State in Liberia

The Constitution of Liberia binds public authorities and individuals and sets the framework for government, rights and public duties. Monrovia is the capital. The National Legislature has two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each of Liberia's 15 counties elects two senators, giving the Senate 30 members; Senate terms are staggered over nine years. The Vice President presides over the Senate and may cast the deciding vote. The Legislature passes laws and the national budget, ratifies agreements, exercises oversight and confirms many presidential appointments. Its regular session begins on the second working Monday in January. The President is both head of state and head of government and serves as Commander-in-Chief. The Vice President and ministers form the Cabinet. The President nominates ministers, subject to Senate approval. The Cabinet Secretariat coordinates government work and policy implementation. The Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism communicates official information and public affairs, while the Government of Liberia directory lists national, county and local public bodies. The Judiciary is headed administratively and judicially by the Supreme Court. It has five justices and requires three justices for a quorum. The President nominates Supreme Court justices and the Senate confirms them. Circuit, magistrate, probate, commercial, labor, tax, revenue, traffic, juvenile and other courts operate below the Supreme Court, with judicial services present in all 15 counties. The Supreme Court also reviews constitutional questions and hears appeals. Civil-law disputes belong primarily to the separate civil-law subject area, but the courts remain part of the state's system and provide means of legal protection. Counties are Liberia's main political and administrative units. Counties contain districts and clans, alongside local units such as cities, townships, chiefdoms, general towns, towns and villages. The Ministry of Internal Affairs supports local administration, decentralization, peace and social cohesion. County superintendents lead county administration, while county councils have regulatory, representative and confirmation functions. Local chiefs and elders may be elected, selected or appointed depending on the local arrangement. County Development Planning Units are provided for under the Local Government Act 2018, but implementation and training have progressed in stages, so local administration remains uneven across the country. Counties do not have unlimited independent state authority outside the constitutional and legal framework. National administration is supported by the Civil Service Agency, which handles merit-based recruitment, human-resources planning, training, performance and careers. Ministries, agencies and commissions carry out public programs and spend public funds. The Liberia Land Authority and county land offices and boards handle land administration. The Ministry of Justice provides legal advice to the Government of Liberia, coordinates prosecution and corrections, and has responsibilities relating to nationality, aliens and specific regulatory areas. LISGIS produces official statistics and geographic information by county, district and clan. Public finance follows a national budget cycle for the financial year from January through December. The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning manages fiscal policy, economic management, development planning and public financial management. It publishes the National Budget, consolidated financial statements, debt reports and budget-performance reports. The Liberia Revenue Authority collects domestic taxes, customs and border revenue under the Revenue Code and later amendments. The General Revenue Account is held at the Central Bank of Liberia. County finance and decentralized budget execution are still developing, so no single nationwide fee can be assumed for every public service or permit. Government procurement is carried out by procuring entities under the public budget. The Public Procurement and Concessions Commission regulates and monitors procurement, builds capacity and handles complaints and appeals. Its framework seeks value for money, competition, transparency and accountability. Procurement planning follows budget approval. Concessions, public-private partnerships and electronic procurement are part of the continuing reform process. Several institutions oversee public power and public money. The General Auditing Commission is an autonomous Supreme Audit Institution that reports to the Legislature and audits public entities, public funds, corporations, projects, ministries, agencies and commissions. The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission works on prevention, education, investigation and prosecution and has direct prosecutorial powers under its amended law. Internal auditors, the Financial Intelligence Agency, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights and the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative perform additional oversight functions. Public officers in the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary are subject to asset-declaration rules. The Constitution protects freedom of expression and the press. The Freedom of Information Act 2010 allows a person to request, receive, review, reproduce or retain public information. A public body may withhold information only within an exemption framework and has to consider likely harm and the public interest; partial release or redaction may be appropriate. A request normally goes to the relevant authority or Information Officer. An internal review can be requested within a process lasting no more than 30 working days, followed by a complaint or appeal to the Information Commissioner and judicial review. Reproduction fees may apply, and non-disclosure may not exceed 15 years under the stated framework. Practical access can be more limited outside Monrovia because institutional resources vary. National security is coordinated by the National Security Council, chaired by the President. The Ministry of National Defense oversees defense policy and civilian authority over the Armed Forces of Liberia, while the President remains Commander-in-Chief. The Ministry of Justice supervises or coordinates the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency and National Fire Service. The immigration service handles air, land and sea border control, admission, residence and travel documents. Security institutions remain subject to constitutional rights, civilian control and human-rights duties. Community service can operate as a civic responsibility or substitute where the Local Government Law provides for certified non-payment of taxes, while tax and customs compliance is administered through the Liberia Revenue Authority.