KIGALI, Rwanda, October 26, 2026: Liberia’s Comptroller and Accountant General, Elwood T. Nettey, has called for decentralization reforms that improve public service delivery, strengthen financial controls and ensure greater accountability in the management of government resources.
Speaking on the fourth day of Liberia’s decentralization study tour of Rwanda, Nettey emphasized that transferring responsibilities to local governments must be accompanied by effective financial management systems and accountability mechanisms.
The study tour is intended to expose Liberian officials to Rwanda’s experience in fiscal decentralization, particularly the management of public finances, resource allocation and financial oversight at the local government level.
Nettey commended Rwanda for integrating its public financial management systems, linking national development planning and budgeting with expenditure management, monitoring and accountability at the local level.
He noted that Liberia continues to rely heavily on centralized government systems for key administrative and financial functions, including procurement and salary payments.
According to him, Liberia hopes to draw lessons from Rwanda’s approach to empowering local authorities with greater financial responsibilities while maintaining effective central government oversight.
The Comptroller General acknowledged that although Liberia has introduced the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), its implementation across government institutions remains uneven.
He stressed the need for practical measures to strengthen financial controls, improve budget execution and ensure that local governments can properly account for resources entrusted to them.
Nettey maintained that successful decentralization should not merely involve transferring administrative functions from central government institutions to local authorities but must produce measurable improvements in service delivery and financial accountability.
Welcoming the Liberian delegation, Rwanda’s Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Godfrey Kabera, praised Liberia for selecting Rwanda as a destination for the study tour.
Minister Kabera highlighted the longstanding bilateral relations between Liberia and Rwanda, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and knowledge-sharing in advancing public sector reforms.
He explained that Rwanda has established institutional arrangements to coordinate fiscal decentralization, support district budget preparation, monitor implementation and ensure transparent transfers of resources to local governments.
According to Kabera, these mechanisms are designed to strengthen financial discipline while enabling local authorities to respond more effectively to development priorities within their respective jurisdictions.
Also speaking during the engagement, Dr. Romeo D. N. Gbartea, who coordinates fiscal decentralization at Liberia’s Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), said Liberia and Rwanda share similarities in their legal and institutional frameworks but differ in the progress made toward implementing decentralization.
Dr. Gbartea identified Rwanda’s fiscal decentralization structures, district financing arrangements and budget monitoring systems as important lessons for Liberia.
He said the experience could help Liberia strengthen local governance institutions, improve financial management and develop more effective mechanisms for allocating and monitoring public resources at the county level.
The Liberian delegation’s engagement with Rwandan authorities forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the country’s decentralization framework and improve public financial management.
The study tour is expected to provide practical insights into how Liberia can expand local government responsibilities while ensuring transparency, accountability and efficient delivery of public services.
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