By: Leymah E. Kollie
Senior government officials from several public institutions have participated in a one-day capacity-building training aimed at strengthening compliance with Liberia’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Law and reinforcing anti-corruption measures in the public sector.
The training, held Tuesday at the conference hall of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) in Monrovia, was organized by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) in partnership with the Independent Information Commission (IIC) and LPRC.
The initiative received funding support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the Embassy of Sweden in Liberia.
Participants were drawn from the National Port Authority, the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority, the Liberia Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority, and LPRC.
The training forms part of CENTAL’s National Integrity Building and Anti-Corruption Program, which seeks to strengthen public institutions’ understanding of obligations under Liberia’s Freedom of Information Act of 2010 and promote transparency and accountability in government operations.
During the session, officials emphasized that while the FOI law guarantees citizens the right to access public information, effective implementation requires strong leadership, functional institutional systems, and a culture of transparency.
Presentations were delivered by Findley Karnga, Chairperson of the Office of the Ombudsman, who spoke on the Code of Conduct for Public Officials; Armah Johnson, Acting Compliance Officer at the IIC, who highlighted practical compliance requirements under the FOI law; and Siafa S. Kamara, Program Officer at CENTAL, who discussed anti-corruption mechanisms and the Corruption Case Tracker platform.
In separate remarks, Anderson Miamen, Executive Director of CENTAL, said the training is part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency and accountability mechanisms in Liberia.
Miamen noted that CENTAL’s Advocacy and Legal Advice Center provides a platform for citizens to report corruption and seek redress.
Also speaking, Karl Backeus, Sweden’s Ambassador to Liberia and Sierra Leone, acknowledged the challenges corruption poses but praised ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and accountability systems in Liberia.
At the end of the training, 40 participants received certificates of completion, with organizers urging them to return to their institutions and establish functional FOI structures, including appointing public information officers and creating internal review mechanisms.
The organizers have stressed that access to information and anti-corruption efforts are closely linked, noting that improved information flow enhances oversight and builds public trust in government institutions.
