Monrovia — In a Facebook post, Mr. Garrison Yealue, the newly appointed chairman of the Governance Commission, expressed his support for President George Weah's re-election bid and his intention to encourage his fellow community members to do the same.
Mr. Yealue, a former Representative of Nimba County, was nominated by President George Weah and subsequently confirmed by the Liberian Senate for the position of chairman of the Governance Commission.
"I am personally endorsing President George M. Weah for re-election, and I will actively work to persuade my constituents to support him as well. However, it is essential that we adhere to the rules of fair play in our political endeavors. Baseless accusations against me will not serve any constructive purpose.
"Furthermore, it is important to clarify that my name, Garrison Doldeh Yealue, Jr., will not appear on the ballot papers. Our primary goal is to ensure that our people can benefit from their significant representation. In Vayenglay, we have a saying: 'Lue Gbeh mehn e zohn Wia kar, a yea dor Vayenglay Gueh muon' which means Nimba belongs to all of us! Indeed, the maggots and the carcass are inseparable!"
It is worth noting that the act establishing the Governance Commission emphasizes the commission's responsibility to promote good governance, formulate appropriate policies, and advocate for integrity at all levels of society and within both public and private institutions.
Section 5.3.4 of the same act states that commissioners must maintain a non-partisan stance to prevent the commission's agenda and processes from being influenced by political biases. Moreover, the Code of Conduct for Public Officials, which was developed by the Governance Commission, explicitly prohibits public officials from engaging in political activities while in office (Section 5.1.3).
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The Governance Commission is entrusted with the task of monitoring and evaluating the performance of governance institutions, assessing the overall governance framework, and evaluating the performance of the institutions that constitute Liberia's governance infrastructure.
While progress has been made in terms of policy recommendations, implementation strategies, and the establishment of institutions, the monitoring and evaluation unit of the Governance Commission is actively advancing its work. A key responsibility of this unit is to lead the production of the annual government performance report, as mandated by law.
The Governance Commission was established as part of the 2003 Accra Peace Accord to address Liberia's multitude of challenges arising from the 14-year civil war. The war had resulted in a complete breakdown of democratic governance, with rebel factions assuming control over government functions, appointing senior officials, and even installing their own "civil servants." Some political parties today are remnants of these rebel factions.
In 2007, the Governance Reform Commission was renamed the Governance Commission through a National Legislative Act on October 9, with the aim of further advancing governance reforms in Liberia.
