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The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP), in collaboration with Internews Liberia, over the weekend convened the 2nd High-Level Stakeholders Dialogue on Access to Public Information in Liberia. The event, held on Friday January 17, 2024 was part of activities of the Liberia Media Empowerment Project (LMEP), being implemented by Internews, CEMESP and other organizations with funding support from the European Union.
The project is aimed at enhancing media freedom and public access to information in Liberia.
The dialogue brought together over fifty participants from a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from civil society, law enforcement, media, the religious community, Associations for persons with disabilities, and various government ministries and agencies. The event served as a platform to discuss the critical role access to public information plays in promoting transparency and accountability in Liberia.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Grand Bassa County Development Officer Moses G. Henry, welcomed the attendees and underscored the importance of public access to information for fostering accountability. He urged the Independent Information Commission (IIC) to establish a local office in Buchanan to assist citizens in obtaining essential information.
Theophilus Gippley III, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at CEMESP, provided insights into the organization’s efforts under the Liberia Media Empowerment Project (LMEP). He said his organization , has trained over 30 journalists in investigative journalism and has established a dedicated investigative journalism network to support the initiative.
Also speaking at the program, the Coordinator of the Liberia Freedom of Information Coalition, Varney Kamara, emphasized the significance of transparency and accountability as pillars of a stable democracy. He called on the government of Liberia to demonstrate political will in enhancing the effectiveness of the Liberia Freedom of Information (FOI) law.
For his part, the Commissioner of the Independent Information Commission (IIC) Joash T. Hodges announced the launch of a comprehensive compliance assessment across government entities to evaluate adherence to the Liberia Freedom of information Law. He highlighted the necessity of an open dialogue to address challenges in the implementation of the law in Liberia.
The dialogue featured interactive sessions led by esteemed facilitators Cllr. Lamii Kpargoi of the Office of the Ombudsman and Veteran Journalists Frank Sainworla who engaged participants in discussions on various aspects of media freedom and access to public information. These sessions provided an opportunity for stakeholders to share insights and propose solutions to existing challenges.
The successful convening of the stakeholders dialogue underscores the ongoing efforts in Liberia to promote freedom of expression and improve public access to information as fundamental components of democratic governance and civil society empowerment.
