In a decisive move toward decentralisation, the Government of Liberia has commenced an intensive Budget Disaggregation Training for local government officials and financial officers, with a focus on health and education sectors.
The training, facilitated by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), is taking place in Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County, from October 12–17, 2025.
The programme, led by Finance Minister Anthony G. Myers, has been hailed as a turning point in Liberia’s efforts to shift financial authority from central to county-level administration.
“This is the beginning of the end of the realization of decentralization,” Minister Myers told a gathering of CEOs, County Superintendents, and treasury officers. “You’re giving them power. You’re giving them responsibility. Why is the authority? Resources! They need the resources to execute that responsibility.”
A core pillar of this strategy is enhanced budget transparency. Myers revealed that local officials will soon be able to access detailed data on ministry and agency spending across all counties.
“You will be able to look through the budget of each ministry and agency and know how they are spending their resources… across the country,” he explained, suggesting that such access would allow local administrators to hold ministries accountable and better plan development priorities.
To support this initiative, the government is expanding its County Treasury system. Minister Myers announced the establishment of six additional county treasuries next year, raising the total from four to ten. Though not every county will have a dedicated treasury immediately, he assured that services would be accessible to all fifteen counties during the transitional phase.
The decentralisation push also includes reforms in procurement processes, which are expected to significantly benefit local economies.
“You have a restaurant, or a hotel, or a catering service in Buchanan, and then the procurement has to be done in Monrovia,” Myers said.
“One of the things that this strategy will do for the local economies… will be, businesspeople will know how much ministries and agencies are spending in their counties. And so, they can compete for contracts in those counties.”
Myers stressed the importance of enabling local actors to conduct procurement directly in their counties, thereby boosting small businesses, creating jobs, and retaining funds within regional markets.
Internal Affairs Minister Hon. Francis Saah Nymalin underscored the need to “professionalize local government,” warning against continued political appointments in key financial roles.
Comptroller and Accountant General J. Elwood Nettey delivered a cautionary message, reminding participants of the weight of financial responsibility.
“Sooner or later, you will be on the front page… that you will be taking money that probably you will never see in your life just because… probably [of a] documentation issue,” Nettey warned. He urged officials to embrace accountability and professionalism, stressing that excuses related to capacity would not protect them from audit scrutiny.
The Buchanan training represents the most tangible step yet in implementing a decentralisation agenda introduced over a decade ago. If fully realised, it could dramatically transform governance and service delivery in Liberia.
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