By Bill W. Cooper
President Joseph N. Boakai has officially launched the much-anticipated National Consultancy Policy Guidelines for the Public Service, aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability across all government spending entities.
The National Consultancy Policy Guidelines, launched by the President yesterday in Paynesville, is also a significant step towards enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability in the provision of consultancy services across government spending entities.
Also, the policy will enable the government to streamline the process of hiring consultants for government projects and ensure that the selection process is fair and transparent without political interference and conflict of interest.
Officially launching the policy, President Boakai bragged that with the launching of the national consultancy policy guidelines, his government is poised to make Liberia a ‘nation of integrity’ amongst the comity of nations in Africa and the world at large.
He emphasized the need for a more efficient and effective public service that is free from corruption and nepotism, and thereby outlined the importance of the new policy guidelines in promoting transparency and accountability in the government.
According to him, the launching of the policy is also vital for his government’s 100-day deliverables, as well as aligning with his ARREST developmental agenda, ensuring an effective recruitment and utilization of government resources.
He asserted, “We are committed to building a government that is accountable to the people and operates with integrity. So, this National Consultancy Policy Guidelines will help us achieve this goal by ensuring that consultants are selected based on their qualifications and experience, rather than personal connections or political affiliations.”
Highlighting the importance of strengthening the public service to deliver quality services to the Liberian people, Boakai further stressed the need for a professional and competent workforce that is dedicated to serving the public interest.
“We must invest in our public service and provide the necessary training and resources to ensure that our civil servants are equipped to perform their duties effectively, and by implementing this document, we are taking a significant step towards building a government that is responsive to the needs of the people and operates with integrity,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the President further threw jibes at his critics, saying, “Once you are committed and determined to fight against wasteful spending in government, you will always have people criticizing you. So, let them go on the media, Facebook to talk, but we will do what is just for the Liberian people.”
He added, “So, I am not bothered about criticism because it makes me strong and gives me more courage to do what is just and good for this country. We made a promise and we are committed to that promise to root out corruption and promote integrity in the government.”
Earlier, the Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah F. Joekai, disclosed that as part of his leadership reform process, the CSA has proposed allocating a US$2 million cap in consultancy expenditure in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.
According to him, the prudent measure will lead to a cost-saving of US$4.1 million, thereby curbing excesses and rooting out corruption that plagued the consultancy landscape under the government of former President George Weah.
He noted that by instituting this fiscal discipline and accountability mechanisms, the government will then safeguard public resources and pave the way for genuine progress and development initiatives to flourish.
Joekai added that the newly-established policy guidelines framework developed by the CSA, a competitive framework, has been instituted to level the playing field for all spending entities seeking consultancy services.
The CSA Boss furthered, “It is aimed to eradicate disparities and ensure equal opportunities for entities to address knowledge gaps within their respective domains, as it also sets rigorous standards and procedures governing the implementation of consultancies across government.
