Suspend creation of new Sub-Nat’l units

– Participants tell GOL

Over eighty Participants from six counties in Liberia have recommended to government the suspension of the creation of new sub national units in the country to enable government administrative structures properly function. 

The participants made the recommendation recently in Gbarnga, Bong County, in a joint resolution when the Ministry of Internal Affairs concluded a three-day High Level Consultation and Sensitization on the Rationalization of Government Administrative Structure. 

The participants also recommended that people seeking election to higher public offices must resign their posts before contesting. 

The participants, who included city mayors, civil society organizations, chiefs, political party representatives and local leaders, as well as representatives from other government institutions, expressed the belief that rationalizing local government structures will heavily assist government in the implementation of its development plan. 

In their joint resolution, they also maintained that they believe when the government’s administrative structures are rationalized, the government would be efficient, effective and its financial burden would be reduced. 

Speaking to our Bong County correspondent at the forum, Assistant Internal Affairs Minister for Urban Affairs Robert Bestman said a lot of cities have been created in the country when they do not have basic necessities constituting such municipalities, noting that such decision has created huge personnel cost for the government. 

Assistant Minister Bestman said considering the creation of sub government institutions makes it difficult for the government to undertake projects it should be undertaking. 

“In Sierra Leone, we have about four commissioners, but in Liberia our commissioners are too many that it makes it difficult for government to even buy them cars because if you want to buy a 25, 000 Dollars car for each commissioner and you do the calculation the calculator will not accommodate the figure due to the amount of money it will cost government,” he said. 

He added that as a result of such, the government has to always postpone access to some of these amenities. “Every year, we have to say next year because we want to see whether the government can raise the money,” he added. 

According to him, if cities must be created based on population, Nimba County, for example, would have more than two hundred cities, while Bong County might also have over one hundred and fifty cities which will cost a lot of money for the government,” he indicated. 

Minister Bestman disclosed that consultations on the Rationalization of Government Administrative Structures have been taking place across the country, and will be climaxed with members of the Legislature to whom recommendations from across the country will be presented for their approval. 

By Papa Morris from Gbarnga, Bong County