By Laurina B Lormia (Cub-Reporter)
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has held a one-day Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue to enhance the effectiveness of the national budget as a tool for anti-corruption initiatives and reforms.
The dialogue was held Wednesday, April 17, in Sinkor, under the banner to Increased Funding for Anti-Corruption Efforts, Benefits and Recommended Actions, with funding from the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
Speaking at the program, the Speaker Fonati Koffa promised that the Legislature will take the necessary steps to ensure it is audited and foster accountability and transparency.
Koffa backed CENTAL, stressing the need for the government to do more in funding integrity institutions.
According to him, the Public Accounts Committees of both the Houses of Senate and Representatives will be empowered to put in place a system for the domestic revenue audit.
“The Legislature will go through a lot of changes in the next three years amid the challenges in fighting corruption and we are determined to do that. We know how fighting corruption is, especially when it involves your relatives, close friends or political, religious or social allies,” he said.
At the same time, the Grand Kru County Electoral District 2 Representative has called for a domestic revenue audit, noting that such a process will unveil certain hidden deals that continue to jeopardize the progress of the country and its people.
“The test of democracy is in us. Liberians must fight corruption by themselves, regardless of who is involved to rest these accountability and transparency issues,” Koffa narrated.
The Program Director at the Embassy of Sweden, Nikolina Stalhand thanked CENTAL for organizing the dialogue and further applauded key members of the Legislature as well as integrity institutions for being in attendance,
“An urgent need for the fight against corruption and the enforcement of transparency and accountability in Liberia. We also urged the Liberian government and the citizens to prioritize this fight and foster development and improve the governing system,” she said
“We know that the government is prioritizing this fight but it should do more, the integrity institutions responsible to champion this endeavor are to be empowered and supported through the appropriate budgetary support,” she stressed.
The Executive Director for CENTAL, Anderson D. Miamen, lauded the Swedish Government and other local and international other partners for partnering with anti-corruption institutions, civil society organizations and the national government among others in the fight against corruption.
CENTAL boss said the dialogue seeks to enhance the effectiveness of the national budget as a tool for anti-corruption initiatives and reforms.
“This dialogue is to also mobilize stakeholders’ inputs and support for efforts aimed at advocating for increased budgetary support to anti-corruption efforts and initiatives in Liberia,” he said.
Meanwhile, the initiative intends to highlight how budgetary appropriations are made by the government for those key entities to enable them fight corruption, and the way donor funds are used and relevant institutions are transparent and accountable.
