Nimba Lawmaker Wants Traditional Leaders on Government Payroll

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: Nimba County District #5 Representative Kortor Kwagrue has urged the House of Representatives to push for and ensure that traditional leaders are included on the government's payroll.

He said traditional leaders play a crucial role in community governance, but their sacrifices have not been recognized under past and present governments.

Representative Kortor Kwagrue asserted "for 179 years, no administration has taken a decisive step to correct this injustice, and the silence must end".

In a communication presented to the Plenary of the House of Representatives, the Nimba County Lawmaker stressed the need for town chiefs and other traditional leaders across the country to be placed on salaries, stating that it will ensure effective implementation of development initiatives at the community levels.

According to him, town chiefs continue to perform tasks serving as first responders to community disputes, mobilizers of citizens for public projects, and custodians of peace and order through local governance.

Representative Kwagrue said many chiefs have abandoned their income-generating activities to dedicate themselves fully to the local government structure, noting that it is unjust to have them upaid.

“These men and women are administering towns, enforcing local decisions, and ensuring development activities are implemented, yet they have no income to support themselves or their families".

“While they stand with their communities in moments of development and disaster, their contributions are consistently downplayed, leaving their families to struggle for survival", the Lawmaker stressed.

He further informed the House that Liberia’s failure to compensate town chiefs stands in sharp contrast to practices in neighboring Côte d’Ivoire, where traditional leaders are formally placed on the government payroll.

As the House resumes a two-week review of the communication, the District #5 lawmaker urged his colleagues to approve a monthly stipend of at least US$50 for town chiefs nationwide, describing the proposal as a necessary step toward ensuring dignity, stability, and effective local governance.