Citizens Accuse Health Facility of Charging Higher Fees for Newborn Boys

By: Akiah P. Glay Dormoh

In Grand Bassa County, the Gorblee Health Center, a government hospital stands accused of charging fees according to the sex of a newborn child. It is well-known that resources allotted to hospitals are stretched thin. Nonetheless, the disparity in fee payment has considerably raised eyebrows.

In Gaye Peter Town, Compound #3, Grand Bassa County, citizens did not only accuse the facility of charging excessively when pregnant women go to the hospital to give birth, they also laid a charge that the amount the facility collects after the delivery of a boy differs from that which is charged for the delivery of a girl. Citizens have told CENTAL that Five Thousand Liberian Dollars (L$ 5,000) is charged as fees for a girl child born at the facility and Seven Thousand Liberian Dollars (L$7,000) is charged for a newborn boy.  Speaking with CENTAL’s Open Expenditure Initiative team members, Madam Victoria (not her real name) who occupies a key position in the community alluded to the impact of the situation. “I have three children, two boys, and a girl. I was told to pay L$4,000 for my daughter and L$7,000 for my sons. I begged and paid 4,500 and 6,500 each. This has made me stop giving birth because I don’t have that kind of money to pay every time,” she said. Several other citizens confirmed the allegation, including prominent and eminent citizens in the community.

Meanwhile, Madam Lydia Kanneh, Officer-In-Charge (OIC) of the health center, denied the allegations. “The minimum amount charged at the hospital is 2,500 and this is cut across, whether male or female. Unless in extreme cases, then more than that will be required. Otherwise, the aforementioned amount is constant,” Madam Kanneh noted. According to her, the purpose of such a fee is to buy hospital materials and compensate midwives who serve as Community Health Providers. In 2016, the government and its partner launched a National Health Assistant Program that ensured traditional midwives were trained to serve and provide assistance to pregnant women living five kilometers or further from a health facility before referrer to a  hospital.  This remedy emerged due to the high maternal mortality rate observed in the country.  The most alarming thing is that pregnant women are charged to access public health facilities that the National Health Policy deemed free.

The 2011-2021 National Health Policy plan[i] mandates free health services for pregnant women. According to the policy, even low fees could deter health-seeking behavior. Therefore, to encourage the uptake of priority services by all people, there should be no fee attached. Imagine if a pregnant woman comes to give birth and doesn’t have money, what will be the outcome? Even as Liberia encourages hospital deliveries to lower newborn maternal death rates, the policy has the opposite impact. Liberia has one of the highest rates of death for newborns in the world.  According to UNICEF, 76 of 1,000 births. The maternal mortality rate from the 2019-2020 Country Health[ii] Survey indicates  93 deaths per 1,000 live births in the 5 years in Liberia preceding the survey, while child mortality was 33 deaths per 1,000 live births and infant mortality is  63 deaths per 1,000 live births. this situation cannot be unique to the Gorblee health center, but other centers in Liberia alike; For instance, FrontPage Africa Reported in 2020 that the acting administrator of Phebe[iii] Hospital warned that patients, who require surgery and emergency services would be made to pay for the cost of fuel. This, according to Rev. Victor Padmore, would help sustain the services at the hospital. Though the policy indicates free, but citizens have always either brought their own supplies or paid some fees. Viola Makor, a  resident midwife at the Link Maternal Waiting Home and the reproductive health supervisor for Suakoko District in Bong County attested when she spoke with Yassah Levelah, the CEO of Comfort Closet that many[iv] women in the community shy away from hospitals because of the demand from the hospitals. For the policy to impact the general public, one of the primary concentrations of the government should be to prioritize health, including ensuring information about healthcare prices is clear and accessible to the public together with increasing healthcare workers’ salaries. 

[i] http://moh.gov.lr/wp-content/uploads/National-Health-Policy-Plan-MOH-2011-2021.pdf

[ii]  Libera Demographic and Health Survey 2019-20  

[iii] https://frontpageafricaonline.com/health/liberia-stranded-phebe-hospital-charging-patients-for-fuel-fee-before-treatment/

[iv] https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/10/15/1126110420/giving-birth-in-liberia-you-might-need-to-bring-your-own-bleach-to-get-in-a-hosp

John Doe ‘Liberia Stranded Phebe Hospital’ (2022) Frontpage Africa < https://frontpageafricaonline.com/health/liberia-stranded-phebe-hospital-charging-patients-for-fuel-fee-before-treatmen  t/> accessed 5 June 2023.

Commitments and Cautions: CENTAL Gathers Feedback from Citizens During Awareness Around New Corruption Reporting App in Liberia

In the fight against corruption, all hands are needed on deck. And this is why, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), through the Ant- Corruption Innovative Initiative, is harnessing the collective energy of ordinary citizens, who feel the most pinch of corruption to report anonymously any act of corruption. The initiative is being supported by the government and people of Sweden through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) via the United Nations Development Program (UNDP),

“We will do our best to use the app to report corruption when we see it. We will not close our mouths when we see corruption” said Eric Dunn, a resident of Wyne community, Harlandsville, Grand Bassa County, during an engagement meeting.  Under the initiative, a mobile application called ‘TALKAY’ has been developed to provide citizens the platform to report corruption allegations anywhere in Liberia without disclosing their identities.

It is a red, white, and blue-colored mobile application that allows citizens to send reports of corruption to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in real-time. The LACC then investigates the report and takes appropriate action.

In Grand Bassa County, during an engagement with students at the Salvation Army Dorathy Knightley School, Atty. Bendu Kpoto, CENTAL’s Legal Officer explained that corruption comes in different shapes and forms including misuse of entrusted powers for personal gains. With a specific focus on the effects of corruption, Jerryline T. Wonde, CENTAL’s Youth Engagement Coordinator, lectured a cross-section of street vendors in the City of Buchannan on how corruption destroys the future of young people and denies them opportunities for growth. And Siafa S. Kamara, of the Advocacy and Legal Advice Center (ALAC), advised against soliciting bribes.

“One of the surest ways to succeed in the fight against corruption is to address the salary disparities in the civil service”, said Johnson William, head of the Police Detachment of Grand Bassa County at an engagement meeting held at his office. Also, Daniel Willie, Assistant Superintendent for Fiscal Affairs, applauded the initiative and expressed his commitment to help spread the word. He warned that despite the fact that the app is one of the best ways to reduce corruption, its success in the public sector will be reliant on political will and commitments from higher-ups in government.

For his part, Jerry E. Brooks, Mayor of St. John City blamed the pervasiveness of corruption on inadequate budgetary support to critical organs of the government including the City of St. John. He admonished CENTAL to include Advocacy for increased support to key government agencies in future programs. “When incentives are given, corruption will be minimized”, he stated.

If the views espoused by stakeholders including Mayor Brooks, Police Commander Williams, and Assistant Superintendent Willie are anything to go by, the war against corruption will be won when public service is adequately incentivized. And that the national budget working for few members of the legislature, as contained in CENTAL’s budget paper, and leaving the vast majority of the citizenry to stay in poverty and neglect must be a thing of the past.

By:  Torwon F. Gensee

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has assured residents of Grand Bassa County that blowing the whistle on corruption is one key way to stop it. LACC engaged citizens during an anti-corruption forum organized by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), under the Anti-Corruption Innovation Initiative project on April 28, 2023. The project is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

During the event, Cllr. Jerry D.K. Garlawolu, Program Manager and Chief Prosecutor of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) began by explaining the mandate and functions of the LACC as a lead anti-graft institution in Liberia.  In addition,  he delivered a presentation on the Whistleblower and Witness Protection Acts as well as the mandate of the LACC. Not only did the presentation give participants an understanding of the mandate of the LACC; it enlightened them on the different laws that exist to make corruption reporting a less risky adventure.  

The one-day event brought citizens together citizens, the media, CSOs, Local County Officials, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), and other stakeholders. It was aimed at engaging with stakeholders on the effectiveness of the Talkay platform and citizens’ willingness to use it for reporting and tracking corruption-related cases. TALKAY is an e-platform - that encourages citizens to report corruption-related cases without uncovering their identities.

Corruption affects every sector of society; it erodes the citizens’ trust in their government while at the same time stalling national growth and development. Within the Liberian society, the presence of corruption is nothing strange; it takes the lion’s share of the reasons why the country is still notably lacking behind - when it comes to growth and development despite having abundant natural resources.

And one sector that has borne the brunt of corruption is education.  Mr. Nathaniel Cisco, the County Education Officer of Grand Bassa, stated at the forum. Cisco lamented corruption within the educational sector. According to him, one of the ways the Ministry of Education is spreading anti-corruption messages in schools is to develop textbooks that contain anti-graft lessons. “As a way of helping to spread anti-corruption messages in schools, the government through the Ministry of Education is developing textbooks for six graders; those textbooks contain anti-corruption lessons,” said Cisco.

One of the hindrances to having citizens report corrupt practices has been the lack of adequate protection for whistleblowers. However, after attending the forum, the participants now understand that with the introduction of the Talkay platform, one can now report allegations of corruption without revealing their identity. “At first, we were afraid to report corruption because we feared that the accused would come running after us, but now that we have this Talkay Platform that allows us to report without anyone seeing us, we will use it to report whenever and wherever we see acts of corruption happen,” said the Alternative Education Supervisor/NGO Focal Person of Grand Bassa, Mr. J. Mayoud Toure.

Additionally,  King Brown, a reporter at Magic FM, acknowledged the importance of the e-platform. According to him, they will now not only discuss the issue of corruption on the radio. Still, they will also use the Talkay platform to rally against individuals involved with corrupt practices. “The media has a key role to play in tackling corruption. We are thankful for this platform; it will enable us to take a step beyond just talking about it on the radio and start to report,” Mr. Brown indicated.

The fight against corruption is everyone’s business because the end product will benefit every member of society. Winning this war will lead to improved public service delivery and a nation whose leaders lead accountably with integrity and transparency. However, to achieve this, the citizens must jointly take ownership of the fight. In a closing remark,  Executive Director of the LACC, Moses Kowo,  urged participants: “Let us take ownership of the fight against corruption; this country cannot remain like this. Let this serve - as a wake-up call to ensure corrupt individuals are held accountable. Let us ensure that the monies that come to the counties do not end up in the pockets of corrupt individuals. We cannot eradicate corruption instantly; similarly, we cannot make it a way of life.”

By Dr. Akiah P. Glay Dormoh

In Liberia, there is a famous adage that says “Anything a man can do, a woman can do even better”. This adage was manifest in the 2005 general and presidential elections when, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, took the helm of the Liberian Presidency and became the first woman to be elected as an African head of state after an electoral process dominated by male candidates.

Although it wasn’t all rosy for the ‘iron lady’, as she was often referred to, especially taking over a country with a dysfunctional infrastructure, system, and checkered international image, she rallied support and repositioned Liberia as a respectable member of the international community.   If there is a lesson to be learned from Liberia’s experiment of women’s leadership, it is that women have what it takes to deliver the kind of transformative leadership a country need. 

 Background

Women play a critical role in the body politics of Liberia. This is so because the 2022 census result indicates that the total population of Liberia is 5.2 million (5,248.621)[1]. Out of the total population, 50.4% (2,644,450) are male and 49.6% (2,604,171) are female, which means, the ratio between male and female population is at 5 percent. Considering the margin, the need for equal participation cannot be more emphasized. Equal participation overall is much needed in Liberia because it breeds a more shared economy and enhances development and also alleviates poverty, especially among the most marginalized group (the women precisely). Women as they are the most vulnerable groups.

The national and local governments can support women’s political participation in multiple ways, but firstly, they need to consider specific measures that will overcome barriers of gender discrimination; especially, specific gaps in capacities or resources that prevent women from competing effectively.

And the fact that Liberia has gained great recognition as being the first nation to elect a female president and in the 2017 election, elected a female vice president. This could have set the pace for more women’s involvement in politics. However, women’s representation remains low in most institutions in Liberia. Whether in private or public institutions, it is largely dominated by males.  Currently, women occupied 11% of the 103 seat[2]s in the National Legislature, 20% of managerial positions in public institutions, and 20.1% of senior and middle managerial positions in the government. Liberia ranked 156^th of 162 countries[3] on the Gender Inequality Index and 94 on the Global Gender Gap. The aforementioned statistic shows a crisis of under-representation of women in the public sphere in Liberia given that women and girls make up close to 50% of the total[4] population. Without affirmative action legislation, and enforcement mechanisms structured to help address women’s participation in elections, Liberia’s democratic, development, and equality goals will not be achieved.

Biases Against Women Politicians

There are various reasons for the under-representation of women in political institutions. Stereotyping, or assigning characteristics to political leaders of a certain group is considered one of the many factors. For instance, females are seen as kind, mothers, warm and compassionate, whereas males are typically viewed as assertive, tough, and competent. Although the extent to which these stereotypes help or hurt female candidates electorally is debatable. Perhaps, they could indicate that women are often not considered ‘leadership material’. Particularly, voters tend to show a preference for stereotypically[5] masculine traits over feminine characteristics when determining who should hold high office.  Secondly, even when women are brave enough to enter politics, female politicians face a paradoxical challenge. Here are classic examples, In 2019, Ms. Telia Urey ran for the District 15 Representative seat but was faced with several forms of discrimination.  Again, Cllr. Charlyne Brumskine's intention to[6] run in the 2023 Representative election in Grand Bassa County has begun to alarm death threats. Long before now, her excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf testified of being victimized throughout her political career.  True be told, gender equality contributes immensely to speedy growth and development. It is about time Liberians think deeply to equalize the margin between males and females. The mechanism to have an equitable society should be at the peak of all political parties and the government. Though gender biases cannot be eliminated overnight, concrete actions can be taken toward eliminating all forms of gender biases. Before effective changes can be made, it is imperative to recognize how power is structured in electoral institutions, political parties, the media, and in our everyday lives but we have a way forward through legislation.

Legal Framework that can set the Pace for more affirmative actions in the 2023 Election

Article 5 of the 1986[7] Constitution of Liberia makes provisions for the national unity of Liberians into one body politic and for the enactment of laws encouraging the participation of all citizens in government including women and men. Also, national policies have been adopted to address different aspects of women’s political participation and representation such as the National Gender Policy (2018-2022)[8] that commits to promoting gender parity in all spheres of governance, the affirmative action policy, and legislation for women’s participation, and the National Government’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD) (2018-2023). Specifically, Pillar One: Power to the People seeks to emphasize the political participation of women at the national and local levels to reach a target of 30% by 2023. Internationally, Liberia has adopted a range of regional and international legal frameworks on the advancement of women’s political and civic rights at local and national levels, including ratification of the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and its Optional Protocol; adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; and ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (The Maputo Protocol). These frameworks provide a perfect reason for vigorous affirmative action especially when taking into account the  2005 gender quota [9]that mandates political parties or coalitions to endeavor and ensure that the governing body and its list of candidates have no less than 30% of its member from each gender. 

Conclusion

Meaningful participation of women in politics and decision-making brings different perspectives and experiences to addressing national problems. In order to address many different issues women and men are faced with, equal representation is required. Liberia will not be able to meet the myriad of development challenges it faces if women are not at the decision-making table. UN Women Executive Director [10] Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, seeing the need for equality in politics commented on the 2021 Women in Politics data and said “No country prospers without the engagement of women. We need women’s representation that reflects all women and girls in all their diversity and abilities, and across all cultural, social, economic, and political situations. we still need bold decisive action across the world to bring women into the heart of decision-making spaces in large numbers and as full partners. There’s no doubt this can and should be done. It should be done now.”

To conclude, now is the time to take action against stereotyping and promote gender equality in all political parties across the country, especially during the formulation of political parties’ leadership.

[1] https://liberia.un.org/en/220493-liberia-announces-provisional-results-its-5th-national-population-and-housing-census

[2] Country Fact Sheet | UN Women Data Hub

[3] Liberia (unwomen.org)

[4] Liberia announces provisional results of its 5th National Population and Housing Census | United Nations in Liberia

[5] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2041905819838147

[6] Charlyne Brumskine alarms death threat - Liberia news The New Dawn Liberia, premier resource for latest news

[7] Liberia 1986 Constitution - Constitute (constituteproject.org)

[8] The Liberia National Gender Policy (fao.org)

[9] Liberia: Amended electoral laws (2014) — (aceproject.org)

[10] https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2021/3/press-release-women-in-politics-new-data-shows-growth-but-also-setbacks

PRESS STATEMENT

Monrovia, Wednesday, 26 April 2023

Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen of the Press.

This Week marks another important period in Liberia’s history in terms of speaking truth to power and advocacy for good governance, accountability, and transparency in society, especially in government/public service. We have reassembled in this space to civilly and constructively discuss matters bordering on the economic and political governance of Liberia. We are doing so with the level of cordiality, sincerity, robustness, and passion required to speak truth to power and seek redress to trending and ever-present critical national issues, Corruption being a leading one. The media has been a critical partner and a mainstay in Liberia’s Democracy. Thank you for all that you do for Liberia and Liberians, especially the many hundreds of thousands of people out there who are basically surviving/struggling to live due to successive poor and corrupt national leadership in Liberia.

The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) welcomes the recent statement of the United States Ambassador to Liberia, Ambassador Michael A. McCarthy on the state of decentralization and how the national budget has been manipulated to serve the interests of those who control power.

There can be no better affirmation of recent reports issued by CENTAL detailing how the national budget is being used as a tool for corruption and how decentralization has been reduced to a political token rather than a deliberate effort to devolve power and resources from the central level in Monrovia to counties and communities on the periphery. Indeed, not only does the Ambassador’s statement reflect courage, it transcends any actual or perceived diplomatic boundaries for the good of the Liberian people. We see that the disservice meted out against the Liberian people by their own leaders is so great that it cannot be overlooked by our international partners, Ambassador McCarthy in this instant case. Surely, the American engages as a true Liberian patriot and campaigner for good governance and true decentralization. Even as corruption brazenly has its way, Ambassador McCarthy faces the odds and speaks truth to power. The question is: when will we, Liberians, engage our democracy and governance as true patriots wanting the best for the country and its people? When will leaders truly lead, selflessly, accountably, and transparently? And when will citizens satisfactorily live up to their civic duties?

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, in January of this year, CENTAL shared the results of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2022 released by Transparency International. There is a further decline in Liberia’s score on the index from 29 in 2021 to 26 in 2022, an unfortunate 15-point decline since the score of 41 in 2012. This is corroborated by CENTAL 2022 State of Corruption Report (SCORE 2022), which reveals that 90% of Liberians think the Corruption level is high in the county, with declining confidence in the executive branch of government to fight against corruption, from 30% to 26%. Findings of the US Ambassador’s recent trips to the counties, as contained in his recent statement to the public shed further light on how corruption continues to deprive Liberians of access to crucial services, as a few Monrovia-based power brokers binge on public funds with no pricking of conscience. And while the Ambassador identified county-level challenges, it is important to note that ‘ghost allocations’ are not only akin to entities in the counties. Spending entities in Monrovia have themselves complained that in addition to budgetary allocations not covering essential activities and operations, they are hardly received in full.

Our budget paper released last month entitled: ‘Making the Budget Work’ goes at length to lay bare the problems with our budget process and how addressing them is critical, if the budget must truly work for the people.  Key themes covered include public participation, overspending, failure to report, budget corruption, misplaced priorities, decentralization, etc.

For example, we identified seven (7) spending entities that spent more than what was allocated in the 2022 national budget. Over $35,810,406 was spent without legislative approval. Unapproved spending does not only raise questions of diligence applied during budget preparation, it also fuels suspicions of corruption. Since public expenditures must meet legislative approval through the budget, spending in excess of amounts approved by the Legislature raises significant concerns. This is coupled with the fact that contrary to law, reports on how budgetary allocations are used are not available, thereby making it difficult to follow public spending. Regarding decentralization, we highlighted that the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) continues to get the lion’s share of allocations to political sub-divisions. While counties receive a meager $219,333 in 2022, the MCC received $7,501,678 in direct budgetary allocation and through the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP). The Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) received $2,249,23. These cities receive astronomically more than entire counties, raising questions about how decentralization is expected to work.

Members of the Press, on budget corruption, our report indicated that public officials continue to use the national budget to their own advantage. For example, the E&J Hospital in Ganta, Nimba County was built and owned by Senator Jeremiah Koung. Senator Koung has claimed that the facility has been turned over to the government, but no documents have been disclosed in this regard. As a private business, E&J received close to $1 million United States Dollars through the national budget. Besides, the African Dream Clinic, owned by Representative Samuel Enders has benefitted US$95,000 from the national budget through subsidy. The fact that a lawmaker’s clinic is included in the national budget, in the midst of limited support to government-owned hospitals and clinics speaks volumes. In 2021 and 2022, $3.6 million was allocated each year for 'legislative engagement' amid public outcry. The amounts were distributed to each lawmaker in portions of $30,000 per year. The recent outcry against Representative Marvin Cole regarding the diversion of funds meant for a clinic in Gbondoi Town in Bong County is another example.

CENTAL is deeply concerned about the perennially mindboggling neglect of the citizens by their elected and appointed national leaders. This extremely unfortunate development has to stop, if the people must truly and measurably benefit from the resources and other assets of the country. We call on national leaders, especially the President and Lawmakers to forge collaborations that placed citizens at the center of their engagements and decisions and not otherwise. In part, they should make the national budget Work for the people by adequately funding educational, medical, agricultural and other agencies and institutions directly serving the needs of the public.

We wish to conclude with the following recommendations, which if fully implemented will help to make the national budget and other resources work for the people.

1. The Liberian Government should reduce funding to the President, Vice President, Speaker, and other high political offices and redirect those resources to activities and programs in health, education, and other sectors that will directly benefit citizens.
2. The Liberian Legislature should be robust in performing its duties. Although highly disappointing in its performance, the Legislature still remains the Agency of Government responsible to provide the necessary oversight in safeguarding public resources and assets. It should do so if it must be regarded as truly representing the people and not itself.
3. We applaud development partners for their tireless support in strengthening democracy and accountability cultures in Liberia and urge them to continue doing so, at an even greater scale. A blended support and engagement that sees development partners not only providing financial and technical support to civil society, government, and other institutions but also openly commending and criticizing major developments in Liberia is welcomed and or is pursued.
4. We admonish civil society and the media to increase and diversify their engagements to educate the public, checkmate the national government as well as monitor and report on the development and implementation of the national budget and other key national policies and documents.
5. Public Integrity Institutions such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission should be adequately funded and robust in their engagements and performance of their duties. For example, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission should enforce laws on Asset Declaration and ensure timely investigation and prosecution of corruption cases.
6. Finally, as Liberians, we have a greater responsibility to ensure that our leaders are held accountable. Development partners cannot do for us what we ought to do for ourselves. Therefore, Liberians should stand up and demand accountability from their leaders at all times. As the October elections draw near, let us summon the courage to engage all those seeking our votes for their visions and practical actions in dealing with corruption and making our resources work for all.

Thank you.

Signed:

Anderson Miamen

Executive Director

0886818855/0776391481

By Mark Boahndao

Nimba, Sanniquelle, April 19, 2023 – “Awareness-raising is the first step to tackling corruption. When we talk to each other about corruption, people will be afraid to get involved with it.” Patricia Z. Goyee, a prominent citizen of Sanniquellie, Nimba noted during a community engagement by CENTAL under the auspices of the Anti-Corruption Innovation initiative.

Corruption is seriously hampering the nation’s prestige while undermining economic growth, exacerbating poverty, and eroding public trust in institutions. Fortunately, technology can be a powerful tool for combating corruption and raising awareness about the issue. Tested and tried in other countries, technology is tremendously helping in the fight against this menace. Thus, this innovative method has been grasped by anti-graft institutions, the Government, civil society actors, donors, and citizens on the note that it will eventually help in the fight against corruption.

In partnership with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Integrity Watch Liberia, and the Accountability Lab Liberia with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) is enlightening the minds of citizens about the use of technology – an innovation to report corruption and other mediums in Sanniquellie, Nimba County. The awareness about the usage of the mobile app and web-based platforms to rally citizens' support to report, research, and follow up on trends in the fight against corruption.

In continuation of the awareness-raising activities in the counties, efforts are being applied to strengthen the fight against corruption by encouraging inhabitants of Sanniquellie to report corruption by using the TALKAY mobile app and web-based platforms, and other mediums to report acts of corruption. Citizens were astonished at the level of engagement the awareness has taken. The awareness-raising took the streets, communities, a local radio, high schools, and the community college within the county. Heralded through music, flyers, stickers, one-on-one engagements, and the media, the message seems to be resonating well.

From the qualitative research carried out in the project counties – Grand Bassa, Bomi, Nimba, Bong, and Montserrado, 9 out of 10 persons asked had prior knowledge of corruption but were lacking the reporting mediums, especially by the use of technology. Leveraging their knowledge, they were encouraged to use technology to report.

Women are actively taking the lead in these discussions and making salient points. “We pah, we na know about your book people thing, we will tell our children them to use it for us”, -Martha Brown, speaks out in colloquia. On the other hand, young people are thrusting themselves into discussions about corruption and prudently recommending ways to reduce corruption.

“If we practically create substantial awareness of corruption, report and expose corrupt personalities, and ensure persecution, this will serve as a deterrence. And gradually, we will make gains in the fight against this public enemy” – Emmanuel Tokpa, Student.

In high spirits, the team continues to take awareness among the locals by encouraging more people to report using technology and other mediums. These efforts and more will place a yoke on corruption, thus reducing and possibly eradicating it.

By Mark Boahndao

Buchanan, April 12, 2023 – Corruption in Liberia is not a new problem; it has been present in the country for many years and continues to take on new forms. Its rampancy has become ingrained in the country's culture. Citizens continue to herald their voices about the culture of impunity where corruption is seen as acceptable and has become a norm in society. In the wake of this, there must be innovative and robust ways to tackle this menace — starting from the family to the Government.

In continuation of efforts to strengthen the fight against this national enemy – corruption, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) in partnership with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Integrity Watch Liberia, and the Accountability Lab Liberia with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has rekindled the awareness-raising around the use of technology as an innovation to report corruption and other mediums in Grand Bassa, Bomi, Bong, Nimba, and Montserrado counties.

The citizens of Grand Bassa County were awakened to the sound (music) of awareness about the TALKAY mobile app and website platform to file complaints or report corruption. Prior to street engagement, the media (local radio) was prioritized to adequately and simply disseminate this innovation of reporting corruption. Ordinarily, most citizens rely on the media to provide information and education. Using the media to increase citizens’ awareness and reportage about the act and other forms of corruption through an innovative approach has been at a pivotal point of the activities in the west central portion of Liberia — Buchanan.

As awareness-raising continues to intensify in the streets, schools, and communities, citizens continue to raise their voices proclaiming the adverse impacts of corruption and how it is gradually permeating society from the bottom to the top. Citizens are increasingly recognizing the importance of taking action against corruption and are raising their voices to demand accountability and transparency from their leaders. Despite the challenges, the fight against corruption is gaining momentum, and citizens' voices are becoming increasingly important in holding the government and its leaders accountable. By continuing to raise their voices and demand transparency and accountability, citizens can play a critical role in building a more just and equitable society.

“Corruption is being practiced by almost everyone.” Patience Dolo. As a marketer, she is alarmed about the prevalence of corruption among market women. Most of them including herself are involved in corrupt practices because the wholesalers of dry and perishable goods are cheaters. “The only way we can reduce corruption is to punish the big people. When we see their level of punishment, it will serve as deterrence for us not to get involved it in.” She added.

Love S. Flahnma, a student boldly lamented the leniency of the school administrators to take action against corrupt teachers. “If we continue to take less action against teachers, students will not be afraid to practice corruption”, She concluded.

According to the analytics of the TALKAY web platform [https://www.talkay.org/reportstatistics], sixty-three (63) complaints have been reported from twelve (12) counties since the intense outreach activities started two (2) months ago across Liberia. Rivercess is in the lead with 14 complaints and Grand Bassa holds the least with 2 complaints. Montserrado, Margibi, Grand Kru, Grand Gedeh, Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Grand Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, and Bomi falls below 10 complaints. For the project counties, Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Nimba and Bong counties have accumulated thirty-three (33) complaints so far. Most of the cases reported from these counties borders on the misuse of Government properties, misuse of public funds, bribery, and extortion. The percentage of reporting per gender is 21% male and female 16%. Cases investigated is at 5% while those under investigation is at 8% and allegation of corruption is at 87%.

As the team’s spirit continues in the awareness-raising around the country on the innovation of reporting corruption, Atty. Bendu Kpoto, CENTAL’s Legal Officer, and team members admonished citizens to vote wisely, especially by voting for those candidates based on their past track records taking into consideration transparency and accountability. And while citizens continue to express displeasure at corruption, the question lingers: Is anyone listening?

Press Statement for Immediate Release

Friday, March 17, 2023

Monrovia- Distinguished members of the Press. Thank you so much for your continuous collaboration with CENTAL in the fight against corruption in Liberia. We strongly rely on the support of your various media outlets to succeed in weeding out corruption and bad governance and promoting transparency and accountability across all spectrums of the Liberian society.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are pleased to formally launch a report containing an analysis of budgets from 2016 up to and including the draft 2023 national budget, which has now been approved by the Liberian Legislature albeit with some changes. This is part of efforts to independently track and mainstream accountability and transparency in the national budget process so that it works for everyone and not a selected few individuals and groups.  The report follows a careful review and analysis of the draft 2023 national budget, the budget process, as well as expenditures.

Additionally, it covers media tracking and monitoring visits to selected locations, Gbondoi Town in Bong County for example, to gather firsthand information from residents on budget performance and impacts. The report places a spotlight on efforts to make the budget process more transparent and inclusive, development projects and programs, underfunding of integrity institutions, and discrepancies in allocations and actual expenditure. Others include disparities in allocations to cities, 'zero budgeting', and recommendations for making the national budget more transparent, inclusive, and impactful.

As you may be aware, in every country, the national budget is the principal financial tool used by the government to drive development, the same being in Liberia. The budget outlines programs and allocates resources based on revenues generated from taxes and other external sources.  

Because of the significance of driving development in Liberia, over the years, CENTAL has developed a keen interest in the budget process, especially with respect to how transparency, accountability, gender, and integrity are mainstreamed. We run an open expenditure program, funded by Sida and the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia, which goes beyond the publication of budget figures to investigate how allotted resources are disbursed and actually expended. In part, this entails assessing transparency and accountability around recruiting companies/contractors to perform certain services, citizens’ involvement in such processes, in the case of the County Social Development Funds (CSDFs) and other projects, and whether or not the resources actually reach the target beneficiaries. Articles, reports and other analyses related to this program can be found on our budget portal:https://www.liberiabudget.info as well as our official website: www.cental.org.lr.

Our analysis points out a few positives, which are worth noting. We applaud the government for making appreciable efforts to make the budget process transparent and participatory, although much more is needed. Doors are beginning to open for the institutionalization of meaningful public participation in the budget process.

There are two notable initiatives in this regard: Fiscal Transparency Advocacy Group (FTAG) and Pre-budget consultations. The FTAG was inaugurated on 19 July 2022 with the mandate to select, design, and implement public participation mechanisms in relation to the budget process. It is comprised of an equal number of representatives from civil society and government who have been working to make the budget process more participatory and inclusive. As part of the initiative, pre-budget consultations for the formulation of the 2023 budget were held with over 300 representatives of CSOs and other citizens in 5 counties.

Also, civil society organizations developed a shadow budget, which was submitted to the government with a focus on prioritizing citizens’ interest in the budget process. This adds to other efforts, including publication of the draft budget by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to allow citizens and other stakeholders to gain access to make informed decisions. Additionally, huge allocations to the National Elections Commission for the upcoming general and presidential elections; a relative increase in support to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and General Auditing Commission; 2.5 Million to the Ministry of Education to abolish registration fees charged at public schools are all laudable.

However, there are major issues, including corruption and abuse of power that continue to make the national budget less impactful to citizens. The willpower is still not strong enough to make the national budget satisfactorily work for all, especially ordinary citizens and those living in remote parts of the country. The perennial issue of underfunding of public integrity institutions, discrepancies in allocations and actual expenditure, misapplication of budgeted resources, huge disparities in allocations to cities, 'zero budgeting', and undue prioritization of certain offices, especially those occupied by politicians as opposed to sectors and institutions with direct impacts on the lives of ordinary citizens. 

For example, over the last few budget years, over 80,000 USD has been allotted for a Health Center in Gbondoi Town in Bong County. However, the resources have not reached the people, neither are residents of the town aware if they had such resources in the national budget. The funds were diverted by Representative Marvin Cole of Bong County to Kpayah Town Clinic in his district, a clear abuse of power and misapplication of budgeted resources. This is a classic example of how policymakers use the national budget to their own advantage, at the expense of others and the population, more broadly.

On funding to the transparency sector, CENTAL observed that the sector is expected to receive increased budgetary support, from $42,142,578 in 2022 to $55,404,476 in 2023. However, much of the increase goes to the National Elections Commission to support the October general and presidential elections. This is welcoming, as Liberians need to support and take ownership of their own elections. Sadly, institutions leading the fight against corruption and promoting integrity-building efforts are given visibly less attention. This is concerning, particularly since offices of politicians continue to receive more than adequate support. For example, while the allocation to the PPCC in 2023 is put at $819,600, the Office of the Speaker is allocated a whopping $2,075,702, the Office of the Deputy Speaker a mind-boggling $1,292,196, and the Pro-Tempore a lavish $1,995,358. Upon further scrutiny, one realizes that the combined allocation to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker alone exceeds combined allocations to entire entities such as the PPCC ($819,600), (LEITI) $403,627 Independent Information Commission ($226,275), and the Financial Intelligence Unit ($1,410,114). We also note the unfortunate decrease in funding to the PPCC, Independent Information Commission (IIC), Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), and the Liberia Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI).

In the areas of decentralization, it was observed that power and resources remain concentrated at the national level, while cities and counties in the rural parts partake in crumbs. A comparison between the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) and other cities does well to place this issue in the proper context. In 2022, the city of Monrovia received $5,305,457 in direct budgetary allocation, and $2,196,221 through the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP), totaling $7,501,678. Also, in the 2023 draft budget, $4,528,311 is allocated to the city of Monrovia, and $1,500,000 is allocated through PSIP, totaling $6,028,311. These amounts are exclusive of municipal taxes and other revenues generated by the city. Meanwhile, a contiguous metropolitan city and one of the largest cities, the city of Paynesville, receives far less than the city of Monrovia. Allocations to the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) remain $1,499,231.28 and $750,000 for PSIP, totaling $2,249,231.28. In fact, only these two cities are directly featured in the budget. This reality is disturbing, to say the least.

In conclusion, we wish to make the following recommendations as critical pathways to making the national budget citizens-driven, more inclusive, transparent and impactful. In this regard, the national government should do all it can to ensure that the national budget works more for citizens. The need to mainstream transparency and accountability throughout the budget cycle cannot be overemphasized.  Recently initiated budget consultations must continue and be expanded to budget hearings at the Capitol Building. Civil society organizations and experts as well as communities should be invited to provide valuable inputs to shape the budget drafting, review, and approval processes. Hearings must remain open and not held behind closed doors. Citizens must closely monitor the budget process and make their voices count by directly and indirectly making the necessary suggestions to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the process.

Most importantly, there is a need for quarterly expenditure reports as required by the Amended and Restated Public Financial Management Act. These reports are cardinal if citizens must follow the money. Additionally, Audits must be conducted regularly to safeguard public resources, while there is an urgent need for public integrity institutions to be prioritized by giving them adequate support to deliver on their mandates. Lastly, we encourage civil society, the media, citizens and other stakeholders to thoroughly review the national budget, discuss its contents on national and local radio and other platforms as well as closely monitor spending entities to determine whether or not budgeted resources are being/have been used for the intended purposes.

CENTAL wishes to thank the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia and the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency for funding its Open Expenditure Initiative, which has made this report and analysis possible. Also, we like to thank our many donors and partners, including citizens whose support and motivation have sustained our work over the years. We recommit to remaining constructively engaged with the governance process and meaningfully supporting anti-corruption, integrity-building, fiscal transparency and other well-meaning efforts in Liberia.

Thank You.

Signed: Management.

Monrovia, March 1, 2023 - One major way to end the corruption scourge in Liberia is by ensuring that public sector employees act in the public interest by being honest, transparent, and accountable. And this is why, the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) through its Executive Director Anderson Miamen and Program Manager, Atty. Gerald D. Yeakula on Tuesday, February 27, 2023, facilitated a training session of law enforcement personnel on anti-corruption at the offices of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).

The session, organized by the LDEA International Visitors Leadership Program Alumni Association, brought together security personnel from the Armed Forces of Liberia, the Liberian National Police, the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), the Liberia National Fire and Rescue Service, the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency and other institutions. “As law enforcers and public servants, it is incumbent upon us to be accountable. We just couldn’t keep to ourselves what we learned from the IVLP program”, said Special Agent Chris M. Curtis President of the LDEA IVLP Alumni Association. 

CENTAL honored the invitation based on her continued commitment to the fight against corruption, in part through forging mutually benefiting partnerships to build capacity and mobilize the needed support among diverse stakeholders and groups.

Executive Director Miamen drilled the officers on mainstreaming anti-corruption values in the security sector as well as understanding Civil Society Organizations and their roles in the democratic space, especially in Liberia. He also reminded the participants of the delicate nature of their work and the growing demand for transparency, accountability, and good governance.

Program Manager Yeakula lectured participants on understanding what constitutes corruption, its various types and forms, international and national laws and policies governing the fight against Corruption as well as strategies and tools to deal with corruption.

Monrovia, February 23, 2023 – Corruption takes many forms. Increasing citizens’ awareness and reportage about the act and other forms of corruption through an innovative approach has been at the core of outreach activities of CENTAL in Nimba County. CENTAL in partnership with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Integrity Watch Liberia and the Accountability Lab Liberia with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is conducting awareness around a corruption reporting innovation in Bong, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Gbarpolu, and Montserrado counties.

The effort places whistleblowers in direct and secure contact with the LACC through the TALKAY platform. Those using the mobile app and website to file complaints would be able to send reports and attach multiple files (video, audio, document etc.) with an option to remain anonymous or not. Once sent, an automatic generated reference number that can be used to follow up on the report.  All reports submitted using either the web app, mobile app or SMS go to large screens dashboards at the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in real-time. The LACC then investigates the report and takes appropriate action. Once actions are taken, the system updates based on the action taken and those filling reports can track the status of their report using their unique ID numbers issued when they submitted their reports.

“We the disabled people in Nimba County have been longing for our voice to report corruption because we have been afraid of what might happen to us after we have reported”, said Nenlay G. Doe, Chair for the Nimba Disabled Community. “But with the assurance of guaranteed protection and confidentiality”, she continued “we will now begin to report acts of corruption as we see it without fear. We are happy that we now have a platform to report about things that affect us as a people-all thanks to CENTAL and her partners for this initiative”, said Madam Doe.

Several marketers who converged at the Liberia Marketing Association office in Sanniquellie City, first expressed their individual opinions about corruption and then quizzed the outreach team on benefits of the innovative approach. “Although, we are all happy that we now have a platform to report corruption, we must only report only what we hear and see but not lies”, Winifred Guah, head of the Liberia Marketing Association Nimba Chapter, cautioned her fellow marketers.  

Jerryline Wonde, CENTAL’s Coordinator for Integrity Clubs, espoused the need to elect leaders who would make policies that ensure equal access to basic social services for everyone including people with disabilities.  But this, she said can only be achieved when everyone joins together to fight corruption.