In a forceful denunciation of what it calls an “alarming regression,” Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL) has strongly opposed a proposed amendment to the Local Government Act (LGA) of 2018, warning that it threatens to reverse Liberia’s gains in democratic decentralization.
The proposed legislation, introduced recently by Representative Jeremiah Sokan Sr., seeks to repeal Sections 2.2(e) and 2.2(f) of the LGA. These key provisions empower County Councils to approve their respective annual budgets and development plans. The amendment proposes shifting this authority to County Legislative Caucuses—essentially centralizing decision-making powers back in the hands of national lawmakers.
At a press briefing in Monrovia, IWL Executive Director Harold Aiddo described the proposed changes as a deliberate effort to “recentralize authority, politicize local development, and erode the very foundation of decentralization in Liberia.”
The central concern raised by Integrity Watch Liberia is the erosion of accountability and transparency when legislative actors assume dual roles—both creating laws and directly executing or overseeing their implementation. According to IWL, this blurs the necessary separation of powers, compromises objectivity, and leaves governance vulnerable to manipulation.
“When lawmakers become both the referee and the player,” the organization warned, “oversight becomes compromised, objectivity is lost, and the door to corruption, conflict of interest, and political manipulation swings wide open.”
This assertion highlights a broader issue in Liberia’s governance: the persistent tension between political control and institutional autonomy. For a country striving to improve public service delivery and rebuild trust in government, Aiddo argued that such a move risks undermining hard-earned democratic gains.
Enacted in 2018, the Local Government Act was celebrated as one of Liberia’s most progressive postwar governance reforms. It marked a decisive step toward participatory democracy by empowering County Councils—locally elected and representative bodies—to lead their own development processes.
The act decentralized power from the capital, Monrovia, to the counties, allowing communities to directly influence the formulation and implementation of their budgets and development priorities. Integrity Watch Liberia views the current repeal effort as a betrayal of that vision.
“This is not reform,” the organization’s statement read. “It is a calculated rollback of accountability and citizen participation, disguised as legislative oversight.”
In its official position, Mr. Addo outlined a three-point call to action: Reject the Amendment – IWL urges the Liberian Legislature, particularly the House of Representatives, to reject the proposed changes in full. Mobilize Resistance – The organization calls on citizens, traditional leaders, civil society, and international development partners to publicly resist what it describes as a dangerous legislative overreach. Defend Local Governance – IWL reminds lawmakers that weakening the autonomy of County Councils violates democratic principles and undermines the essential doctrine of the separation of powers.
He noted that the broader implications of the proposed repeal are significant. Liberia is still grappling with uneven development, weak institutional trust, and chronic service delivery challenges. Critics argue that rather than solving these issues, re-centralizing power risks intensifying them by reducing local accountability and amplifying the influence of political elites.
Reverting to a centralized model, they caution, could hinder innovation, mute local voices, and increase susceptibility to corruption through unchecked legislative interference in county-level projects.
IWL’s warning resonates with a growing consensus among governance experts that progress in Liberia hinges on strengthening, not dismantling, local democratic structures. As the debate intensifies, the nation is faced with a critical choice: whether to uphold its commitment to participatory, locally driven governance or backslide into centralized political control.
The amendment proposal has become a litmus test for the maturity of Liberia’s democratic institutions and the willingness of its lawmakers to prioritize national interest over political expediency. With firm resolve, IWL concludes: “We stand firm. We stand united. And we want to say: Hands off the Local Government Act!”
In the coming weeks, the response of the Legislature—and that of Liberian citizens—may well shape the trajectory of democratic governance in the country for years to come.
