A large majority of Liberians want their county superintendents to be elected directly by the citizens instead of being appointed by the president, a new Afrobarometer survey shows.
Under the current appointment system, relatively few citizens say they contact their county superintendents to discuss problems or share their views, and popular trust in county superintendents is low compared to other leaders. Public approval of their job performance declined compared to 2018.
For years, citizens have advocated for Article 56 of the Liberian Constitution to be amended to make the position of county superintendent elective. Supporters say letting voters choose local leaders improves accountability and responsiveness.
The study also shows that most Liberians believe that counties should be given a share of revenues collected by the central government and that they would use additional resources wisely for development and better services.
Related content
