By Allen P. Lablah in Sanniquellie, Liberia
The Nimba County Service Center has raised for the Liberia Revenue Authority nearly L$10 million or its equivalent of more than USD$87,000 in its 20 months of operations.
The total revenue was generated from the period of May 2016-December 2017.
The Government of former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf opened the first ever service center in Grand Bassa County in 2015 as part of its decentralization program.
With assistance from the country’s international partners, the centers serve as one-stop-shop for provision of major public services such as driver’s license, marriage certificate, etc.
Moham Kromah, Coordinator the Nimba Service Center told www.newspublictrust.com in Sanniquellie this week that in the 20th Months of operations, the center provided a total numbers of 6,796 services.
Kromah said his center can boast of achievements since it was opened to the public for normal transactions.
According to him, out of the ten (10) service centers now opened across the Country, the Nimba County Service Center ranked 4th place initially, but he said it now stands at the second position nationwide in terms of service delivery.
Kromah indicated that the County Service Center strategic awareness program put together continues to increase citizens’ access to services being offered by the County Service Center.
But he spoke of challenges facing the center, including inadequate logistical support, limited operational funds and allowances for those working at the Nimba County Service Center.
Kromah said the smooth running of the service center is being hampered by the challenges.
He explained that the monthly, quarterly and yearly reporting system introduced at the center is tedious, in the face of the lack of an operational budget for the service center.
The Service Center Coordinator feared that this could affect retention of staff and capacity, as people operating the center only depend on their meager government salaries.
The Nimba Service Center official stressed that these constraints have often been flagged in coordination meetings in the County, but they are yet to be addressed by the government.
Despite of the huge revenue collected at the center service, staffers are working on a voluntary basis.
Meanwhile, the Nimba County Service Center Coordinator is encouraging citizens to make maximum use of services offered at the center, hoping for the early passage of the Local Government Act by the 54th Legislature.
Kromah said the passage of the Local Government Act by the current Legislature will alleviate some of the constraints facing the County Service Center.