Monrovia-The Ministry of Internal Affairs has somersaulted on its earlier announcement concerning the dissolution of cities across Liberia.The controversy began when Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs, Fatima Bintu Sirleaf, announced that all cities across the country had been stripped of their city status as part of the implementation of the new Local Government Act that establishes the Ministry.
The decision sparked angry reactions from several Senators and Representatives, who argued that the Ministry lacks the constitutional powers to dismantle such an arrangement at its whims and caprices. Lawmakers described the pronouncement as overreach, unconstitutional, and disrespectful to the Legislature, which creates cities by law.
As one of the Senators’ preoccupations upon their return to another sitting, Local Government Ministry officials were summoned to provide clarifications on the matter.
During the appearance on Tuesday, Minister Francis Nyumalin distanced the Ministry from the recent announcement that some cities had been dissolved, clarifying that the pronouncement by Deputy Minister Sirleaf does not represent the Ministry’s decision.
Minister Nyumalin apologized to lawmakers for the error and said the Ministry is preparing to submit its assessment report to the Legislature for further action.
Appearing before the House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, Minister Nyumalin explained that the assessment was jointly conducted with other government institutions and partners to determine which cities qualify to retain their status and which should be downgraded.
He said the report was validated through an exercise involving relevant stakeholders, including superintendents, lawmakers, and residents, and is ready for submission to the Legislature.
However, the Ministry is conducting further analysis to determine the potential impact of downgrading some cities before making recommendations.
According to Minister Nyumalin, downgrading a city would result in its mayor losing the position, while civil servants on the government payroll in affected cities could also lose their jobs. He said the Ministry is assessing the number of people who could be affected to guide its recommendations to lawmakers.
Minister Nyumalin told the House that the Ministry has no intention of unilaterally dissolving cities, acknowledging that such powers rest solely with the Legislature.
He said the assessment is only intended to provide technical guidance on which settlements meet the legal and administrative criteria to be classified as cities under the Local Government Act of 2018, including population threshold, economic viability, infrastructure, and capacity for self-governance.
“We apologize for the confusion created by the earlier statement. No city has been dissolved. What we have is an assessment report which we will submit to this Honorable House for your consideration and final decision,” Nyumalin said.
Lawmakers, while accepting the apology, warned the Ministry to desist from making pronouncements that create panic and confusion in the country. They instructed the Ministry to submit the full validated assessment report within two weeks, with clear data on jobs, revenue implications, and service delivery for each city proposed for downgrading.
The House noted that many cities, though created by legislation, lack basic amenities and do not meet modern city standards, but said any restructuring must be done through law and with sensitivity to local employment and identity concerns. Until the Legislature acts, all cities in Liberia retain their status.
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