The fight against corruption in the country has entered a new phase, with government officials, anti-corruption institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and county representatives calling for a major institutional reset to strengthen accountability, improve public service delivery, and restore public confidence in governance systems.
The call was made on Wednesday during a one-day National Dialogue on Strengthening Integrity and Accountability Systems in Liberia, held at the Governance Commission Conference Hall in Sinkor under the theme: “Strengthening Anti-Corruption and Integrity Systems to Advance Social Accountability, Inclusive Governance, Public Participation, and Improved Service Delivery.”
The dialogue was organized by Naymote Partners for Democratic Development in collaboration with the Governance Commission, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF).
The engagement brought together government officials, integrity institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and county representatives to examine Liberia’s accountability framework and identify practical steps to strengthen transparency, citizen participation, and institutional effectiveness.
Participants acknowledged that Liberia has established several institutions mandated to promote integrity, accountability, and transparency, including oversight, auditing, and governance bodies. However, they warned that weak coordination, limited institutional capacity, delays in prosecuting corruption cases, poor enforcement of recommendations, and inadequate citizen engagement continue to undermine public confidence and weaken efforts to combat corruption.
Stakeholders argued that Liberia’s anti-corruption system requires more than the creation of institutions. They said the country must now focus on ensuring that existing institutions collaborate effectively, enforce laws consistently, respond to citizens’ concerns, and deliver measurable results.
Representing the United Nations system, UN Women Liberia Country Representative Abul Hasnat Monjurul Kabir said Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts must move beyond laws and institutions to address the daily experiences of citizens who encounter corruption while seeking public services.
Kabir stressed that corruption disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including women, persons living with disabilities, marginalized communities, and people living in poverty, because they often face greater barriers in accessing justice and essential services.
He noted that while Liberia and other countries have established Anti-Corruption Commissions, Auditor General offices, and governance institutions, the voices of citizens who experience corruption directly are often overlooked.
“The demand side of accountability — citizens who experience corruption every day — must become central to our governance efforts,” Kabir said.
He emphasized that strengthening Liberia’s integrity system requires inclusive governance structures that allow women, youth, minority groups, and disadvantaged communities to participate meaningfully in decision-making processes.
Kabir also warned against producing reports and recommendations without implementation, urging stakeholders to focus on concrete actions that improve the lives of citizens.
“We need actionable ideas and follow-up on recommendations. Too many discussions end with reports gathering dust while citizens continue to suffer from poor governance,” he said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations system, including UNDP and UN Women, to supporting Liberia’s governance reforms, transparency initiatives, and accountability programs.
Delivering the welcome remarks, Acting Chairman of the Governance Commission Prof. Alaric K. Tokpa said the dialogue was taking place at a critical stage in Liberia’s democratic development, as citizens continue to demand transparent, ethical, accountable, and responsive public institutions.
Tokpa welcomed county representatives, including finance officers from Grand Bassa, Nimba, Margibi, Montserrado, and other counties, emphasizing the important role local governments play in ensuring public resources are properly managed and development projects are implemented transparently.
He described integrity as the foundation of good governance and a key pillar for building public trust, attracting investment, promoting sustainable development, and maintaining peace.
“Accountability is not merely a legal obligation but a moral responsibility,” Tokpa said, stressing that the fight for integrity requires cooperation among government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and citizens.
He called for increased participation by women, young people, and marginalized communities, noting that inclusive governance strengthens institutions and produces more sustainable development outcomes.
Providing an overview of the dialogue, Naymote Executive Director Eddie D. Jarwolo said the engagement forms part of the UNDP and PBF-supported project titled “Empowering Citizens and Communities to Foster Social Accountability and Transparency in Governance and Public Service Delivery.”
Jarwolo explained that the project seeks to empower citizens while strengthening collaboration between government institutions and civil society organizations to improve transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and responsive public service delivery.
He said the dialogue provides an opportunity for stakeholders to share achievements, lessons learned, and innovative approaches while generating practical recommendations to strengthen Liberia’s National Integrity System and sustain the National Integrity Forum as a credible platform for policy dialogue and oversight.
Jarwolo noted that the initiative aligns with Pillar IV of Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which focuses on governance reform and anti-corruption.
During discussions involving the General Auditing Commission (GAC), Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), and Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI), participants agreed that corruption continues to undermine governance, public trust, economic growth, and the delivery of essential public services.
The discussions revealed that although Liberia’s integrity institutions have different legal mandates, stronger coordination and information sharing are necessary to improve investigations, prosecution, enforcement, and prevention of corruption.
Participants identified limited institutional capacity, particularly within procurement and oversight agencies, weak compliance monitoring, delays in corruption investigations and prosecutions, and poor implementation of audit recommendations as major challenges affecting accountability efforts.
The dialogue also highlighted the importance of transparency within Liberia’s extractive sector, with stakeholders emphasizing the need for beneficial ownership disclosure, public reporting of extractive revenues, and stronger oversight mechanisms to reduce corruption risks.
Participants said transparent management of Liberia’s natural resources remains critical to ensuring that mining, forestry, and other extractive activities contribute meaningfully to national development.
A separate discussion focused on the role of civil society organizations in advancing social accountability and strengthening citizen oversight.
Participants observed that community-based accountability initiatives have improved transparency and public participation at the county level through civic education programs, digital monitoring platforms, and community engagement activities.
Civil society organizations highlighted their efforts to promote awareness of Liberia’s Freedom of Information Law, train community monitors across all 15 counties, establish County Advocacy Teams, and use digital accountability tools to track government projects and public spending.
However, participants expressed concern over delays in approving county development plans and budgets, warning that such delays limit effective monitoring and implementation of local development initiatives.
They also noted that while women, youth, and persons living with disabilities are increasingly participating in governance advocacy, they remain underrepresented in formal decision-making spaces.
At the conclusion of the dialogue, participants called for stronger coordination among integrity institutions, improved implementation of audit recommendations, increased public disclosure of corruption-related cases within legal limits, stronger enforcement of beneficial ownership requirements, and improved mechanisms for information sharing and risk-based monitoring.
Closing the engagement, Governance Commission Executive Director Jallah C. Kesselly described the Commission as a key catalyst for Liberia’s integrity architecture, noting that it played a central role in recommending the establishment of several oversight institutions.
Kesselly stressed that the responsibility for promoting integrity and accountability rests not only with government institutions but also with citizens, communities, and civil society organizations.
He urged stakeholders to ensure that the dialogue produces lasting reforms rather than becoming another policy discussion without measurable outcomes.
“We hope today’s engagement goes beyond conversation and contributes to building a better Liberia through stronger integrity institutions and effective collaboration,” Kesselly said.
