By Lincoln G. Peters
Senators on Capitol Hill and local government officials, especially superintendents guided by Internal Affairs Minister Francis S. Nyumaline, were engaged in a serious clash and verbal tussle regarding the full implementation of the Local Government Act of 2018.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, superintendents from across Liberia were summoned by the Liberian Senate to a Public hearing to evaluate the implementation of the Local Government Act and the involvement of the County Legislative Caucus in the county’s developmental process.
During the hearing, Grand Cape Mount County Senator Simeon B. Taylor, Gbarpolu County Senator Botoe Kanneh, and others raised concerns regarding the neglect, disrespect, and disregard for the County legislative caucus in the implementation of projects and funds.
They accused the Superintendents of failing to report to the County caucus regarding the financial expenditure of their operations and the county, while urging that local officials be held accountable.
On the other hand, Francis Dopo, Amarah Konneh, Senator Abraham D. Dillon, and Bomi County Senator, Edwin Snowe, however, urged that the Local Government Act be repealed so as to mandate the local government officials to properly coordinate with the County legislative caucus to ensure that they have better and stronger oversight.
Additionally, they called for an amendment to the Act to ensure a check and balance within the County Development Funds and the Operational running of the Superintendents’ offices.
Meanwhile, responding to the concerns raised by the senators, Internal Affairs Minister Francis S. Nyumaline apologized for the area, acknowledging that if it were true that superintendents were not reporting, while adding that when he took over, they had a week-long training workshop for all superintendents. All of our county superintendents and county officials attended the workshop.
According to him, the actual reason was to enable Superintendents and local government officials to understand the content of the Local Government Act of 2018, and they are aware that no member of the county council should receive compensation unless the legislature sets a threshold and includes that in the budget.
‘’On December 14, 2024, I wrote the Liberian Senate through the President Pro-Tempos and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, reminding the legislature to please set the tracheole to appropriate money in the budget. I did follow-up throughout the budget preparation period and it didn’t happen. And so, if there is any appropriation in any county budget, then the county administration or superintendent should be held liable. What we do not know is that there are administrative regulations formulated and validated. Section 6.8 (F)’’ he stated.
Commenting on the allegation of county Development Funds diversion and Operational Funds, he noted that the County or social development fund are available but it’s so unfortunate to admit that, the Ministry itself doesn’t have direct operational funds, therefore, if they don’t have, it means that no direct line for operation for counties and superintendents’ operation.
Further commenting, he added that he has not received any complaints from any senator against any of his county officials, while acknowledging that this doesn’t mean that such incidents have not occurred.
I have no written record from any senators complaining about any of my officials. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has done so. However, I am aware that Senator Kanneh of Gbarpolu County wrote a complaint directly to the President against the Superintendent of her county. That letter was brought to the attention of the Minister of State for investigation and further action. And so, that communication didn’t come to me,’ he stated.
He mentioned that Grand Cape Mount County, Simeon verbally complained to him that the county chairperson of Grand Cape Mount was acting out of order, adding that the senator went to the extent of forwarding a recording to him regarding the allegation.
Having consulted with the county leadership and the county council, we are pleased to announce that, in the interest of peace, the chairman of the County Council in Cape Mount has resigned. We want to assure you that we will have no county superintendent, including myself, that we will never direct any members of this august body, because an attempt to do so will warrant disciplinary action’’ he concluded. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
