The Minister of Internal Affairs, Varney Sirleaf, has urged President-elect, Joseph Boakai, and the incoming Unity Party administration, to build on the gains made by the outgoing government for the forward march of Liberia.
Minister Sirleaf made the remark at the Ministry on Capitol Hill, when the Ministry joined its development partners, including the Swedish Embassy, Irish Embassy, UNDP, USAID, MFDP, and GC, and held their last decentralization support program board meeting in Monrovia.
Minister Sirleaf, in his opening remarks, informed development partners and stakeholders that the Liberia Decentralization Support Program (LDSP) has, over time, recounted enormous accomplishments due to the collective efforts of all stakeholders.
“I am particularly excited about the strides made around the legal and regulatory reforms accomplished during the period under review,” he said, adding that the landmark enactment of the Revenue Sharing Act, the PFM amendment and the drafting of the Local Government Act, are “testament to our collective efforts”.
“I therefore implore the incoming government to build upon the gains that have been made over the years by strengthening these interventions and exploring sustainability mechanisms to continue the Liberia Decentralization Support Program in the future,” the Minister said.
He also named the solar installations at 12 of the 15 county centers as particularly notable, as such infrastructure will address the perennial challenge of stable electricity, which has hindered service delivery.
“I am also impressed by the establishment of county councils and the real estate revenue sharing intervention currently being carried out by the LRA in Buchanan City. Those interventions are key to enhancing decentralization and promoting local economic development,” he added.
He further used the occasion to extend appreciation to development partners. “To this end, I want to thank the development partners for their tireless support of the program and all they have done for Liberia during the past years. Your support was a vital ingredient to the success of the LDSP program and the main gains the government made in other sectors during the past six years.”
Minister Sirleaf also called on stakeholders and development partners not to abandon the LDSP; instead, they should remain committed, saying “Even though we might not be around, let’s continue to support this program for the betterment of Liberia.”
Also making remarks, Deputy UNDP Resident Representative for Programs, Louis Kuukpen, thanked Minister Sirleaf and his team, including all the stakeholders, for their efforts in making sure that the government supports the LDSP in all counties.
“We are very grateful for your dedication, success, and time, and we are hoping that your successors will bring similar zest to seeing that the different programs are implemented.” He expressed joy for the role played by UNDP, saying, “we are happy for the achievements we have made together, including the conduct of county orientation.”
He said the campaign is about equity distribution to the poor, and as such, there’s a need for the government to lend more focus to the decentralization program, which he says will benefit the country.
The Swedish Ambassador to Liberia, Urban Sjostrom, also thanked the Ministry of Internal Affairs for always working alongside the Swedish government in rebuilding the development initiatives of Liberia.
He thanked Minister Sirleaf for extending his invitation, stating, “thank you for inviting me to this meeting. As you all may be aware, Sweden has been a longtime partner of Liberia.”
“We have seen the challenges in taking decentralization to the people, and we have also seen the progress that’s been made so far, and we want to commend you for this achievement, and we are proud to be part of this,” he added.
He disclosed that he paid a visit to Grand Bassa to see efforts toward the decentralization program, and it was exciting for him to have seen the solar panels all across the county, adding, “but there’s still a long journey, and that’s why we all are stepping in to support this initiative through the Ministry.”