In support of a project entitled “Strengthening Political Governance and Accountability in Liberia”, the Governance CSOs Consortium through the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG) with funding from the Government of Ireland has begun installing several Information, Education and Communication (IEC) signposts, to raise awareness about the existence and purpose of the County Service Center (CSC) in Margibi County, informing citizens about the services available.
These signposts, along with other communication strategies, according to Ms. Georgia C. Coker, the project coordinator at the CDG, would help citizens easily locate and access the services offered at the Margibi CSC, which are designed to decentralize service delivery and bring them closer to the citizens.
Speaking recently at the turning over ceremony, Ms. Coker said the IEC’s signposts will be erected in three strategic areas in the county: Kakata City, Marshall City and Weala – Cinta Township.
She said that the IEC materials, including clear and visible signposts, should be used to ensure that citizens can easily identify the CSC’s services in their respective communities.
“The signposts will inform the citizens about the kind of services they would be accessing without traveling from Margibi County to the centralized service providers in Monrovia,” the CDG coordinator noted.
According to Ms. Coker, the lack of adequate awareness messages was making it difficult for people to access the service center.
She said the signposts will make it easier for people to understand government processes, and to encourage transparency, reduce confusion, improve service efficiency, and empower citizens with the knowledge of their rights and the services they are entitled to.
She maintained that the signposts are part of the specific objectives of the project, which is to increase CSOs’ oversight of equitable revenue sharing between the Central and the Local Government.
Ms. Coker, however, argued that the people of Margibi County should hold the service providers accountable, because the centers exist to serve them.
The CDG is partnering with Naymote and CENTAL to implement the project that seeks to strengthen political accountability, transparency, and democratic governance in the country.
