By Laurina B. Lormia
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced a weeklong Orientation and Capacity Building Workshop for recently elected local government officials and personnel from various local government structures across the country.
The workshop is scheduled to take place in Gompa City, Nimba County, from August 5-9, aimed at equipping new officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively manage their respective localities and enhance governance at the grassroots level.
Addressing the press on Friday August 2, 2024, at the office in Monrovia, Minister Francis Nyumalin emphasized the importance of the workshop in building a competent and responsive local government.
According to him, Zanzan Karwor is no longer the Chief of the National Traditional Council of Chiefs and Elders, and the purpose of the orientation is to empower members of local government structures with the requisite knowledge for them to deliver on their respective duties and functions ascribed to them by the Local Government Act of 2018.
He added that, the issues of local government payroll management and the Civil Service Standing Orders especially on hiring, firing and replacement among others will be presented by the relevant personnel of government.
Over 250 participants are expected to be in attendance representing all 15 counties adding that, their objective is to increase understanding of the structures and contents of the Local Government Act of 2018 and other decentralization reforms including the revenue sharing Law.
“The Ministry is expecting a series of presentations, including one from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) on asset declaration, compliance issues, and conflict of interest. Additionally, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning will present on the Public Financial Law, and there will be a presentation on the financial processes and procedures of the MIA and the counties,” he asserted.
It is expected that, the orientation, election and induction activities will set the pace for full rollout of the decentralization reforms and the ARREST Agenda of Liberia.
There will also be a presentation on the procurement and internal audit processes and procedures.
The Ministry expects that the various heads of the local government structure will be adequately prepared and knowledgeable about these processes and procedures in order to avoid overlap and duplicate of function.
One of the key activities of the gathering in Gompa City will be to comply with Chapter Three of the Local Government Act of 2018, which is the establishment of the National Council of Chiefs of Liberia.
There will be a session where jointly participants will derive strategies for coordination within the local government and also an election for the National Superintendent Council and City Mayor Council.
Meanwhile, the 15 chairpersons of the County Council of Chiefs will elect their National Chairperson and other members of the leadership of the National Council Chiefs, which now replaces the erstwhile National Traditional Council of Chiefs & Elders replacing Chief Zanzan Karwor.
“After the orientation and election which ends on Friday, President Boakai will formally induct leadership of the National Council Chiefs and the Superintendent and Mayor Councils into office on Saturday, August 10 in Monrovia,” he concluded.
