In continuation of activities aimed at empowering citizens with relevant pieces of information to demand for and take actions against corruption in Liberia, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), under its National Building and Anti-Corruption (NIBA) Program is determined to leave nowhere (community/sector) untouched.

CENTAL has placed engagements with ordinary citizens, including women, youths, students, community leaders, marketers at the core of its Programmes. The engagement exercises are held in the seven project-targeted Counties: Bong, Nimba, Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Rivercess in different selected communities, schools, intellectual centers, marketplaces, etc. It allows citizens to freely discuss issues about corruption and suggest mitigation measures.

Earlier today, November 22, 2021, one of such meetings was called by CENTAL’s County Field Officer (CFO), Matus Davis under a tree at the Cepres International University in the Chief Compound Community in Gbarnga, Bong County. A cross-section of citizens, including students, youths, women, markers, community leaders, and elderly people were in attendance.  

During the engagement, CENTAL’s Program Manager, Atty. Gerald D. Yeakula presented and opened for discussion, findings of CENTAL’s recently released State of Corruption Report (SCORE) 2021. The people were very enthusiastic about the SCORE findings and made salient inputs as well as advanced different suggestions to help curb corruption and promote the culture of integrity, accountability, and transparency in the country.

The citizens described the SCORE 2021 as a ‘true picture of the high level of corruption occurring across all sectors and services in Liberia, especially the health, education, judiciary, security, etc. The people shared practical experiences of how corruption in different sectors has affected them and their loved ones.

For Ma-Nyamah Molubah, she lost her grandchild as a result of corruption in medical service delivery at the C.B. Dumber Hospital in Gbarnga, Bong County. The C.B. Dumber is one of several Government-funded hospitals that should provide free services to the public, especially the underserved population. 

“My daughter was in labor pain and was taken to the CB Dumber Hospital for treatment. Because I never had money, my daughter left crying for help from the nurses and doctors on duty from the evening to the next morning requesting me to pay money before service. We left seeking attention and looking for money until the baby died in the girl’s stomach; and it at this point that they operated on her to get the dead baby out of her,” Ma-Nyamah explained.

Like Ma-Nyamah, Josephine Jackson said the act of corruption is habitually rotating in a cycle of what she called, “you do me, I do you, syndrome.” Josephine, a teacher, said if a teacher in any school solicits bribes from her kids, she will oblige and equally repeat the same against students under her jurisdiction as a payback.  

“The entire corruption business is about - you do me, I do you. If you sell pamphlets or ask my children to pay for assignments, I’ll pay but, I will also do the same to other students for me to get my money back. I’ll say, corruption is 100% high in the school/education sector,” Josephine said.           

The NIBA Program seeks to, among other things, empower citizens with relevant pieces of information to demand for and take actions against corruption in Liberia.

David Kerkulah, a student of the Cepres International University blamed desperation and poverty for the rampant corruption.

“Desperate people do desperate things. People engage in corruption and stealing because they are desperate for any opportunity that they can take advantage of to either out food on their tables; even if it means selling their voters’ cards for little or nothing,” Kerkulah said.

“How do you expect a person who depends on daily sales from potatoes green to feed their family find and return any amount of money? Or how do you tell this kind of person about integrity?” he asked. 

However, the citizens feel that despite their awful experiences in accessing different services (public and private), all is not lost. They equally proffered insightful recommendations to help curb the menace of corruption in the country.

High on the numeral recommendations proffered the people were: an end to impunity; prosecution of accused persons; regular supply, provision of needed logistics and robust supervision as well as monitoring; rotation of staff; timely payment of employees; motivation and support for employees serving outside Monrovia and in remote areas; increased awareness about corruption; collaboration, engagements, and empowerment of community-based organizations to join the fight, etc.  

According to the State of Corruption Report (SCORE) 2021, nine out of ten Liberians (90%) think that corruption is high and only two percent think that corruption is low, while eight percent believe that corruption is moderate.

In Grand Bassa, Gbarpolu, Nimba and Bong, 90% or more of the respondents think that corruption is high. Forty-two (42%) percent of the people cited rampant corruption allegations, while forty-one (41%) percent of the people decried lack of transparency and accountability in Government for increased corruption in the Country.

The SCORE stated that thirty (30%) percent of the people also cited lack of prosecution, while twenty-nine (29%) percent indicated that corruption is a custom in the country.

At the Bong Athletic and Social Intellectual Center, all of the attendees who participated in a discussion surrounding the SCORE said the Report is a true reflection of the actual awful state the menace of corruption in Liberia. The engagement exercises are held in the seven projects targeted Counties: Bong, Nimba, Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Rivercess in different selected communities, schools, intellectual centers, market places, etc. as part of activities under CENTAL’s NIBA Program, funded by the Embassy of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). It allows citizens to freely discuss issues of corruption and suggest mitigation measures.

The meeting was witnessed by Johan Romare, Head of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy in Liberia. He said the meeting afforded him the opportunity to learn and further understand how to fight corruption in Liberia. “The only way to change a country is when its people are changed,” Mr. Romare said.

In remarks, CENTAL’s Executive Director, Anderson Miamen thanked the people for the level of support to the fight against corruption in Liberia.

Mr. Miamen said although not strange, he was impressed by the level of support received and salient inputs and contributions made by the citizens during the engagement.

Earlier, the Community Chairman, James Y. Ricks welcomed the team. 

The Embassy of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) funds the National Integrity Building and Anti-corruption {NIBA) Program under which the engagements are being held in seven of Liberia’s fifteen (15) Counties.

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