-But House Pushes for Reconsiderations
Monrovia, Liberia – October 14, 2025
In a move signaling his commitment to legality, decentralization reform, and fiscal prudence, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has vetoed eleven (11) legislative bills recently passed by the National Legislature — a decision that has now prompted the House of Representatives to enter consultations with the Executive Branch in search of a constructive path forward.
The veto, which affects a series of bills seeking to establish new townships and districts across Nimba and Lofa Counties, underscores the President’s insistence on adherence to the Local Government Act of 2018 and the need for realistic governance structures within Liberia’s current economic and infrastructural limitations.
In a formal communication addressed to House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, President Boakai explained that his decision was rooted in both legal and practical considerations. The bills in question, according to the President, failed to meet the minimum statutory requirements necessary for the creation of new local government entities as defined by law.
Nine Township Bills Fall Short of Legal Benchmarks
Nine of the eleven bills sought to establish new townships within Nimba County. However, the President’s review determined that these proposals did not satisfy the criteria set out in Section 2.16(e) of the Local Government Act of 2018, which clearly outlines the prerequisites for establishing townships and boroughs.
The law stipulates that any community aspiring to township status must meet a set of development and service benchmarks, including:
• A minimum population of 5,000 residents;
• Adequate waste collection and disposal systems;
• Access to basic education and healthcare;
• Availability of sports and recreational facilities;
• Clearly designated cemetery grounds;
• Functional transportation and communication infrastructure; and
• Active local businesses such as restaurants, motels, and retail shops.
President Boakai emphasized that while he supports the principle of decentralization and local empowerment, such moves must be grounded in reality. He cited Liberia’s ongoing economic constraints and infrastructural challenges, which continue to hinder the delivery of essential services in many parts of the country.
“Creating new administrative entities without the requisite infrastructure and population base risks spreading limited resources even thinner,” the President noted in his communication. He further pointed out that the bills lacked defined geographical boundaries, an omission that renders the proposed townships legally unenforceable.
District Creation Bills Also Rejected
In addition to the township proposals, two other bills—one seeking to create a new district in Nimba County and another in Lofa County—were also vetoed. The President referenced Section 2.15 of the Local Government Act, which governs the establishment of Sub-County Local Governments, including Administrative Districts.
Under the law, all existing statutory districts are to remain operational only until seven years after the enactment of the 2018 Act, at which point they must be dissolved. That transition period ends on November 23, 2025—barely a month from now.
Given that the bills failed to specify whether the proposed districts were statutory or administrative, President Boakai cautioned that enacting them at this stage would create confusion and potentially render them obsolete within months.
“Creating statutory districts with only a few months left before their legal expiration makes little administrative or fiscal sense,” he noted.
House Leadership Moves to Engage Executive
In response, the Leadership of the House of Representatives has moved swiftly to engage the Executive Branch in dialogue aimed at reconciling the President’s concerns with legislative intentions. House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon confirmed that consultations are underway to ensure that any further legislative actions remain consistent with the Constitution and the Local Government Act of 2018.
According to the House’s official communication, lawmakers are seeking to “determine a constructive way forward” that balances the desire for local development with compliance to existing governance frameworks.
While some legislators have privately expressed disappointment over the vetoes—arguing that local communities have long awaited official recognition—others have praised the President for prioritizing institutional order and sustainable decentralization.
A Test of Executive-Legislative Coordination
Political observers view the development as an early test of coordination between the Boakai administration and the 55th Legislature. The President’s veto represents one of the most significant uses of executive authority since his inauguration, signaling a stricter approach to legislative proposals that may contradict existing laws or overextend limited national resources.
