The Independent Information Commission (IIC), in partnership with the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), has intensified efforts to enforce compliance with the country’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2010.
The latest phase of the initiative, conducted from August 11 to September 2, 2026, targeted several key state entities, including the National Identification Registry (NIR), the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), and the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC). The campaign focuses on moving public bodies beyond mere awareness of the law to practical application, thereby expanding public access to government records and rebuilding trust in state institutions.
Hon. Lorpu P. Page, Executive Director and Head of Secretariat at the IIC, emphasized that FOI compliance must be embraced as a collective institutional obligation rather than an isolated duty assigned to a single officer. She urged participating agencies to leverage these engagements to refine internal systems, enhance service delivery, and foster an organizational culture rooted in openness.
Detailing the legal framework, Mr. Jutomue Doetein, Acting Outreach Director of the IIC, outlined the Commission’s mandate, the core tenets of the FOI Act, request procedures, and statutory exemptions. He reiterated that citizens are not required to justify their requests or prove personal interest to access public data. Furthermore, while retrieving and reviewing records remains free of charge, institutions may only levy minimal fees to cover reproduction costs.
Addressing administrative compliance, Mr. Armah Boimah Johnson, Acting Compliance Director of the IIC, highlighted the operational obligations of public bodies. He urged agencies to designate active Public Information Officers (PIOs), set up Internal Information Request Review Bodies (IIRRBs), and maintain robust records management systems. Johnson stressed the necessity of proactive disclosure, advising institutions to publish enabling legislation, budgets, procurement contracts, expenditure reports, and service fee schedules on their own initiative to reduce administrative hurdles and enhance civic oversight.
Complementing the transparency drive, CENTAL Program Officer Mr. Siafa S. Kamara led sessions on anti-corruption and integrity-building. He identified key vulnerability areas across procurement, hiring, and financial management, warning against practices such as bribery, nepotism, conflicts of interest, kickbacks, and bid rigging. Both the IIC and CENTAL reiterated that freedom of information serves as a direct safeguard against corruption by giving citizens, journalists, and civil society the tools needed to audit public spending and policy decisions.
Officials across the visited institutions welcomed the outreach and affirmed their commitment to achieving full compliance. This campaign builds upon prior IIC engagements with various public entities, including the Ministry of Public Works, the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Civil Service Agency, and the Liberia National Police.
Looking ahead, the Commission plans to extend its compliance campaign to the Liberia Immigration Service on September 8, the Liberia Electricity Corporation on September 9, and the Food Authority of Liberia on September 10, 2026. Through this continuing partnership with CENTAL, the IIC seeks to establish functional, accountable information systems across all public sectors, ensuring that Liberia’s constitutional right to information remains meaningful and accessible to every citizen.
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