Bong County: Finance & Internal Affairs Ministries launch nationwide county officials training
The usually quiet corridors of Gbarnga’s conference hall buzzed with energy this week as superintendents, county development officers, finance officers, and council representatives from across Liberia gathered for the opening of a four-day training program aimed at strengthening local governance and accelerating county-level development.
By Edwin N Khakie
Gbarnga, August 15, 2025: The workshop, jointly organized by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, runs from August 13 to 16 in both Gbarnga, Bong County, and Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, covering all 15 counties of Liberia.
According to D. Emmanuel Williams II, Director for the Public Investment Unit at the MFDP, the initiative is designed to equip county leaders with the technical expertise and leadership skills needed to successfully implement their County Development Agendas (CDAs) blueprints that guide socio-economic growth at the local level.
“This is about giving our counties the tools to plan, prioritize, and execute impactful projects,” Williams told reporters. “By the end of this program, participants will be able to design bankable projects that can attract funding and deliver real results for their communities.”
The first half of the program focuses on strengthening county leadership clarifying roles, fostering accountability, and drawing lessons from past development experiences, including insights from the “Rwanda model” of coordinated planning and stakeholder engagement.
The final two days will shift to intensive technical training in project development, covering problem identification, stakeholder analysis, risk assessment, budgeting, and results measurement. Participants will also learn how to create actionable project frameworks ready for implementation.
While Williams praised the enthusiasm of participants, he acknowledged challenges in bringing officials together from Liberia’s most remote regions. “Limited funding and logistical difficulties remain real obstacles,” he noted. “But the determination of these leaders to improve their countries far outweighs the challenges.”
One key outcome of the workshop will be the development of County Action Plans, practical, time-bound roadmaps to translate CDAs from policy documents into on-the-ground development.
The County Development Agenda is a cornerstone of Liberia’s national strategy, requiring collaboration between local authorities, the legislature, civil society, and citizens. By targeting both decision-makers and technical teams, the Finance and Internal Affairs Ministries aim to close gaps in planning, communication, and execution.
“As we empower local governance structures,” Williams said, “we are laying the foundation for sustained and inclusive development across Liberia.”
The training continues throughout the week with peer-to-peer exchanges, networking, and best practice sharing, a step forward in ensuring that county development is not just promised but delivered. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
