By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Liberia’s Minister of Inside Affairs, Francis Sakila Nyumalin, Sr., has halted the appointment of paramount chiefs in Sinoe County after the county submitted what he described as an alarming determine, a reported 76 paramount chiefs, which signifies double and even triple the quantity recorded in different counties.
The Ministry of Inside Affairs (MIA) is liable for appointing conventional leaders, together with clan and paramount chiefs nationwide. Whereas the appointment course of has moved easily elsewhere, Sinoe’s unusually excessive quantity sparked instant concern.
“For instance, Lofa County has 17 Paramount Chiefs, Bong County 16 Paramount Chiefs, whereas Nimba County has 39 Paramount Chiefs,” the Minister defined, stressing that the determine from Sinoe is extremely questionable and have to be swiftly verified.
Talking on State Broadcaster ELBC in Paynesville, Minister Nyumalin disclosed that the MIA, in collaboration with the Civil Service Company (CSA), is conducting a credential audit to validate chiefs and tribal governors and make sure who legitimately belongs on the federal government payroll.
The problem arises because the Nationwide Meeting of Chiefs and Elders convenes in Gbarnga, Bong County, for a three-day dialogue. In line with Minister Nyumalin, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai believes conventional leaders play an important position within the decentralization course of and have to be meaningfully concerned in governance.
He defined that greater than 280 paramount chiefs, together with clan chiefs and tribal governors appointed in Montserrado County, are anticipated to attend the meeting, scheduled from Thursday, November 20 to Saturday, November 22, 2025, in Gbarnga Metropolis. President Boakai is anticipated to preside and to make use of the platform to have interaction native leaders immediately on nationwide governance points.
Minister Nyumalin additional introduced that the Ministry intends to ascertain its personal County Service Middle, noting that though a facility exists, it isn’t correctly housed. He added that the middle ought to comprise no less than 20 places of work to accommodate ministries and commissions. To help this effort, 15 county service middle coordinators have already been recruited and skilled. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
