is the foundation of our decentralization efforts. I again urge the Legislature to pass this Bill. Its approval could transform Liberia more than nearly any other reform currently before us. Strengthening local institutions, promoting accountability, and increasing public participation are necessary steps toward building a Liberia that works for everyone, not just a select few,” the Liberian leader said.
He said over the past two years, his administration has made significant progress including enhancing food security through innovative agricultural programs, upgrading road infrastructure, combating corruption, elevating educational standards, and stepping up efforts to eliminate harmful traditional practices against women and girls. “Liberia has also regained respect internationally, as demonstrated by our leadership role at the UN Security Council.”
Cross-section of traditional Chiefs and Governors at the Gbarnga Meeting
“We can accelerate these gains by increasing decentralization, strengthening institutions, and ensuring community participation in decision-making. At the conclusion of this National Assembly, we will create a framework document-the Actions of Mutual Commitment (AMC) outlining the agreements and responsibilities we will work on together in the coming years,” he dded.
He said the Ministries of Internal Affairs and State for Presidential Affairs will track and report progress at our next National Assembly. “Let me conclude with a simple but powerful call: Kwa-PaKu-quieh-ma Ku-Noih-Tuh-let us come together and build our country. Liberia can only be great if we work together. I urge our Chiefs, Governors, Lawmakers, and every Liberian to be involved in the change we need, to rebuild the nation we envision for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren,” President Boakai concluded.