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After past administrations kept power centralized for years, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf on Monday said her government is finalizing plans to devolve power on traditional chiefs and elders across the country.
“We are now completing the process of giving back power to the you people,” the President told chiefs and elders during a meeting in the Cecil Dennis Auditorium at the Foreign Ministry.
She said she has asked all ministries to construct an office in all 15 counties for proper coordination with the chiefs and elders across the country.
Regarding border security, the President said a Security Council Committee would be established in all counties to alert central government about insecurity at the borders.
Cognizant of Liberia’s infant democracy, the President urged chiefs to admonish their children to respect elders and traditional norms in the country. “We want children to respect the chiefs, and we want the children to stay in school.”
She admonish the chiefs to follow government’s guidelines on programs concerning peace, security and development.
The chiefs complained that past governments “failed to recognize us, but turned to us only when they wanted us to do something for them—and not in our interests”.
Meanwhile, Internal Affairs Minister Blamo Nelson said all ministers will be requested to submit lists of what they want the chiefs and elders to do in the interest of developing the country.
Later, the head of the Traditional Council, Chief Zanzan Karwar said: “We will do everything to keep the country peaceful and secure.”