Good Governance

Good Governance Development and Policy for Liberia

Liberia’s Good Governance Development and Policy aims to strengthen democratic institutions, improve transparency, enhance accountability, and promote effective public administration. The policy focuses on building trust between the government and the citizens, ensuring that public resources are used efficiently, and empowering citizens to participate meaningfully in governance processes. By fostering a culture of good governance, Liberia seeks to create an environment that supports sustainable development, human rights, and social justice.

Key Objectives of Liberia’s Good Governance Policy

Strengthen Democratic Institutions: Ensure that Liberia’s democratic institutions are robust, transparent, and accountable to the people.
Enhance Accountability and Transparency: Build systems that ensure government actions, resource allocation, and decision-making are open and subject to public scrutiny.
Promote Rule of Law and Human Rights: Uphold the rule of law, ensuring that laws are applied equally to all citizens, and protect human rights in all areas of governance.
Foster Civic Engagement and Participation: Encourage active participation of citizens in the decision-making process, ensuring that governance is inclusive and reflects the will of the people.
Improve Public Administration and Service Delivery: Strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of government agencies and ensure they serve the needs of the people.

Core Pillars of Liberia’s Good Governance Policy

1. Democratic Institutions and Electoral Process

Strengthening Electoral Integrity: Ensure free, fair, and transparent elections by strengthening the electoral commission, improving voter registration systems, and ensuring transparency in the election process. This includes ensuring that elections are not marred by corruption or violence.
Independent Judiciary: Strengthen the independence of the judiciary to ensure fair and impartial judgments. The judiciary must be free from political interference and must have the resources and training needed to function effectively.
Parliamentary Oversight: Strengthen the role of the legislature in overseeing the executive branch to ensure that government policies and programs are aligned with the needs of the people.
Institutional Accountability: Ensure that all public institutions are accountable to the people, particularly through transparency in decision-making and reporting. This involves the regular publication of government spending, revenue generation, and procurement processes.

2. Transparency and Anti-Corruption

Anti-Corruption Framework: Strengthen Liberia’s anti-corruption laws and institutions to combat corruption at all levels of government. This includes enhancing the role of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and providing support for its efforts in investigating and prosecuting corruption cases.
Public Financial Management: Reform public financial management systems to ensure that government revenues are collected, allocated, and spent in a transparent manner. This should include regular audits and public access to financial records.
Whistleblower Protection: Introduce measures to protect whistleblowers who expose corruption or misconduct, ensuring that they are not subjected to retaliation.
Public Access to Information: Ensure that citizens have access to government information, including policy decisions, budget allocations, and procurement processes. This could include establishing online portals for public information and strengthening the right to information laws.

3. Rule of Law and Human Rights

Equal Protection Under the Law: Ensure that all individuals, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, social status, or political affiliation, have equal access to justice and legal protection. This includes enforcing laws to protect marginalized groups, such as women, children, and ethnic minorities.
Judicial Reform: Reform the judicial system to make it more efficient, accessible, and transparent. This includes improving the capacity of courts, reducing case backlogs, and ensuring that trials are fair and timely.
Human Rights Protection: Strengthen the protection of human rights, ensuring that Liberia adheres to international human rights conventions and that human rights violations are adequately addressed. This includes protecting the rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and association, as well as promoting social rights such as access to education and healthcare.

4. Civic Engagement and Public Participation

Citizen Participation in Governance: Promote the active participation of citizens in governance, including consultations on key decisions, regular town hall meetings, and community forums. Strengthen local governance systems to empower local communities to make decisions that affect them directly.
Empowering Civil Society: Support the role of civil society organizations in advocating for policy reforms, holding the government accountable, and representing marginalized groups in decision-making processes.
Public Awareness and Education: Increase public awareness about governance processes, rights, and responsibilities through educational campaigns, media outreach, and civic education. This will help citizens understand how they can participate in governance and demand accountability from public officials.
Gender and Inclusion: Ensure that governance processes are inclusive of women, youth, and other marginalized groups, empowering them to actively participate in political, social, and economic decisions. This includes promoting gender-sensitive policies and policies that consider the needs of people with disabilities.

5. Public Administration and Service Delivery

Civil Service Reform: Reform the civil service to ensure that it is professional, efficient, and responsive to the needs of the public. This includes merit-based recruitment, regular training, and ensuring that civil servants are held to high standards of accountability and ethics.
Decentralization of Services: Strengthen decentralization processes to ensure that public services, such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure, are delivered efficiently at the local level. This includes empowering local governments with the resources and authority needed to provide essential services.
E-Government and Technology: Promote the use of technology to improve government services, making them more accessible, efficient, and transparent. This includes digitizing public services, establishing e-governance platforms, and providing citizens with access to online services.
Improving Public Service Delivery: Establish mechanisms for evaluating the performance of public service institutions, ensuring that they meet the needs of the citizens. Implement feedback loops where citizens can rate and review government services and programs.

6. Fiscal Responsibility and Public Finance Management

Sound Fiscal Policy: Implement sound fiscal policies that ensure sustainable public finances and economic stability. This involves controlling government debt, optimizing revenue collection, and making strategic investments in development sectors such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
Public Procurement Transparency: Reform the public procurement system to ensure transparency, fairness, and competitiveness. Establish mechanisms to prevent procurement fraud, favoritism, and nepotism.
Local Government Financing: Strengthen the financial capacity of local governments to provide services effectively. This involves ensuring that local governments have access to sufficient funding, that funds are used efficiently, and that the allocation of resources is equitable.

Implementation and Monitoring

Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track the progress of governance reforms and policy implementation. Use data and evidence to assess the effectiveness of governance reforms and ensure that the government is meeting its commitments to the people.
Independent Oversight: Strengthen independent bodies like the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), and the Liberia Media Center to oversee government activities, investigate misconduct, and ensure that officials are held accountable.
Public Participation in Monitoring: Enable citizens to participate in the monitoring of government projects and expenditures, allowing for real-time feedback and greater transparency in the use of public funds.