By Precious D Freeman
The Executive Director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia, (CENTAL), Anderson Miamen, says his organization welcomes the United States Ambassador to Liberia, Michael McCarthy, on the state of decentralization and it further speaks to how the national budget has been manipulated to serve the interests of those who control power.
“This extremely unfortunate development has to stop if the people must truly and measurably benefit from the resources and other assets of the country,” Miamen said.
He said there can be no better affirmation of recent reports issued by CENTAL detailing how the national budget is being used as a tool for corruption and how decentralization has been reduced to a political token rather than a deliberate effort to devolve power and resources from the central level in Monrovia to counties and communities on the margin.
“Indeed, not only does the Ambassador’s statement reflect courage, it transcends any actual or perceived diplomatic boundaries for the good of the Liberian people.
“We see that the disservice meted out against the Liberian people by their own leaders is so great that it cannot be overlooked by our international partners, Ambassador McCarthy in this instant case,” he said.
According to him, the American engages as a true Liberian patriot and campaigner for good governance and true decentralization.
“Even as corruption brazenly has its way, Ambassador McCarthy faces the odds and speaks truth to power. The question is: when will we, Liberians, engage our democracy and governance as true patriots wanting the best for the country and its people? When will leaders truly lead, selflessly, accountably, and transparently? And when will citizens satisfactorily live up to their civic duties?” he said.
Miamen called on national leaders, especially the President and lawmakers to forge collaborations that placed citizens at the center of their engagements and decisions and not otherwise.
“National leaders should make the national budget work for the people by adequately funding educational, medical, agricultural and other agencies and institutions directly serving the needs of the public,” Miamen said.
Miamen said the Liberian government should reduce funding of the President, Vice President, Speaker, and other high political offices and redirect those resources to activities and programs in health, education, and other sectors that will directly benefit citizens.
“The Legislature should be robust in performing its duties. Although highly disappointing in its performance, the Legislature still remains the agency of government responsible to provide the necessary oversight in safeguarding public resources and assets. It should do so, if it must be regarded as truly representing the people and not itself,” Miamen said.
He lauded development partners for their tireless support in strengthening democracy and accountability cultures in Liberia and urged them to continue doing so, at an even greater scale.
“A blended support and engagement that sees development partners not only providing financial and technical support to civil society, government, and other institutions but also openly commending and criticizing major developments in Liberia is welcomed and he or she be pursued,” Miamen said.
Miamen urged civil society and the media to increase and diversify their engagements to educate the public, checkmate national government as well as monitor and report on the development and implementation of the national budget and other key national policies and documents.
He stressed the need for public integrity institutions including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to be adequately funded and robust in their engagements and performances of their duties.
