By Precious D Freeman
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has formally launched a report containing analysis of budgets from 2016 to date including the draft 2023 national budget, which has now been approved by the Liberian Legislature albeit with some changes.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, the Executive Director for CENTAL Anderson Miamen said that this is part of efforts to independently track and mainstream accountability and transparency in the national budget process so that it works for everyone and not a selected few individuals and groups.
According to him, the report follows a careful review and analysis of the draft 2023 national budget, the budget process, as well as expenditures.
“Additionally, it covers media tracking and monitoring visits to selected locations, Gbondoi Town in Bong County for example, to gather firsthand information from residents on budget performance and impacts,” he said.
CENTAL boss stressed that the report places a spotlight on efforts to make the budget process more transparent and inclusive, development projects and programs, underfunding of integrity institutions, and discrepancies in allocations and actual expenditure.
He added that others include disparities in allocations to cities, ‘zero budgeting’, and recommendations for making the national budget more transparent, inclusive, and impactful.
“As you may be aware, in every country, the national budget is the principal financial tool used by government to drive development, the same being in Liberia. The budget outlines programs and allocates resources based on revenues generated from taxes and other external sources,” Miamen said.
“Because of the significance to driving development in Liberia, over the years, CENTAL has developed keen interest in the budget process, especially in respect to how transparency, accountability, gender, and integrity are mainstreamed,” Director Miamen explained.
He furthered that they run an open expenditure program, funded by Sida and the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia, which goes beyond publication of budget figures to investigate how allotted resources are disbursed and actually expended.
“In part, this entails assessing transparency and accountability around recruiting companies/contractors to perform certain services, citizens’ involvement in such processes, in the case of the County Social Development Funds (CSDFs) and other projects, and whether or not the resources actually reach the target beneficiaries,” he stated.
“We applaud the government for making appreciable efforts to make the budget process transparent and participatory, although much more is needed. Doors are beginning to open for institutionalization of meaningful public participation in the budget process,” he said.
He continued, “There are two notable initiatives in this regard: Fiscal Transparency Advocacy Group (FTAG) and Pre-budget consultations. The FTAG was inaugurated on 19 July 2022 with the mandate to select, design, and implement public participation mechanisms in relation to the budget process. It is comprised of equal number of representatives from civil society and government who have been working to make the budget process more participatory and inclusive.”
CENTAL boss stressed that as part of the initiative, pre-budget consultations for formulation of the 2023 budget were held with over 300 representatives of CSOs and other citizens in 5 counties. Also, civil society organizations developed a shadow budget, which was submitted to government with a focus on prioritizing citizens’ interest in the budget process.
“Additionally, huge allocations to the National Elections Commission (NEC), for the upcoming General and Presidential Elections relative to increase in support to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and General Auditing Commission; 2.5 million to the Ministry of Education to abolish registration fees charged at public schools are all laudable,” Director Miamen maintained.
Meanwhile, CENTAL is encouraging civil society, the media, citizens and other stakeholders to thoroughly review the national budget, discuss its contents on national and local radio and other platforms as well as closely monitor spending entities to determine whether or not budgeted resources are being/have been used for the intended purposes.
CENTAL applauded the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia and the Swedish International Development Corporation Agency for funding its Open Expenditure Initiative, which has made this report and analysis possible. “Also, we will like to thank our many donors and partners, including citizens whose support and motivation have sustained our work over the years,” Miamen asserted.
