GANTA, Nimba – Decentralizing key government activities is one of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s greatest achievements in Liberia, according to Rep. Worlea Saywah Dunah of Nimba’s seventh district.

Because of Sirleaf’s effort to take major government activities to citizens outside Monrovia, Dunah said individuals can now not only obtain documentation such as driver’s licenses and marriage certificates, but they can also seek higher and affordable education through community colleges within their counties.

“It was under Madam Sirleaf’s administration we established the Nimba Community College that is among one of the best in Liberia,” Dunah said. “Not only Nimba Community College, but also the Grand Gedeh Community College, the Bong Technical College, Lofa Community College, Bomi Community College, Bassa Community College, and Harbel Community College.”

He noted that the presence of these colleges within the counties would provide young Liberians with the opportunity to start and build a career outside Monrovia.

“You don’t have to go to Monrovia,” he said. “You don’t have to go to [the University of Liberia] to become a geologist; you can become a geologist right here.”

However, while Dunah is giving credit for the creation of the community colleges to Sirleaf, some of the institutions were actually proposed by lawmakers. For example, Harbel Community College was established due to a bill introduced by Rep. Ballah Zayzay of Margibi’s second district.

Additionally, other elements of decentralization, such as the county development funds and the legislative support projects, which allocate funds for counties and districts, appear to have also been pushed by the legislature.

Moreover, the record on these initiatives is mixed as the lack of accountability of local officials and the low presence of anti-corruption agencies outside of Monrovia has often created a difficulty in keeping officials accountable.

The draft Local Governance Act, meanwhile, which is meant to transfer some power from executive branch ministries and government agencies to local officials, has yet to be passed. Even after the bill was drafted, the president stalled in pushing it to the legislature, where it is currently being reviewed.

As a result, cities and counties have no elected governments, even though the mayors of all cities are prescribed by law to be elected by citizens. A Supreme Court decision allowed Sirleaf to indefinitely suspend all municipal elections in the name of financial constraints and appoint all leaders.

The establishment of county service centers, beginning in 2015 with the one in Grand Bassa, is an area where Sirleaf has succeeded with decentralization. The centers were also set up in Bong, Bomi, and Nimba. There, citizens can obtain civil documents such as marriage and driver licenses, business registration, and vehicle registration, among others.

The president’s decentralization agenda has been pushed and funded by international agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, the European Union, and USAID.

Dunah, who is a member of the ruling party, said when Sirleaf leaves in January 2018, she and the Unity Party will be remembered for building such a legacy.

“We have achieved a lot, lot more,” he added. “I can’t sit… to explain all she has done.”

The Nimba lawmaker said the president’s decentralization accomplishments is reason enough for Liberians to allow Unity Party to rule Liberia for a third-term, under the presidency of Vice President Joseph N. Boakai.

Featured photo courtesy of Worlea Dunah