By Mafanta Kromah
Samson K. Kweh, a resident of Browerville Montserrado County District #11 said he did not know about the amendment to the New Budget Law on the County and Social Development Fund (CSDF), until he attended a forum organized last September by National Youth Movement for Transparent Election (NAYMOTE).
LAVI and its civil society partners recently persuaded the 54th Legislature to institute five key changes to the 2018-2019 Budget Law that increases citizens’participation in the management of CSDF.
The amendment also ensures more transparency and accountability in the management of the County and Social Development Fund (CSDF).
NAYMOTE is one of eight civil society organizations under the Natural Resource Management project funded through the USAID Liberia’s Accountability Voice Initiative (LAVI) that advocated for the amendment that now gives citizens a greater say in the new law.
The Natural Resource Management coalitionsubmitted 17 proposed amendments designed to limit the influence of theLegislature in the management of the CSDF.
This is expected to give citizens more control decide and monitor projects, and ensure expenditures are in line with the Public Financial Management (PFM) law and general accounting principles in Liberia.
The forum in District Eleven, was held in November organized NAYMOTE in Montserrado County districts to engage citizens about the new laws, so that they understand it and have a greater say in projects that are identified for their communities.
“People were excited about the information we provided on the amended laws and we realized that many people didn’t know about the CSDF until we educated them about it,” said S. Aaron Weah-Weah, Program Officer of NAYMOTE.
He said what was impactful about the forum was that citizens will demand their lawmakers, because they now have control over the usage of the CSDF.
“In past time, we realized that it was an open secret that our lawmakers had direct influence on those who attended county sitting, thereby determining projects that did not represent the needs and aspirations of those districts constituents which they represented,” Weah Weah said.
Kweh said the forum helped him and other members of his community understand the challenges facing their district and how they can advocate for projects under the CSDF.
He hopes that Richard Koon, District Eleven Representative will push the interest of the district based on the new law.
“We are waiting to see those people go and make our case at the setting, we believed they will make decision in the interest of the majority,” Kweh said.
John A.B Mctntoch, Chair of the District Development Council in District Eleven thanked NAYMOTE for educating his district about the new law. He learned that the 17 districts in Montserrado County are expected to receive $200,000, which adds up to $11,764,000 for each district. The amount of money is too small for each district, he said.
According to him, the district major concerns are to improve the education system, provide more scholarship for the less fortunate, develop community roads, build clinics for need communities and others.
“We need a lot of information on this,” he said. ‘We don’t want our leaders influencing their decision or marginalizing us by not giving us a chance to speak our minds on issues that are affecting us. We are hopeful that the changes in the new law will be implemented by our leaders, because they amended those changes.’’
In District Seven, John Kollie a resident of West Point said he is excited about the new laws. NAYMOTE organized a forum in the district on October third 2018. The district is represented by Solomon George.
“This law will impact us greatly because it will not be certain group of people deciding our fate anymore or deciding what we want, when we are the best people to tell what we want,’’ he said.
Boye Anderson, a resident of Nagba Town, District Six said most people don’t understand the changes in the CSDF law. He thanked NAYMOTE for educating citizens.
“Our leaders have not bothered to explain to us about it because they don’t want us holding them to the fire or accountable for the used of the fund allocated to counties,’’ he said.
District residents have no idea when the county sitting will be held and no one has asked for their input on projects. He said their district will like to have the establishment of a public school and medical center in the community.
“We don’t know when the County District Sitting will be held,’’ he said. “This is something we expect our leaders and local leaders to communicate, especially when one of the new laws mentioned that the superintendent must ensure that ‘extensive publicity, through all media platforms—radio and TV; print and social media—is given to the sitting to encourage maximum participation. The attendance at county sitting must include equal number of officials and opinion leaders from each of the traditional communities, statutory districts, and administrative districts. Sharing information with community dwellers is important because they are the ones that know their major needs in their communities,” Anderson said.
Before the NAYMOTE forum, most district residents were not aware that they were entitled to the $200,000 in CSDF. During election season, politicians frequent the district for votes, but they don’t return when they are elected, he said.
“Before, we were not aware that there is money given to every county for developmental proposes and that we are to decide the implemented development projects,’’ he said. ‘Now that we know, we will hold them accountable for any mistake on their part in the using of the CSDF,’’ he added.
The coalition came up with the proposed amendments after spending a year engaging citizens around the country about the challenges of measuring the impact of the CSDF.
The money will be issued after a full accounting of previous amounts have been made consistent with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission and PFM law, according to the new law.
Under the new law, withdrawals from the CSDF account must be done in accordance with the Public Financial Management (PFM) law and all general accounting principles. Previously, withdrawals required two principal signatories or their representatives in accordance with guidelines set by the legislative and executive branches.
The new law also requires the election of a 5-member Project Management Committee (PMC), once every three years. The members must comprise a treasurer and a comptroller. The council must decide the criteria for qualifications based on professional training and work experience in accounting.
The project chair must have a minimum of three years’ experience in project management and must have resided in the county before taking the position or be willing to relocate to the county. This is intended to guard against having the PMC members living outside of the county, making them unable to provide oversight. Before the law required the election of a three-member PMC team once every three years.
If implemented, the new law would create more checks and balance on the three PMC leaders and promote competence in terms of electing a chair rather appointing someone with political influence, because previously, PMC members were appointed based on political interest.
The new law also requires that only 10 percent of the CSDF allocation is spent on PMC’s operations. The idea is to spend more on projects that will benefit the community instead of on administration.
Under the new law, the removal of PMC members requires two-third of the county council. The previous law stated that the PMC members shall be removed for cause to be determined by the Legislative Caucus.
Under the new law, the PMC members are more independent in the discharge of their duties.
The processing of budgetary allocations and all documents to citizens and other relevant entities must follow the PPCC and PFM regulations, according to the new law.
The Project Management Team, which serves as the monitoring and evaluation arm of the targeted areas, must provide a progress report to the citizens of their respective areas and to the PMC, a process that will result in timely payment for contractors.
Previously, there was no accountability and citizens did not have any information about CSDF implementation.
The new law also changes the rules regarding county council sitting where decisions of CSDF projects are determined. Previously, there was no publicity about the county sitting.
Project decisions were made by the County Legislative Caucus, the superintendent and other district, traditional and municipal delegates handpicked by politicians.
However, those laws accepted are key milestone that gives leverage to the people at the county level to be involved in the management of the CSDF.