By: Gabriel M C Parker
Bomi County – Although the Bomi County Service Center continues to generate notable revenue, the inactive presence of key government ministries has severely limited public access to vital services.
According to County Services Coordinator Mr. Tarweh Johnson, several ministries assigned to the center since its inception have failed to operate effectively in Bomi, making it difficult for residents to access services that should be available locally.
“The government placed a lot of services under the County Service Center from the initiative stage, but unfortunately, many of those services remain inaccessible to the people of Bomi,” Johnson explained.
One of the most significant setbacks, he said, is the Ministry of Transport, which has not had an active presence in the county since the center was established.
Despite offering services that could generate substantial income—such as vehicle registration and licensing—the ministry’s absence continues to leave a major gap.
“Transport alone is a mass service provider. It should be bringing in considerable income to the county and easing access to vehicle registration and licensing for residents,” Johnson emphasized.
He also pointed to the Ministry of Public Works, which, though present at the center, is not delivering key services such as issuing construction permits for institutions and organizations.
“This is a service center,” he said. “Public Works is supposed to be here issuing construction certificates for organizations wanting to build. That is not happening.”
Another challenge involves the Ministry of Labor. While responsible for issuing ECOWAS Biometric ID cards to citizens from ECOWAS member states and providing work permits to foreign nationals, the ministry remains inactive in Bomi.
As a result, foreigners must travel to Monrovia for documentation—an inconvenience that undermines the purpose of decentralization.
“These are the kinds of challenges we face,” Johnson noted. “If the Service Center is to be viable and truly serve the people, these issues must be urgently addressed.”
Despite these setbacks, the center has generated L$490,350 (four hundred ninety thousand, three hundred fifty Liberian Dollars) and US$450 (four hundred fifty United States Dollars) since June of this year—demonstrating its potential if fully supported and staffed.
Johnson concluded by calling on Bomi County residents to utilize the services currently available and support the center’s long-term success.
“We therefore call on the people of Bomi to take advantage of the Service Center. It belongs to them, and with their support, we can do more,” he urged.
Established in June 2016 under the Liberia Decentralization Support Program (LDSP) with support from UNDP and the Government of Liberia, the Bomi County Service Center was created to bring essential government services closer to citizens across the county.
