ADNews- Monrovia: The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) & and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) along with Team-Players announced a new policy aimed at accelerating national development across Liberia.
On Friday, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Ministry of Internal Affairs convened a meeting in Monrovia with lawmakers from all 15 counties aimed at integrating local insights into national development strategies.
Speaking at the event, Minister Ngafuan emphasized the importance of addressing gaps between the national budget and county development funds.He stated that the MFDP aims to formulate a comprehensive National Development Plan in line with the ARREST agenda.
“It is crucial to collaborate with legislators to incorporate the pressing issues affecting their constituencies into the national development agenda,” he said.
“You can’t think for the counties if the counties cannot think for themselves,” Ngafuan asserted. “The locals must participate in discussing their needs. Our objective is to present the 2025 budget to the legislature before November this year. We want a practical document that highlights the needs of the people, ensuring that the budget reflects county and district priorities.”
Ngafuan reiterated the importance of legislative engagement, as all proposals require legislative approval.
Edward K. Mulbah, Deputy Minister for Research and Development Planning at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, spoke on behalf of his ministry. He expressed gratitude to the government and legislature for enacting the Local Government Act of 2018, which empowers citizens to participate actively in governance and resource management through decentralization.
Mulbah described decentralization as a revolutionary approach to tackling Liberia’s fundamental challenges, asserting that it holds significant potential for human capacity development. “The ARREST Agenda seeks to improve living conditions for the people, giving decision-making authority to local governments at all levels,” he explained.
He highlighted Chapter 5, Sub-section 5.3 of the Local Government Act, which focuses on developing a County Development Agenda—a comprehensive plan that integrates the needs of various administrative districts and chiefdoms. “As we finalize the National Development Plans, it is imperative to seek input from lawmakers to ensure complete ownership of these plans,” Mulbah clarified.
Senator Prince Moye, chair of the Bong County Legislative Caucus, praised the ministries for their efforts in decentralizing the national development agenda. “It was vital that you reached out to our communities, engaging them about the issues they face,” he noted, emphasizing the need to address challenges such as the pavement of the Kokoya Road, which links Bong and Grand Bassa Counties.
The first day of discussions featured a morning session with the Bong and Lofa Counties Legislative Caucuses, followed by meetings with legislative caucuses from Grand Kru, River Gee, and Maryland counties in the afternoon. These discussions are scheduled for September 27, 30 and October 2, 2024, at the Bella Casa Hotel in Monrovia.
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