BFF CEO Augustine S Arkoi on behalf of CSO-PdG Consortium Presenting Petition Statement to Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, joined by Amb. Lionel Johnson, Mark Miller, Mrs. Sarah Wallace; Hon. Thomas Romeo Quioh look on.
CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA – The National Legislature of Liberia has officially accepted and advanced a landmark petition seeking to institutionalize state funding for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
On June 24, the Better Future Foundation (BFF), in powerful coalition with the Consortium of CSOs-Partners for Democracy and Good Governance (PdG), formally petitioned the Liberian National Legislature at the Capitol Building in Monrovia.
The petition requests a dedicated, non-discretionary budgetary allocation of US$0.1% from Liberia’s US$1.2 billion national budget appropriation to mitigate the severe sustainability crisis paralyzing the nation’s civic space.
Presented on behalf of the collaborative network by BFF Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Augustine S. Arkoi and facilitated by Representative Thomas Romeo Quioh, the formal petition statement was received with high diplomatic regard by House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon.
BFF is a Liberian based CSO dedicated to building peace, supporting democracy, promoting development, and international cultural understanding and corporation.
True to his commitment to treating the civic sector as an “indispensable partner for national development,” Speaker Koon expedited the request.
On Thursday, June 25, the CSO Bill was formally introduced in the House Plenary, read, adopted and transmitted to the House Governance Committee for review and timely reporting.
During the presentation, Speaker Koon noted that upon successful passage of the law, it would be highly prudent to consider community chairmen for honoraria to incentivize localized leadership.
The historic presentation was witnessed by key civil society stalwarts, including Ambassador Lionel Johnson, President of the Federation of Disabilities Organizations of Liberia, Vice President Mrs. Sarah Wallace and Mr. Mark Miller, Program Officer of the Liberia Elections Observation Network (LEON).
For decades, Liberia’s vibrant third sector, the CSO has been the primary vehicle for grassroots service delivery, land dispute mediation, human rights monitoring, and democratic oversight.
However, this essential architecture faces an existential threat. The withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the closure of critical international NGO programs, the expiration of key USAID projects and the shutdown of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) initiatives have left an untenable funding void.
“Over-reliance on fluctuating external donor priorities compromises national ownership and threatens the continuity of vital peace consolidation initiatives,” stated BFF CEO Arkoi during the presentation.
This legislative push bridges the gap by enacting the long-delayed legal frameworks outlined in the 2016 GoL-CSO ACCORD and Section 7.2.1.5 of the Government of Liberia Civil Society Partnership Policy, which explicitly mandates the creation of a Civil Society Trust Fund.
The request for an institutionalized US$0.1%$ budgetary allocation of the national budget for more than 2500 recorded CSOs is grounded in proven global and regional governance frameworks.
Around the world, advanced democracies and emerging economies alike recognize that state-funded independent accountability mechanisms yield immense social returns: The European Model of Civic Subsidiarity: Across several European Union nations, state budgets actively subsidize accredited CSOs through independent statutory funds to implement public service, civic education, and healthcare initiatives without compromising their independent watchdog status and West African Precedents: Countries across the ECOWAS sub-region are increasingly turning toward domestic asset mobilization.
By allocating local state resources via competitive, transparent “Calls for Proposals,” governments maximize the unparalleled access CSOs have to remote, underserved populations where formal line ministries lack reach.
The bill, is a rational paradigm shift from treating CSOs as mere external entities to treating them as constitutional pillars.
The petition draws robust legitimacy from the 1986 Liberian Constitution—specifically Article 1 (inherent power of the people), Article 5 (state obligation for national reconciliation), and Article 17 (the right to petition the government). By funding CSOs domestically, Liberia ensures that its
democratic development is insulated from foreign policy shifts and remains aligned with purely Liberian national interests.
To counter any risk of political co-optation, conflict of interest, or financial mismanagement, the proposed legislation builds an ironclad wall of accountability. Funding will not be handed out as discretionary political favors. Instead, disbursements will be governed through a competitive, merit-based framework evaluated by an independent, multi-stakeholder board comprised of government officials, the National Civil Society Board of Liberia, and external auditors.
To be eligible for a single cent of the proposed US$0.1%$ allocation, CSOs must strictly meet mandatory baseline criteria:
1. Legal and Financial Compliance: Proof of valid incorporation, official accreditation, and full compliance with Liberian tax and labor regulations.
2. Institutional Maturity: A minimum track record of three years of active, verifiable operation.
3. Fiduciary Soundness: Submission of independently audited financial statements for the preceding two fiscal years, prepared by a certified Liberian accounting firm.
4. Strict Non-Partisanship: Execution of a binding legal affidavit verifying absolute non-partisanship and zero affiliation with political parties or candidates.
As the bill moves to the House Governance Committee, the petitioning consortium—supported by NARDA, the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), CENTAL and the Voices of The Elders (VOTE)- Republic of Liberia—urges lawmakers to recognize the strategic urgency of this bill. Investing $0.1%$ of the state budget into a specialized, tightly audited Trust Fund will accelerate the localization of the ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development (AAID).
Furthermore, the bill satisfies Article 5 of the Constitution by calling for the statutory establishment of a National Peace & Reconciliation Commission to institutionalize peace education, civics curriculum, and anti-drug sensitization in schools nationwide.
One of the prominent signatories to the proposed CSO bill, Dr. D. Evelyn S. Kandakai, who is also Former Liberian Minister of Education said, “Liberia stands at a historic crossroads.
The National Legislature has the profound opportunity to lead West Africa in civic sustainability. By swiftly passing this bill, lawmakers will ensure that the oversight, peace, and stable development of the Republic are funded by the state, owned by the people, and preserved for generations to come.”
Meanwhile, key international stakeholders and prominent rights advocates have swiftly welcomed the Legislature’s decisive action adopting the CSO bill as a major positive step toward resolving the long-standing sustainability crisis within Liberia’s civil society sector.
In separate expressions of support, the Country Representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Christian Mukosa; the Executive Director of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), Urias Pour; and the Secretary General of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), Rev. Dr. Christopher Toe, along with other leading activists, all praised the lawmakers’ intervention.
They emphasized that addressing the financial and operational vulnerabilities of CSOs is vital for maintaining a robust civic space, protecting human rights and safeguarding democratic governance.
Adding her voice to the wave of support, veteran educator and keynote speaker during the December 2025 validation, adoption and signing of the proposed CSO bill; Sister Mary Laurene Browne, OSF, hailed the legislative intervention as an unprecedented and visionary act of statesmanship that will be permanently etched in the annals of our history and deeply appreciated by posterity.
Sister Mary Laurene Browne noted that by taking proactive ownership of this sustainability crisis, the National Legislature has not only validated the tireless, grassroots efforts of peacebuilders and civic advocates, but has also laid a resilient foundation for enduring national development and reconciliation across Liberia.
