PHOTO: Participants at the town hall meeting in Gbarnga
By Emmanuel Mafelah, mafelahemmanuel29@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia-Naymote-Partners for Democratic Development has begun a series of major town hall meetings with one being held in the Bong County, aimed at creating awareness about the benefits and support of citizens on the Local Government Act of 2018.
The Local Government Act was signed into law by President George Weah in September of 2018, after it was passed by the Legislature.
The town hall meetings are under the project, “Advancing Civic Engagement on the benefits and support for LGA 2018” and they are being implemented in Bong, Nimba, Lofa and Grand Gedeh counties.
The Local Government Act awareness with support from the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) is geared towards increasing citizens understanding of the Local Government Act 2018 and inspiring them to lead or drive the decentralization change process.
Over 50 participants including local leaders, county officials, the Chairperson for the Project Management Committee in the county, Stephen J. Mulbah, civil society organizations, youth and women groups, and the media attended the town hall meeting at the Bong County Women Center in Gbarnga.
Giving the overview of the exercise, NAYMOTE-Partners for Democratic Development Program Officer, Joshua D. Cleon, said the awareness on the Local Government Act is something that have been a major priority of Naymote since the act was passed into law by the president of Liberia in 2018.
“Our quest as an institution is to ensure that citizens are aware of the Local Government Act and as well have access to copies of the law to help them understand the law more,” Mr. Cleon said during the Gbarnga awareness program.
Naymote is engaging every segment of the society including civil society actors, women groups, youth, physically challenged people, local leaders, and media practitioners, among others with the awareness, he said.
In a special remarks at the opening session of the one-day town hall meeting held in Gbarnga on Thursday June 17, 2021, Bong County Superintendent Esther Y. Walker extended commendations to Naymote and partner (s) for educating participants about the Local Government Act describing the gesture as timely.
Superintendent Walker at the one day town hall meeting in Gbarnga
The Bong County Superintendent then cautioned the participants to go back in their respective work places spread the good news concerning the local government act of 2018.
“When you leave here today please talk to someone about the local government act, on the football field, in the markets, in the cars, in our different offices let continue to talk about this act. And to my women and our chiefs that have come here to grace this occasion please go home and help Naymote in this awareness because it is very important for every one of us. There are so many good things there that our people may want to know and understand,“ Superintendent Walker told the participants.
She want citizens across the Country supports Naymote-Partners for Democratic Development in reaching to major towns and villages in Liberia on the awareness of the LGA 2018.
Jorquelleh District #3 Commissioner, Washington Bonah, thanked Naymote for bringing citizens together to provide important information regarding the local government act of 2018.
“These kinds of meetings are good because they help to educate us and clear our doubts on some of the issues surrounding this act. Now our people have an understanding of how the local governments act work, the benefits couple with the developments that is on the way for the community people,” the Jorquelleh District Commissioner said.
He then assured Naymote and partners that as commissioner of Jorquelleh District #3 he will take the awareness exercise to the leeward towns and villages in his area in order for rural inhabitants to get properly inform.
Speaking with Journalists at the end of the one-day town hall meeting, Bong County Assistant Superintendent for Development, Mr. Anthony Boakai Sheriff, thanked Naymote for the opportunity and then appealed to the participants, especially journalists to use their different platforms in the county to adequately inform citizens about the important of the local government act of 2018.
“You journalists are the watchdog of the society and we depend on you guys to keep informing us on the daily basic especially on this instrument called the local government act. Use your various stations wisely to help our people understand what is all about weather in Kpelle, Bassa, Mandingo, Kissi, just do your best because this local government act is very good for our people to know exactly what is all about,” the Bong County Assistant Superintendent said.
The participants praised Naymote-Partners for Democratic Development for widening their knowledge on the Local Government Act, describing the exercise as an eye opener.
“This one-day awareness forum on the Local Government Act actually is not enough but it has sharpened my knowledge on governance and I am going to engage my institute to ensure that we can get a copy so we teach the kids,” said Joseph Suah in Gbarnga.
Sam B. Elliot, Chairman of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of the government run Gboveh High school lauded Naymote-Partners for Democratic Development for the awareness and recommended that the Local Government Act be included in the National Curriculum of the Ministry of Education.
He also proposed that the Act be taught at all schools within the territorial boundary of the country.
Also speaking at the gathering was Naymote-Partners for Democratic Development Executive Director, Eddie D. Jarwolo who called on citizens to prioritize constructive engagement in the interest of good governance and development.
Mr. Jarwolo encouraged the participants to make a maximum use of the knowledge acquired during the one day town hall meeting in order to give citizens a clearer picture of the local government act.
Naymote’s next town hall meetings are scheduled to take place in Salala and Fuamah, lower Bong County.