Monrovia, Wednesday, April 13, 2022

‘Stand on the side of the Liberian People’: CENTAL tells Pres. Weah amid Allegations of Corruption at LISGIS

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, members of the Press, fellow Liberians, and development partners. Over the last few days, with disappointment, we have again observed accusations and counter-accusations of significant Corruption among some public officials at the country’s statistical house, the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). These grave allegations do not only point to abuse of taxpayers’ money, but also flagrant disregard of internal control procedures, as well as side-stepping of procurement and public financial management laws and guidelines. They portend an avoidable collapse of our democratic order through violations of constitutional provisions on holding of national census and general and presidential elections, which are germane to our democracy. On the other hand, they further justify funding modalities by donors and partners, which seek to limit and prevent government’s direct access to and management of development aids/project funds.

It can be recalled that on March 30, 2022, Frongtpage Africa reported alleged financial mal-practices at LISGIS. Under the headline ‘Corruption Gallore at LISGIS’, the paper revealed that out of 1.8 million United States Dollars received by LISGIS from the government of Liberia as share of budget to conduct the delayed national housing and population census , only US$ 700,000 has been transferred by LISGIS to the Census account, which is being managed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Also, appearing on the April 9 & 10, 2022 editions of the Spoon Talk on Spoon 107.5 FM, the Census Coordinator and Deputy Director-General for Statistics and Data Processing at LISGIS, Mr. Alex G. Williams confirmed the allegations and further implicated the management of LISGIS in the scandal characterized by irregular payments that are at odds with Liberian Laws. Mr. Williams further disclosed that the corruption is the main reason why Liberia has not substantially fulfilled its undertaking to contribute to the census cost, and that census cannot be held until such contribution is made.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press and fellow Liberians, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia notes with utter dismay that these alleged unorthodox dealings do not only signal corruption, but undermine partners and citizens’ confidence in the governance process, undermine Liberia’s democracy, and indicate flagrant disregard for public financial management and procurement laws by public officials. For instance, LISGIS Director-General, Prof. Francis Wreh had retracted an initial statement that US$1 million was transferred to the Census account, noting that only US$700,000 was transferred thereto, while the $300,000 was retained by LISGIS for “census operation”. We cannot help but wonder why monies intended for the census account maintained by UNFPA were retained by LISGIS and subsequently misapplied by LISGIS officials to the detriment of the country, as the allegations now depict. Leaked documents containing bank transactions and checks, if valid, are sufficient to give weight to the allegations as well as to warrant stern administrative sanctions by the President. Also, report that LISGIS officials are not fully cooperating with the LACC investigation is disturbing and demonstrate no regard for the rule of law and anti-corruption mechanisms, especially by the accused individuals.

Therefore, we call on President George Weah to stand on the side of the Constitution and the Liberian People by demonstrating zero tolerance for corruption and bad governance in his administration, especially in this instant case. We call on the President to suspend the officials at the center of these reported corrupt practices, pending outcomes of the ongoing investigation by the LACC into the matter. Furthermore, President Weah must ensure to protect Mr. G. Alex Williams who, from many indications, appears to be the Whistleblower in this matter. If the battle against corruption must be won, persons who divulge such information are deserving of protection by the state, especially so when legal instruments to guarantee their full protection have already been proposed by the Executive.

These are the very least actions CENTAL, many Liberians, and even development partners expect from the Government and the Presidency, given the very concerning nature of these allegations.  The President must not turn a blind eye to these happenings in an attempt to protect his officials and to create the impression that the government is corruption-free.  To the contrary, such would only portray lack of courage and will on the part of the President to genuinely fight against corruption. Also, the country cannot afford another postponement of census and persons seeking to undermine it and related democratic processes must be held fully accountable. We reiterate further that these and previous allegations and confirmed incidences of Corruption continue to discredit the country’s ability to effectively and efficiently manage major activities and processes, thereby increasingly constraining international partners to seek better ways to help the Liberian people.

Liberia can only be taken seriously if anti-corruption measures are scrupulously enforced and the fight against corruption given top priority, as a crucial pillar of government’s development agenda. With the latest United States Government’s Human Rights Report pointing to impunity for corruption in government and weak enforcement of anti-corruption laws and policies, the need for timely and concrete actions from the Liberian Government against Corruption cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, we entreat all public officials to denounce corruption and act with integrity. More importantly, we urge President Weah to show genuine political will and commitment in the fight against corruption, as the public is yet to see much from the Presidency in this regard. As mere utterances do not constitute show of commitment, Liberians look forward to seeing timely, decisive, and impartial actions (suspension, dismissal, etc.) from the President against public official at the center of grave corruption allegations, including the current saga at LISIGIS. Also, we reiterate call for increased financial, moral, logistical, and technical support to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and other public integrity institutions to independently, effectively, and efficiently deliver on their mandates in making corruption and bad governance issues of the past in Liberia.

Thank you.

Signed:

Management

CENTAL Trains Over 40 University Students …To Increase Capacity in Anti-Corruption and Awareness-Raising

Young people are the most important agents of change in the Fight against Corruption. Often overlooked, they offer a chance to reshape norms. In Liberia, where over half of the population are youth, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is creating a substantial opportunity for youth to reshape corrupt culture into a culture of integrity and transparency.

On April 1, 2022, CENTAL, through its youth engagement and Integrity Club (IClub) Program, concluded a one-day intensive training for over forty (40) university students at the Corina conference hall in Sinkor Monrovia. The training aims to facilitate networking, interaction, and engagement amongst IClub members (youths and students) through learning and sharing of relevant information and building relationships that can be leveraged to enhance anti-corruption and integrity-building efforts in  Universities, High Schools, Communities, and the country at large. Every year, since the implementation of the National Integrity Building and Anti-corruption program (NIBA) at CENTAL, the Integrity Club, one of the many activities under the auspice of the program, recruit, train, and empowered students to engage in active activities in universities and high schools. This time, the previously trained integrity members were relinquishing power to the new batch of students from the University of Liberia (UL), United Methodist University (UMU), African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU), and the Stella Maris Polytechnic University (SMPU) to continue the path of conducting outreaches in schools and universities as done previously.  The outreach activities will start at the University level and then to high schools and communities.

Presenting at the training, CENTAL’s Executive Director Mr. Anderson D. Miamen, succinctly explained the mission and vision of CENTAL. He urged students to believe that corruption can be minimized to an appreciable level only and only if the mindset about corruption is changed. In his speech, He called for collective efforts to fight against corruption and exclaimed that the young people are very crucial to this fight; therefore, their contributions matter the most. He urged members to be attentive and take seriously their role in the ICLUB as the CLUB presents an opportunity for young people to get actively involved in the fight against corruption and contribute to positive change. Further, he explained the opportunity to promote a person’s career could be through active engagement in the IClub activities. To support his statement, he pointed out a few IClubbers who are currently contributing to the activities of CENTAL. Since the establishment of the IClub at the University of Liberia in 2017, these students have been committed to the cause and currently, they are serving the institution.

Also serving as a facilitator, Mr. Alex Divine, CEO/ Youth for Change, Inc., admonished students to stand up and face the reality that corruption is an enemy of development. He assured them about the adverse impacts of corruption. He stated, “Corruption is a lifestyle. The menace has taken hold of generations, and the only way we can curb this is by raising the standards high to uphold our integrity.” He added and urged students with disabilities to get involved in the process as well as they are always part of the society. “Corruption does not respect anyone regardless of who you are. It affects everyone irrespective of your condition.” He faintly added.

To conclude, Youth for Change Inc.’s CEO lamented the poor support given to the fight by those in authority. He, however, encouraged the youth not to be deterred but rather stand for the country and not for themselves.  

CENTAL’s ALAC Legal Officer, Atty. Bendu Kpoto reiterated the points made by Mr. Divine on inclusion. She elaborated on the importance of inclusion and uttered that. “Irrespective of a person’s gender, ability, or disability, literate or illiterate, we all have a part to play in strengthening the fight against corruption.”  She encouraged the full participation of women and girls. According to her, women and girls are less in the fight. They feel that men are the most corrupt in society, so the fight is not pressuring them. On the contrary, their refusal to actively join the fight will have a long-term impact on them.  

Atty. Kpoto concluded that Women are mostly victims of corruption. What supports the claim that corruption causes more suffering for women than men, especially at the university level? By distinguishing between indirect victimization and direct victimization, it is reasonable to assume women suffered more, and differently than men. Nevertheless, a general reduction of gender inequalities can address the root causes of the gendered impacts of corruption and call on all the youths especially the women and girls to do better in the fight against corruption. Without partiality and in an overtone, she promised to render support in her capacity to all students, especially to school-going girls and persons with disability at the University levels.

At the heart of the training, students presented on relevant topics –Corruption and Integrity. A team of 10 persons; four (4) groups presented and gave recommendations. Few among those recommendations were the usage of smart technology to reduce corruption; the incorporation of integrity courses in schools; increasing awareness efforts nationwide; and enforcing punitive measures against corrupt individuals.

The training workshop ended with an introduction to the software. The software is a data collection tool that will enable students to collect data while engaging in outreach activities. Students were excited about the introduction of the data collection software and thanked the institution for being actively involved in the fight against corruption.

Held under the auspices of the National Integrity Building and Anti-Corruption (NIBA) program funded by the Government and the People of Sweden through the Embassy of Sweden near Monrovia with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the training workshop now sets the basis for the students to begin raising awareness about corruption and integrity building at their respective universities, high schools, communities and country at large.

By Civil Society Organizations on the ECOWAS Parliament Summit in Liberia 

We, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, Integrity Watch Liberia, Institute for Research and Democratic Development, Accountability Lab Liberia and the National Civil Society Council of Liberia welcome the hosting of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Fifth Legislative Parliamentary Seminar and First Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament for the year 2022 in Liberia.

As leaders of civil society organizations in Liberia, we are deeply concerned that 22 years since the inauguration of the First Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, the parliament has made little impact in the lives of ECOWAS citizens due to its failure to hold member states accountable for corrupt and anti-democratic practices. While it was meant to be a platform for dialogue for ECOWAS citizens and foster integration, it has been hijacked by politicians who have neglected the core challenges facing the people of the ECOWAS region.

In Liberia, little is known about the work of the Liberian delegation to the Parliament, and Liberians have no means of holding their delegates accountable for what they do at the regional body. The delegation makes no efforts at engaging with the public on their work at the Parliament — laws and policies adopted and their ramifications for member states and if these laws are domesticated in-country. To date the Liberian delegation over the years have failed to 'inform and sensitize the population on issues of integration'. This is counterproductive to the common interest of the ECOWAS citizens, whose taxes are used to finance and sustain the Parliament through the financial contributions made by the member states.

The increasing wave of political instability and coup d'état in the sub-region, especially in Guinea, Mali and declining trust in democracy due to the failure of governments across the ECOWAS region to meet up to the challenges of unemployment, rising cost of living, insecurity, human rights violations, widespread corruption and poor governance bring into question the role, relevance and impact of the ECOWAS Parliament in advancing democracy and social prosperity in the region.

We believe it is high time the ECOWAS Parliament became proactive and robust in engaging with the economic and political challenges of the region and delivering the much-needed inclusive and sustainable reforms needed to advance democracy, regional integration, and prosperity in the region. This includes, but not limited to genuinely taking practical actions against corruption, rape and other sexual and gender-based offences, supporting member states in eliminating trade barriers, reducing and ending unemployment, human trafficking, insecurity, drugs abuse, money laundering and illicit financial flows, and imposing sanctions against leaders who undermine constitutional democracy and abuse human rights in their countries.   

We demand that the ECOWAS Parliament lays out clear mechanisms that make its processes accessible, responsive, and accountable to the citizens of the 15 member states and ensures that proposed laws and policies benefit from broader consultations with the people of the region, before being adopted and domesticated. Finally, we strongly encourage the body to engage more with civil society and create greater visibility for its work, at regional and national levels.

Citizens Demand Openness in CSDF Expenditures

Monrovia, Tuesday, 22 February 2022 - Openness and accountability in budget and expenditure processes foster trust in government as it ensures citizens’ views and interests are respected and public resources are used for the public good.

Even though laws exist to promote transparency and accountability, as well as to prevent corruption in the expenditure of public resources including the County Social Development Fund (CSDF), the conduct of the custodians of these resources continue to fall short of meeting minimum benchmarks of transparency, accountability and anti-corruption. Citizens continue to decry lack of participation, transparency, and accountability. Even worse is the fact that many are convinced that corruption is the ultimate rationale for their exclusion. Participants of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL)’s Open Expenditure Forums (OEFs) held recently in Bong, Nimba, Rivercess, and Grand Bassa counties have re-echoed this point. However, there are other shining examples of participation worth noting.

“Construction works for persons with disabilities (PWDs) require lots of technical things to allow easy access for all persons with disabilities. So, it cannot be done by just anybody (engineer), the person must either be guided or knowledgeable of PWDs,” said Arthur Bondo, representative of the National Union of Organizations with Disabilities (NUOD) and Chairman of the Bong County Disable Community.

Bondo said members of the disable community in Bong County were never part of any discussion leading to, or involved with any process that led to the renovation of their headquarters in the county. According to him, the US$10,000.00 spent by the county to renovate the structure cannot accommodate the current one hundred and thirty-nine (139) persons with disabilities in Gbarnga City alone, but they are disappointingly managing it.

Like in Bong County, the Nimba County disable community was never involved with process leading to the construction of their headquarters in Sanniquellie City. Abestine Tozay, President of the group said they were excluded from the decision-making and the contractor who was hired to do the construction said he wasn’t answerable to them.   Meanwhile, in Rivercess County, people with disabilities equally feel marginalized and excluded from all decision-making and developmental initiatives of the county.

Mr. Samuel Outland, head of the Organization of Persons with Disabilities in the county said people with special needs are surviving under extreme conditions and the county leadership care less about their wellbeing. The situation of persons with disabilities seem dreadfully similar across the counties. Peter Jimmy of the Group of 77 in Grand Bassa County also shared the same story. Mr. Jimmy frowned on the local authorities, especially members of the Project Management Committee (PMC) for the lack of inclusion of persons with disabilities in activities in the County.  

But unlike the Disable Community in Bong, the Bong County Women Organization was involved throughout the implementation of their project. They were constructively engaged with most of the processes leading to the construction of the Bong Women Center. She stated that as a result of their robust monitoring of the construction process, they were able to identify and demand the change of a design that was not submitted by the women.  

Sadly, this is not the case in Nimba.  Women complain they are yet to be included on the County Council Sitting Resolution despite all efforts exerted so far. “County Sittings have been held in Nimba, but we (women of Nimba) have not even served as observers, except on one occasion,” said Madam Yah Belleh Suah, County Coordinator, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. 

She stated that until that lone occasion where she was reluctantly considered to serve as observer at the County Sittings, the Ministry nor the women of the County were never part of the process; but, Nimba County Assistant Superintendent for Development said the selection of delegates to the County Sitting is beyond the scope of the County leadership. 

The Project Management Committees (PMCs) are charged with the responsibility of implementing projects.

In Bong County, the PMC received US$1.7 million out of the budgeted US$2.9 million in the 2018/2019 County Council Sitting to implement 30 projects, out of which 12 have so far been completed and dedicated, while in Nimba, of the US$2.8 million budgeted in the 2021 County Council Sitting, US$2.7 million was received to implement forty-six (46) projects in the county out of which twenty (20) have been completed so far.

The essence of the Forum is to promote openness and accountability in the public space through access to information that is very critical to the consolidation of the Country’s democracy. It provides the space for citizens to interact with government officials and voice concerns about the effectiveness and efficiency of resources expended and or projects and activities undertaken by public officials by and through their resources, especially the County Social Development Funds.

The Open Expenditure Forum also sought to provide stakeholders with information on broad and specific national efforts in fighting against Corruption and efforts to promote the culture of accountability and transparency in Liberia.

It’s part of activities under CENTAL’s National Integrity Building and Anti-Corruption (NIBA) Program targeting seven counties – Montserrado, Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Bomi and Gbarpolu. It’s funded by the Government of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).