STATEMENT BY HON. FRANCIS SAKILA NYUMALIN, SR.

Minister of Local Government

At the Official Launch of the National Decentralization Support Unit (NDSU)

Monday, January 19, 2026

Ministry of Local Government – Main Conference Room

Honorable Ministers and Heads of Ministries, Agencies and Commissions.

Members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Decentralization (IMCD);

Members of the Program Management Board (PMB);

Development Partners.

County and Local Government Officials.

Civil Society Organizations.

Members of the Fourth Estate.

Deputy and Assistant Ministers.

Members of the Ministry of Local Government Family.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

Today marks a significant milestone in Liberia’s decentralization journey with the official launch of the National Decentralization Support Unit (NDSU). This Unit is established to coordinate and support the implementation of decentralization reforms nationwide, in close collaboration with all sector Ministries, Agencies, and Commissions (MACs) represented on the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Decentralization (IMCD) and the Program Management Board (PMB).

This launch reflects our collective recognition that decentralization is neither a stand-alone reform nor the responsibility of a single institution. Rather, it is a whole-of-government transformation agenda that demands coordination, coherence, and sustained collaboration across all sectors of government.

The Local Government Act of 2018 provides the legal framework for political, administrative, and fiscal decentralization in Liberia. Since its enactment, the Government has taken important steps to establish local governance structures and initiate the transfer of responsibilities closer to the people.

However, experience has clearly shown that effective decentralization requires more than laws and institutions. It requires a strong coordination mechanism to ensure that sector reforms are aligned, well sequenced, and mutually reinforcing. This is the critical gap the National Decentralization Support Unit is designed to fill.

The NDSU will serve as the central technical and coordination hub for decentralization reforms across government. Its mandate is to support, guide, and harmonize decentralization efforts within and across all sector MACs represented on the IMCD and PMB.

Let me emphasize that the NDSU does not replace the statutory mandates of sector institutions. Instead, it exists to strengthen collaboration, promote policy coherence, and support the effective implementation of decentralization reforms in line with national priorities.

Under the policy leadership of the IMCD and the operational oversight of the Program Management Board, the NDSU will:

• Coordinate decentralization policies, programs, and initiatives across government.

• Provide technical support to sector MACs and sub-national institutions.

• Monitor and report on the progress of decentralization implementation.

• Support capacity development at both national and local levels; and

• Promote alignment of sector policies with the Local Government Act of 2018.

Against this backdrop, I wish to stress that active participation by all sector MACs is not optional—it is essential. Every MAC represented on the IMCD, and PMB is a co-owner of Liberia’s decentralization agenda.

Decentralization in Liberia will only succeed if sector ministries integrate it into their planning, budgeting, and service delivery systems, and if counties and local authorities are fully empowered to carry out their devolved responsibilities. Let me remind us all that decentralization is the heartbeat of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s governance vision, and we must collectively galvanize our efforts to ensure its success.

The Local Government Act of 2018 clearly requires that when responsibilities are devolved, corresponding financial resources must follow. In this regard, I once again call on His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to appoint the Local Government Fiscal Board to ensure that decentralization in Liberia is affordable, accountable, and irreversible.

The Local Government Fiscal Board is mandated, among other things, to:

• Provide a controlled pathway for county fiscal autonomy.

• Strengthen integrity and accountability; and

• Protect national fiscal stability.

This Board represents the financial backbone of Liberia’s decentralization drive and is therefore non-negotiable for safe, sustainable, and credible decentralization.

The establishment of the NDSU signals a decisive shift—from fragmented efforts to coordinated action, from parallel initiatives to shared accountability, and from policy intent to measurable results.

As we launch the National Decentralization Support Unit today, we reaffirm Government’s commitment to strengthening local governance, improving service delivery, and ensuring that decentralization delivers real and lasting benefits to the Liberian people.

Let us move forward together, guided by collaboration, accountability, and a shared vision for a decentralized, inclusive, and resilient Liberia.

At this juncture, I hereby declare the National Decentralization Support Unit (NDSU) officially launched.

I thank you.