A power struggle unfolded between Liberian senators and local government officials, particularly superintendents, over the implementation of the 2018 Local Government Act. The Senate summoned superintendents to a public hearing to address concerns raised by senators like Simeon B. Taylor and Botoe Kanneh, who accused superintendents of neglecting and disrespecting the County Legislative Caucus by failing to report on financial expenditures and project implementation. They argued that the superintendents were operating without proper accountability to the caucus, hindering the county’s developmental progress and undermining the role of elected representatives. The senators demanded that local officials be held accountable for their actions and that the financial management of county resources be transparent and accessible to the legislative caucus.
A division emerged among senators regarding the best course of action to address the perceived imbalance of power. While some senators advocated for holding superintendents accountable under the existing Local Government Act, others, including Francis Dopo, Amarah Konneh, Abraham D. Dillon, and Edwin Snowe, called for the Act’s repeal or amendment. They believed that the existing legislation did not adequately empower the County Legislative Caucus to exercise effective oversight over local government operations and expenditures. Their proposed amendments sought to establish a more robust system of checks and balances to prevent potential misuse of county development funds and ensure the proper coordination between the superintendents and the caucus.
Internal Affairs Minister Francis S. Nyumaline responded to the senators’ concerns, acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations and apologizing for any instances where superintendents had failed to report to the County Legislative Caucus. He emphasized that his ministry had conducted training workshops for all superintendents and local government officials to familiarize them with the provisions of the 2018 Local Government Act, particularly regarding financial reporting and accountability. Nyumaline maintained that the ministry had instructed officials to comply with the law, and that any deviations from the established procedures should result in the superintendents being held liable.
Nyumaline addressed the specific issue of compensation for county council members, explaining that the ministry had formally requested the legislature to set a threshold and allocate funds in the budget for this purpose. He stated that he had followed up on this request throughout the budget preparation period but the legislature had not taken the necessary action. Therefore, he argued, if any unauthorized appropriations were made in any county budget, the county administration or superintendent should be held responsible. He pointed to the existing administrative regulations, specifically Section 6.8 (F), as the guiding principle for such matters.
Regarding allegations of county development fund diversion and operational fund mismanagement, Nyumaline acknowledged the availability of county or social development funds but revealed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs itself lacked direct operational funds. Consequently, he argued, counties and superintendents also lacked a direct funding line for their operations. This financial constraint, according to Nyumaline, could potentially contribute to irregularities in financial management at the local level. He pledged to investigate any specific complaints brought forward by senators regarding the misuse of funds.
Nyumaline addressed specific instances raised by senators, noting that he hadn’t received any formal written complaints against county officials, although he was aware of Senator Kanneh’s complaint to the President against the Gbarpolu County Superintendent, which was being handled by the Minister of State. He also mentioned Senator Simeon Taylor’s verbal complaint about the Grand Cape Mount County chairperson, which included a recording provided by the senator as evidence. Nyumaline stated that following consultations with county leadership and the county council, the chairperson in question had resigned in the interest of peace. He concluded by assuring the senators that no county superintendent would be directed to disregard the authority of the legislature, and that any such attempt would result in disciplinary action. This emphasized the ministry’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring accountability within local governance.
