The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), recently held a one-day consultative meeting with lawmakers from the 15 County Legislative Caucuses to deliberate on the findings from district and county-level consultations.
The gathering focused on the County Development Agendas and the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, providing a platform to align local development needs with national priorities.
Held on Friday, September 18, the meeting was part of a broader initiative to strengthen the link between Liberia’s national budget and county-level development projects.
The consultations aimed to incorporate the voices of citizens from across the country, ensuring that their most pressing needs are represented in the national development framework.
Finance Minister Augustine K. Ngafuan, delivering the keynote address at the opening of the event, underscored the critical importance of bridging the gap between national and local development efforts.
He pointed out that the government’s ambition is to craft a National Development Plan that truly reflects the realities on the ground, aligning it with the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development.
“It is vital that we collaborate closely with lawmakers to ensure that the real issues affecting their constituencies are reflected in the national development agenda,” Ngafuan said. He emphasized that local involvement in the planning process is indispensable, as top-down approaches often fail to capture the unique needs of individual counties.
“You can’t think for the counties if the counties can’t think for themselves,” he added. “It is essential for the locals to participate in these discussions. Our goal is to present the 2025 national budget to the legislature before November this year, ensuring it reflects the needs of the people.”
Ngafuan reiterated that the ARREST Agenda, which succeeds the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD), will serve as the cornerstone of Liberia’s development strategy moving forward.
However, he noted that one of the critical challenges with previous plans was the lack of clear linkages between county development priorities and the national budget.
Reflecting on the past, Ngafuan referenced the County Development Agendas introduced under former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration, which were part of the broader Lift Liberia Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS).
While these documents were well-formulated, they often failed to adequately connect with the national budget and overall development strategy.
“We are determined to avoid the same mistakes,” Ngafuan explained. “The national development agenda, the ARREST Agenda, and the county development plans must work in unison to ensure real progress. This consultation is about merging national priorities with the genuine aspirations of our counties.”
He highlighted that without proper coordination between national and county-level actors, development resources could be misallocated. “When people think only at the county or district level, they often miss the bigger picture. This is why national oversight, combined with local input, is essential.”
Deputy Finance Minister for Administration, Bill Jones McGill, also addressed the session, emphasizing the importance of engaging lawmakers in the national conversation about Liberia’s development.
He stressed that as lawmakers control budgetary appropriations, their input is critical to ensuring that county-level priorities are reflected in the national budget.
McGill remarked, “Every decision we make as a country flows through the national budget, and lawmakers are at the center of this process. Their engagement ensures that what the people want is captured in the budget, and it provides transparency and accountability in the development process.”
Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Edward K. Mulbah, speaking on behalf of the ministry, highlighted the transformative potential of the Local Government Act of 2018.
This legislation empowers citizens to actively participate in governance and resource management through decentralization, making it a key tool in ensuring development reaches all corners of the country.
“We are grateful for the opportunities this act provides,” Mulbah stated. “It opens the door for local governments to have a say in how resources are managed, helping to drive development at the grassroots level. The ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development is designed to enhance this framework, giving decision-making power to communities across Liberia.”
Senator Prince K. Moye, Chairman of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, lauded the Ministry of Finance and Internal Affairs for their commitment to engaging citizens across all 15 counties.
Moye emphasized the importance of addressing long standing infrastructure issues, such as the need for the pavement of Kokoya Road, which links Bong and Grand Bassa counties.
“It was critical that you reached out to our communities to hear directly from them about their development challenges,” Moye noted. He added that the district and county consultations, conducted without the direct presence of lawmakers, gave citizens the freedom to express their true concerns.
Moye also called for a clear framework in the County Development Agendas (CDAs) that would differentiate between projects to be undertaken by the central government and those that local authorities could manage.
“This will ensure that there is no overlap, and that local governments have the autonomy to drive their own development where appropriate,” he concluded.
Senator Joseph K. Jallah of the Lofa County Legislative Caucus echoed Moye’s sentiments, commending the technical teams for their leadership in formulating the draft National Development Plans. He stressed the importance of continued collaboration between national and local actors as the development process moves forward.
The consultative process officially launched on July 18, 2024, during the inaugural meeting of the National Steering Committee, chaired by His Excellency Joseph N. Boakai. Six technical teams, comprising experts from the Ministry of Finance, Internal Affairs, and the United Nations system, have since been deployed to districts across Liberia to gather input from citizens.
These teams were supported by development experts from the Africa Development Management Associates and Zubah Belleh Associates, who helped facilitate the consultations. Their findings will play a crucial role in shaping Liberia’s Public Sector Investment Programs (PSIPs) and the County Development Agendas moving forward.
