Porkpa, Tewor and Kungba Districts Endorse Community Action Plans to Advance Peace and Local Development

– Communities in Porkpa, Tewor and Kungba Districts have taken an important step toward strengthening peace, governance and sustainable development with the endorsement of Community Action Plans (CAPs) developed through an inclusive community engagement process under the GOLA-REAP (Resilience, Empowerment, Access and Peacebuilding) Project. 

The Community Action Plans were validated following a series of consultations and dialogue sessions held in June and July, bringing together 124 participants, including community leaders, women, youth representatives, traditional authorities, government officials and development partners. The process enabled communities to identify and prioritize key development needs while fostering local ownership of solutions. 

Implemented jointly by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the GOLA-REAP Project is funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO). The initiative seeks to strengthen resilience, improve access to services, and promote peacebuilding in communities across the Gola landscape. 

The community engagement process included validation meetings, consultations with local and national government authorities, and community-government dialogues. These discussions provided a platform for citizens to raise concerns related to land and forest governance, environmental protection, the impacts of mining activities, and community participation in decision-making processes. Government representatives pledged to promote stronger consultation mechanisms, enhance transparency and accountability, and improve oversight of natural resource management. 

Speaking during the validation process, Madam Isatta Massaquoi, Acting District Commissioner of Porkpa District, underscored the significance of the plans for local communities.

“For the first time, our communities have a clear roadmap that reflects our own priorities and concerns. The Community Action Plan gives us a shared direction and strengthens our commitment to work together with government and partners to build peace, improve governance, and promote sustainable development in our communities.” 

Representing the Ministry of Local Government, Hon. William Jallah, Sr., Assistant Minister for Culture and Traditions, commended the active participation of community leaders and residents throughout the process. He acknowledged ongoing challenges, including inadequate road infrastructure and governance issues affecting the mining and forestry sectors, while reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to supporting implementation of actions outlined in the Community Action Plans. 

As part of efforts to strengthen local capacities, community and local leaders also received training in peacebuilding, conflict management, governance, leadership, accountability and the Local Government Act of 2018. These capacity-building initiatives are intended to support peaceful coexistence, strengthen local governance structures and promote inclusive community development. 

To help sustain progress and strengthen community accountability, the project established networks of Community Early Warning and Project Monitors. These networks will play a key role in conflict prevention, monitoring project implementation and ensuring that community feedback continues to inform local development efforts. 

Sheikh Kamara, Executive Director of the Liberia Peacebuilding Office, described the Community Action Plans as practical tools for advancing peace, social cohesion and development. He emphasized the importance of community-led approaches and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting implementation and monitoring efforts in collaboration with county and district stakeholders. 

Moving forward, project partners and government institutions will focus on printing and distributing the finalized plans, strengthening early warning systems, addressing community concerns such as forest boundary disputes, and supporting the implementation of priority actions identified through the consultation process. These efforts are expected to deepen collaboration between citizens and government institutions while contributing to lasting peace, improved governance and sustainable development across the Gola landscape. 

About GOLA-REAP

The GOLA-REAP Project is jointly implemented by IOM and WFP with funding from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. The initiative supports peacebuilding, resilience and inclusive governance in communities within the Gola landscape, helping strengthen collaboration between institutions and citizens to address local development challenges.