MIA Decentralization Gears Up

MONROVIA – As the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) gears up for decentralization, about 66 procurement and budget analysts and financial officers have ended one-day orientation training sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Capitol Hill in Monrovia.

Speaking at the opening of the training, Acting Deputy Internal Affairs Minister, Florence Geegbae Dukuly, urged the participants to interact with the facilitators in a more formal and frank manner that would help facilitate acquisition of the professional skills needed to buttress their performance.

She told the participants that the orientation training was meant to ease their workload in the financial transactions of their counties.

In an encounter with a cross-section of journalists last week at the MIA, the Director of Senior Executive Service (SES) program, Augustus Billy, said the orientation training for the 66 MIA financial personnel comprised representatives from the 15 counties of Liberia.

The SES Director also intimated that the initiative was also intended to strengthen the professional capacities of the MIA staff deployed in the 15 counties of the country.

He also disclosed that the orientation was being facilitated by six high class professionals recruited by the Liberian Government.

“The orientation training, which should have [lasted] two days, has now been reduced to one day owing to time constraints and other unforeseen circumstances,” he disclosed.

The MIA Senior official, in remarks, thanked the sponsors and urged the participants to remain focused.

He explained that for the first time in the country, the various county administrations are now in charge of their own financial budgets in the overall implementation of the various development projects in the country.