By Precious D. Freeman
The Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL) and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) has boosted the forestry sector by launching an anti-corruption mobile application called Talkay for reporting corruption and illegalities within the forestry sector.
The project entitled; ‘Community Base Forestry and Protected Area Management’ (CBFM) is being fully sponsor by Swedish Government through the embassy of Sweden and it is been implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the Forestry Development Authority (FDA).
The CBFM project is targeting to strengthen the management of community forests and protected areas in Liberia through several approaches, including improved governance structures, improved capacity of forest regulatory institutions, empowered forest and farm producer organizations, integrated natural resources management, improved livelihoods of forest fringe communities
Presenting the mobile application to the government and development partners at the official launching ceremony held recently, the IWL’s Executive Director Harold Aidoo said the reporting tool called Talkay is intended for citizens to report any act of corruption and illegalities within the forestry sector pointing out, “We are launching this mobile reporting tool to address illegalities within the forestry sector.”
He named corruption and donor funding that are being implemented by different partners on different livelihoods issues and this tool will help the community to provide feedback on how different projects they are going.
“Those feedback are intended to get to the FDA and partners so that the donors funding that are being provided different aspects within forest management or livelihoods issues can be used properly,” Aidoo expressed.
The IWL Executive Director Aidoo observed that over 80 percent of the country’s population owned a mobile phone and as such they can make a call, or sent a voice message using the Talkay App as a way of reporting suspicious act of corruption and illegalities within the forestry sector.
He noted that the platform works both online and offline, saying “We took into consideration some challenges including those people who cannot read or write.”
“Those who can’t read or write but once they have a mobile phone all they have to do is send a voice message reporting exactly what has happened,” he said.
The IWL Boss said the app can be downloaded from Google play store and it is a seven step process but the reporting aspect is the last step that anyone will used to file their report either by writing or sending a voice message pointing out, “We are launching this application as a means of integrating anti-corruption and inclusive forest using the Talkay reporting app.”
The Managing Director of the FDA, Rudolph Merab, welcomed the initiative and termed it as timely for the work of the FDA adding, “We will try not to hide anything; this administration here at FDA will welcome anything that opens up transparency.”
He warned citizens to desist from using the hydro carbon or producing it, adding that the more you use it, the more pollution happen and the more they will trap it with the forest.
The Program Officer for Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources at the Swedish Embassy, Jenkins Flahwor, praised IWL for developing mobile application to help the FDA in its quest to tackle corruption and illegalities within the forestry sector.
Flahwor said the Swedish Embassy sees the launch of anti-corruption reporting tool as a ground breaking tool that is design not only for the forestry sector but also a tool that could be used and applied to other areas of governance in the promotion of accountability and transparency.
He remarked, “On this occasion we strongly believe it signifies a significant strides towards moving the country forward in efforts that are aim preserving the forest and related resources including the management of the forestry sector for the future generations.”
According to him, it is an open fact that the forestry sector of Liberia over the years has been facing series of challenges including mismanagement, corruption and illegalities within the sector stressing, “But for us at the Embassy of Sweden we strongly believe that with the development of this tool we all will work collectively in addressing those challenges that has hinder the work of the FDA.”
He said the embassy sees the tool not just as a technology, but instead a symbol of their collective commitment to promoting transparency, accountability and good governance within the forestry sector.
