Thursday, September 10,
2020: The Liberia
Anti-Corruption (LACC) in collaboration with other integrity institutions
hosted a one day sectorial meeting in support of the National Anti- Corruption
conference at Corina Hotel on September 10, 2020.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, the Executive
Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. A. Ndubuisi
Nwabudike encouraged participants to be involved in the purpose of hosting the
anti-corruption conference. He said the idea of the conference was to reached a
perception about corruption in our country and find a new approach in the fight
against it.
He further said, that the idea is not to reinvent a new will
or change what is already on going but the key point is, after 176 years of
existence and fighting corruption, if the system and results we are getting are
not encouraging then there is a need to look at it so that the result can be
better or different from what we are getting now and if the political will is
there but it’s not also seen, then we need to know why.
The Chairperson also said that he hoped the discussions which
included Improving the Legal Framework, Enhancing Citizens Confidence and
Participation and the Impact of Political Will
on the Fight Against Corruption
(Collaboration, Financial Autonomy, Capacity Development)will be used as
a guiding process against the perception
Liberians have on corruption.
Making remarks on behalf on the Inter Religious Council of
Liberia, Bishop Joseph Kortu Brown recognized the work of the LACC and
reaffirmed the Council’s support in the fight against corruption. He asked everyone to take the fight seriously
and resources be used for its intended purpose. Bishop Brown also encouraged
the Commissions to continue the fight and hoped all integrity institutions take
their respective mandate seriously.
Also speaking at the meeting, Chief Zanzan Kanwa of the
Traditional Council applauded the LACC for the initiative taken to combat the
fight against corruption. He said, corruption is a long time enemy and the
government should not take the blame alone for this; but we all should and
fight this disease together.
Other anti-graft institutions including the Speaking on behalf of the Internal Audit
Agency (IAA), and Governance Commission (GC) noted that corruption is only
spoken with our lips, forgetting to know that it has strength and will of
fighting back. They also pledged their commitment and willingness to join the
LACC in this fight.
The conference was held under the theme; “Re-Shaping Perception on
Corruption and Identifying New Approaches to Addressing Systemic Corruption in
Liberia” brought together Political Parties, the Inter Religious
Council of Liberia, the Traditional Council, the Liberia Marketing Association,
the Press Union of Liberia, The Federation of Liberia Youth, and Liberian
National Student Union.
The sectorial conference is the last in the series of
consultative meetings leading up to the National Anti-Corruption Conference to
open in Monrovia on September 17.
Monday, September 7, 2020: The Liberia
Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) continued its regional consultation in
Gbarnga, Bong County on August 31, 2020.
This second in the series
of consultations brought together local government officials and civil society
organizations from Nimba, Margibi, Lofa and Bong Counties.
Speaking in separate
remarks at the opening ceremonies, the Superintendents of the various counties
expressed the need for the LACC to conduct similar workshops to keep their feet
to the fire.
They also expressed the need
to decentralize the LACC so that it impact could be felt around the country.
They
thanked the LACC for the invitation to the consultation and hoped that the
consultation will promote honesty among the participants for discussions.
The
Superintendents pledged their full support of their respective counties in the
fight against corruption.
For
his part LACC’s Executive Chairperson, Cllr. Ndubuisi Nwabudike noted the LACC
was holding the consultation in collaboration with other anti-graft
institutions.
He
noted that the Regional Consultations will lead into the National
Anti-Corruption Conference to design new strategies to fight corruption.
Topics
discussed at the consultation included a cross section of themes related to the
fight against corruption.
At the end of the
consultation, participants called for
specialized courts should be set up for corruption cases
only in addition to having both the illicit enrichment law and the whistle
blower should be passed act should be passed into law.
They
also recommended more budgetary support to the LACC
Local
government officials, elders from central Liberia, Youth groups, Civil Society
and Media who gathered for the consultative meeting also called for the
LACC to given prosecutorial power
through legislative enactment.
The
participants also recommended that the Asset declaration should be more
effective on a quarterly monitoring basis and some legal penalty should be
meted out for those officials who don’t declare in the specified time given.
The
next regional meeting is expected to take place in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County
involving Bomi, Cape Mount, Gbarpolu, Rivercess and Grand Bassa Counties on September
3.
Tuesday, September 8, 2020: Delegates at
the National Anti-corruption regional consultative meeting held in three
regions of the country have made a common position to the government for increased
political will, improvement in the Justice system of the country and the
establishment of specialized court to deal with corruption cases.
The
two hundred and fifteen (215) delegates from all the counties meeting in the
three regions also acknowledged the drastic decline in public trust for
national government over the years due bas governance since the formation of
the country
They
called for an end to patronage system and bribery among law enforcement
agencies especially the Police.
Delegates
also unanimously recommended that the government should tackle the country’s
young generation by emphasizing anti-corruption education in public schools
across the country
The
regional consultations which was held under the theme; “Re-Shaping Perception on
Corruption and Identifying New Approaches to Addressing Systemic Corruption in Liberia”brought together local government
officials and civil society organizations, youth leaders, and local elders from all of the fifteen(15) Counties.
The
first regional consultative meeting was held on August 26 in Zwedru, Grand
Gedeh County and brought in the southeastern counties; the second one was held
on August 31 in Gbarnga, Bong County for the counties in central Liberia the
third and final meeting was held in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County on September
3.
Recommendations
from the 15 counties will be presented at the National Anti-Corruption
Conference which is slated to be held on September 16 & 17 in Monrovia
Prior
to the National Conference, the LACC along with other anti-graft institutions
will hold a one-day Sectorial Meeting in Monrovia under the same theme. The
sectorial meeting will bring together Political Parties, Youth Groups, the
Media, and the Inter-Religious Council among others.
The
meeting will offer the participants the opportunity to participate, engage
discuss and advance recommendations to strengthen the Government’s fight
against corruption.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020: The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) formerly
opened the first of three regional consultations in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County
on August 26, 2020
The regional consultation which was
held under the theme; “Re-Shaping Perception on Corruption and
Identifying New Approaches to Addressing Systemic Corruption in Liberia”
brought together local government officials and civil society organizations
from Sinoe, Rivergee, Maryland, Grand Kru and Grand Gedeh Counties.
Speaking at the opening ceremonies,
Grand Gedeh County Superintendent Kai Farley called on participants to discuss
the fundamental issues of corruption that he said has tied the country down
since the formation of LIBERIA and has also affected all sectors of society
including award of contracts, trucking voters during elections and other
difficult areas in the fight against corruption.
He said corruption has also deeply
affected value system of the country and its people and pledge the full support
of Grand Gedeh in the fight against corruption.
Making remarks on behalf of the
Superintendent’s Council of Liberia, River Gee County Superintendent Philip
Nyenuh said corruption has been an impediment to the development of the country
for so long
While pledging the full support of
the Superintendent Council, Mr. Nyenuh praised the work of all stakeholders in
ensuring that local government has a voice in the fight against corruption in
the society.
For his part LACC’s Head of
Delegation to the Consultation James Kingsley who is the Program Manager for
Education said the Commission was seeking to know the real issues in the fight
against corruption and also stated that since the formation of the state, the
country has been confronted with the issue of corruption.
He said a collective approach to
reducing incidents of corruption is important.
Topics discussed at the consultation
included a cross section of themes related to the fight against corruption.
At the end of the consultation,
participants called for the development of national whistle-blower system, and
deliberate improvement of the country’s justice system as cardinal means to
dealing with the fight against corruption.
Local government officials, elders
from south-east Liberia, Youth groups, Civil Society and Media who gathered for
the consultative meeting also called for the development of a special
curriculum on corruption to be included in the teaching curriculum for Liberia
secondary schools.
May 11, 2020
It has come to the attention of the LACC that some person or persons has illegally used the name and picture of the Executive Chairperson of the LACC, Cllr. Ndubuisi Nwabudike, to open a Facebook account within the Henry Costa page, and has used the account to propagate hate messages and anti-government misinformation. This is to inform the public that any information posted under an account under his name is fake, false and misleading. The Executive Chairperson of the LACC does not operate any active personal Facebook account and does not post information on any Facebook account. Those behind this illegal act are obviously intended to use this account for purposes that are most likely to harm the Chairperson, his friends, family and employer. Meanwhile, the LACC has notified FACEBOOK, and the Minister of Justice/Attorney General of Liberia about this illegal activity.
Signed: Edwin J. Clarke, Jr.
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
