Liberia is located in West Africa, bounded by Guinea, Sierra Leone, Cote D'Ivoire, and the Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of 3.6 million people belonging to 16 major tribes. Liberia has a unitary democratic republic government based on the US model with three branches of government. It is divided into 15 counties for administrative purposes, each headed by a county superintendent appointed by the president. Lower levels include statutory districts, districts, cities, towns, and a traditional system of paramount chiefs, clan chiefs, and town chiefs. The key government ministries are the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

1. EDWIN B.R.GBARGAYE

2. LIBERIA L
•
• P
• President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
• Located in West Africa bounded by Guinea on
the north, Sierra Leone on the west, Cote
D’voire on the east and south by the Atlantic
ocean.
• Liberia occupies a total area of 111,370 sq.km
with a coastline of 579 km
• Gained independence on July 26,1847
• Oldest independent African Republic

4. Established as a Colony made up of freed African
American Slaves
Managed by the American Colonization Society
Population is 3.6 million
Liberia has fifteen counties (sub-political
divisions).
16 Major Tribes and Dialects
English is official language
• Conservative Christian Nation dominated by
protestants

5. • 16 Major Tribes and Dialects
• English is official language
• Conservative Christian Nation
• Natural Resources : Diamonds, Gold,
Bauxite, Silver, Rubber, Timber,

6. Political System
• Unitary State
• Three Branches of Government
- Judiciary, Legislative and Executive
- Liberia has a Bicameral Legislature
- Consist of 30 Senators elected by popular vote to
serve nine-year terms
- House of Representatives-64 seats members
elected by popular vote to serve six -year terms
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

7. • Executive Branch
• The President is elected by popular vote for a
six-year (2 terms)
• The Cabinet is appointed by the Chief
Executive

8. • Politics of Liberia takes place in a framework
of a presidential representative democratic
republic modeled on the government of the
US.
• The President is the head of State and head of
government-Like the Philippines and unlike
the US as opposed to a federation and has a
pluriform multi-party system rather than the
two- party system.

9. • Executive power is exercised by the
government
• Legislative power is vested in both the
government and the two chambers of the
legislature.
• Liberia is still in transition from dictatorship
and civil war to democracy

10. • Liberia’s government is based on the
American model of a republic with three equal
branches of government though in reality the
president has dominant force.
• Currently no party has majority control of the
legislature.

11. President
(15) Superintendent
(32) Statutory District
Superintendent
District
Commissioner
(119) District
Superintendent
(237) Township
Commissioner
(126) City Mayors

12. • The President appoints the Superintendent to
govern the county.
• Mayors are elected in principal cities in Liberia
• Superintendents govern the counties
Local Government Administration

13. • The basic units of local government:
• Town Chief, Clan Chief, Paramount Chief and
District Commissioner.

14. • To administer the affairs of the central
government on the ground, the Ministry of
Internal Affairs (MIA) is mandated to carry out
the coordination and supervisory aspects.
• Its administrative function and role are
managed nationally through the local units.
Administrative Structure

15. • Sub-divided under two systems:
• The sub-national levels-whose units of
administration may consist of the county and
district level.
• The rest of its elements being subject to
customary law, through the system of
traditional authority.
Layers of Governance

16. • With respect to the provision of service to
lower levels of governance, the Ministry of
Planning & Economic Affairs (MPEA) is
charged with the prescription of national
policies that guide the formulation of
communities’ development aspirations.
Local Management in Service Delivery

17. • In the implementation of these strategic
policies, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA)
has the responsibility for the administration of
public goods and services through the local
governance system.
• The Ministry of Internal Affairs has the
mandate and responsibilities to supervise the
hinterlands.

18. • The Ministry of Internal Affairs is responsible
for coordinating the affairs of counties and
districts, in conjunction with its system of
tribal governance.
• Where line ministries and agencies are
concerned, the nature of projects defines the
terms of relationships between the county
and district ministerial aspects, as defined by
each ministry’s sectoral outlook.

19. • Specific to each county and district, and
managed by its officers, under the auspices of
the County Superintendents, with their
District Commissioners.

20. • Management Aspect-Ministry of Planning &
Economic Affairs (MPEA)
–responsible for a wide range of development
planning and the coordination of related
questions.
- Formulation of economic planning policies
and sector issues in collaboration with line
ministries.

21. • MPEA through the sub-national level, it
executes its development agenda through the
county and district officials, in conjunction
with the MIA, with it being in charge with the
overall administration of local development.
The two over the years have tended to
perform their functions with logistical ease
given the subject at hand.

22. For administrative purposes Liberia is made up
of 15 political divisions called Counties which
include: Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa,
Grand Cape Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru,
Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,
Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe.
The County

23. • To administer the function of counties is the
County Superintendent, appointed by the
President, as charged with the responsibility
of supervising the government’s mandate, a
would be expected.
• Among key functions is the coordinating role,
where an important purpose is to coordinate
development management in all districts
under his/her legitimate jurisdiction.

24. • In conjunction with the ministries concerned,
the County Development Superintendent is
responsible for the technical aspects of
development.
• The Superintendent coordinates the larger
County Executive Council and is in charge of
annual County Development Meeting, a
platform for reviewing ongoing development
efforts.

25. The Executive Council within the County is made up
of County Commissioners, Revenue Agents,
Mining Agents, all NGOs, Commanding Military
Officers, Business Community Leaders, Student
Representatives and Leaders, Paramount and
Clan and General Town Chiefs.
By virtue of its recognition in the rule of Governing
the hinterlands, the County level is tantamount
to being the de facto local government pending
legal amendments.

26. • Below the County level are 32 Statutory
Districts.
• In their functions the Statutory Districts have
been providing a range of services to a set of
districts under their jurisdiction. Some
functions include technical assistance,
augmenting the capacity in planning and the
implementation of projects, defined on an ad
hoc basis.
Statutory Districts

27. • The Statutory District Superintendent is
appointed by the President and is accountable
to the County Superintendent and functions
as a technical arm of the Superintendent’s
public works office.
• The Superintendent at this level is charged
with the responsibility of assisting the districts
to implement their development, on behalf of
the County Development Superintendent.

28. • Some visible functions currently undertaken by
the Superintendent, through his/her own
volition, is the coordination of the
establishment and functioning of the Ministry’s
effort to implement District Development
Committees (DDCs) within the jurisdiction of
the Statutory Districts. The Statutory District
has taken on responsibility for linking the DDC
scope of work to the county.

29. • At the lower end of the local government system
is the District, headed by District Commissioner,
appointed by the President, and assisted by a
Council of Chiefs.
• The DC is a very important member on the DDC
which has been established by the MIA as agents
for the management aspect of development
planning and implementation of community
based initiatives at the District level.
Districts

30. • Within the Districts, there is the council of chiefs,
made up of paramount and clan chiefs,
accountable to the District Commissioner, an
officer appointed to manage the district.
• There are a total of 119 districts all over the
country.
• The Statutory District has taken on the
responsibility for linking the DDC scope of work
to the County. Its structure is an attempt to
encourage coherence and convergence among
the two tiers of government.

31. • Liberia’s urban settlements consist of the main
municipality (Monrovia) as well as other
secondary towns and smaller cities spread over
the hinterland. The administrative functions of
the areas are directly under the MIA’ Department
of Urban Affairs.
• There are at least 126 cities and 237 towns. City
governance is under the direct responsibilities of
an appointed 9 member council. The head of the
city council is the Mayor who is elected by
popular vote.
Cities and Towns

32. • On the other hand a town is managed by a
Township Commissioner, appointed by the
President. On management issue the city acts
as the headquarters of the town.

33. • Counties
• Chief Administrator: County Superintendent,
appointed.
• Technical manager: Asst. Superintendent
(Development).
• County Inspector
Local Government Management

34. Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs
• Responsible for overall coordination and formulation of strategic economic
and development policies
• Supervises its responsibilities at the County level via its Line Officers at the
County/regional levels, in charge of economic planning
Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Charged with the responsibility of conducting and improving local
government, via supervision and direction of activities of the political
units
• In charge of the management and adjudication of tribal law
Responsible Agents Role and Functions
LOCAL GOVT MANAGEMENT:ITS RESPONSIBILITIES

35. Counties
• Chief Administrator: County Superintendent, Appointed
• Technical Manager – Asst. Superintendent (Development)
• County Inspector – enforces local management regulations
• County Cabinet – Heads of Line Ministries
• Main Coordination Platforms: The County
• Executive Council, and its ad hoc for a, with an Annual County Development
Meeting.
• Administration and Coordinating of public management in the districts under its
jurisdiction.
• Monitors compliance with established regulations, supervising all levels of local
management
• Manages the development budget allocations and approves all district budgets
• In conjunction with the line ministries concerned, the County Development
Superintend is responsible for the technical aspects of development.

36. Statutory Districts
– Head – District Superintendent
– Administration - District Commissioner
– Township Commissioner – A Municipal authority
– Paramount Chiefs – Heads of Set of clans in a tribe
– Clan Chiefs – Head of Clans
– General Town Chiefs (in charge of 250 huts within a clan)
• Each Statutory District has several districts under its technical supervision, its
area of legitimate jurisdiction. The number of administrative districts
supervised by the SD’s range from two to more than four.
• Functions as an extension of the County Development Superintendent, with a
technical role specific to support a range of ad hoc public works management
and related support
• Key functions appears to be in the provision of management for infrastructure
programmes and projects, in some cases
• Provides support to ongoing capacity building of the establishment of the
District Development Council (DDC) concept, where relevant legitimate
functions not well defined.

37. Districts
– Head Administrator: District Commissioner
– Township Commissioner
– Paramount Chiefs
– Clan Chiefs
– General Township
• Supervises and monitors all administrative matters in the district
• Responsible for all development management issues, initiation of
projects, as need be, coordination with partners
• Adjudicates appeal cases from the paramount Chiefs
• DC is the Head of the DDC
• Paramount Chiefs, through the Clan and Township Chiefs are
responsible for law and order under customary law, with ad hoc
responsibilities pertaining to welfare within his tribe, including
initiation of development projects

38. Cities
• Head – An elected Mayor
• City Council – Elected Councilors from existing zones in the city
• Tribal Governor – In charge of Tribal management questions within
the Municipality, accountable to the City Mayor, on behalf of the
Superintendent
• Recent revision of Local Government management rules, pending
adoption of the decentralization policy, some aspects pertain to:
• Cities are to be made into municipal corporations, to have the legal
basis for levying taxes, to sue and be sued, as need be
• Accountable to he Superintendent

39. • Chiefdom- The chiefdom is the apex of
Liberia’s Tribal Authority. At present there are
215 Chiefdoms, with 476 Clans. According to
customary law (Article 21) pertaining to
Liberia’s tribal government each tribe is
governed by Paramount Chief, elected by the
council of Chiefs and Elders, subject to the
approval or disapproval of the President.
Customary and Traditional System of Service

40. • In its administrative organization the tribe
consists of clans according to tribal traditions,
and is ruled by a number of clan chiefs.
Supervised by the Paramount Chief. The Clan
Chief is elected by members of the clan, said
to have reached maturity and are owners of
huts and not delinquent on taxes.

41. • As the coordinating entity for all clans within
any tribe the Paramount Chief is the supreme
tribal leader. Among the variety of role he/
she must perform on behalf of the DC would
be to enforce tax collection and other forms
of government revenues, supervision of road
construction, improvement of agriculture and
trade, among other functions.

42. • To facilitate the duties of the Paramount Chief,
the tribal treasury managed by the tribal
treasurer, who was responsible for preparing
the annual budget of the tribal administration,
for submission to the DC . In effect, the
Paramount Chief’s area of jurisdiction extends
to the customary aspects in the) towns,
through the Township Chief , an appointed
official. There are 237 Township Chiefs in all.

43. County Socio-Economic Profile
• County Economic Potential, Population*
• Counties Population No. IDPs Total Districts City Economic Prospects
• Grand Bassa 244,905 11,942 14 3 Mining, Timber, Rubber
• Grand Cape Mount 101,675 15,168 4 1 Rubber, Rice, Cassava
• Grand Gede 150,000 10,724 11 3 Agriculture, Trade (Ivory Coast)
• Grand Kru 70,994 2,224 22 34 Rice, Cassava, Fishing
• Lofa 241 37,760 6 3 Farming, Trade is thriving
• Margibi 224,418 - 6 2 Rubber Belt
• Maryland 107,084 44,036 8 3 Farming, fishing, trading
• Montserrado 1,646,421 - 2 6 Industrial, Services, Mining
• River Gee 74,783 1,589 12 6 Farming, rice production
• Rivercess 63,710 422 7 1 Farming, rubber
• Sinoe 111,000 4,468 22 34 Minerals, timber, palm oil
• Nimba (Tappita District)85,000 2,572 20 7 Farming
• Total 2,880,231 130,905 134 103 -included are the statutory districts.
•
* Source: Derived from UNMIL base, UN/S/2005/745

44. Thanks for your time