CENTAL Partners with Bong County Authorities to Improve Service Delivery for Rural Dwellers

For years, mothers in remote towns and villages continue to face a painful challenge—the long and costly journey to the city to register their children’s births. But with the new ‘Service-on-the-Wheel’ initiative, the narrative is changing, thus lessening the struggle of mothers in the quest of obtaining relevant documents, like birth certificates for their children.

In the quiet town of Gbarnga-Siaquelleh, an hour’s drive from Gbarnga City in Bong County, something remarkable unfolded. Babies' mothers in this region experienced something first of its kind—the registration and issuance of free birth certificates to children aged 0-12 years. Without birth certificates, many children would not get the recognition every child deserves. For families, especially those in remote places, it meant freedom from the burden of transportation costs and bureaucratic hurdles. And for children, it meant identity and imminent opportunities.

In an effort to improve local service delivery and promote local governance, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) collaborated with the Bong County Service Center (CSC) Birth Registration Unit, including the coordinator, to take the local services to the people on the wheel. “The government is limited to some extent in the provision of these kinds of services. If there is an opportunity to improve local services using innovative approaches, we cannot refuse because it is our job to do so," said Arthur Crawford, Coordinator, Bong CSC.

The initiative, which lasted three (3) days, April 17-19, 2026, began with internal and external meetings with staff members of the CSC Birth Registration Unit (BRU), the coordinator, CENTAL’s staff, and the town leadership to strengthen the approaches for smooth execution. These engagements paved the way for the two-day registration and issuance of the birth certificates. The process was considered a robust one, especially due to the underestimation of the town’s population.  

So far, four hundred and seventy-seven (477) babies (0-12 years) were registered. Of that number, one hundred sixty-seven (167) birth certificates were issued. Due to unforeseen circumstances, including technical difficulties, the remainder of the unprinted certificates is expected to be processed and distributed in the coming weeks. Exceeding the target of two hundred (200) registrations and issuance of certificates by the staff, the momentum to reengage and move to other regions cannot be overemphasized.

In the wake of this, Elder Lorpu Paye, the town chairlady of Panta District, Gbarnga-Siaquelleh, expressed the community’s joy and pleaded for more engagements. “I am happy about the birth certificate process. We have been struggling to get this kind of document, especially for our children. Thank God it is happening. I say thank you to CENTAL for making this process easy for us. We are also appealing to CENTAL and her supporters to continue this process and move to other towns and villages.”

The initiative, named Service-on-the-Wheel, was designed to bring essential local services closer to citizens, especially those in remote areas. It is part of the Strengthening Political Governance and Accountability in Liberia Project — a three-year projected with support from Irish Aid through the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia and implemented by a consortium of three (3) organizations – Center for Democratic Governance – CDG, Naymote Liberia and Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL).