The Elections Coordinating Committee (ECC) has expressed concern over the minimum technical assistance provided by development partners towards the US$3 million budget required by the National Elections Commission (NEC) for the October 10 elections.
During a pre-elections press conference, Cllr. Oscar Bloh, Chairperson of the ECC, noted that the limited support may pose a challenge to the electoral process.
However, it should be noted that the government has, to a large extent, provided the necessary financial resources for the elections.
It is important to mention that the government and the EU-Liberia development partnership signed an agreement on June 5, 2023, which included US$16.5 million allocated to support the election process and promote a more inclusive democracy. Although the government believes that the running of the election should be primarily financed by the country itself, the EU's support remains additional to the government's resources.
The NEC had initially requested US$53 million to carry out the elections but has yet to receive the full amount from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
During an appearance before the Senate on August 29, Davidetta Brown-Lansannah, the Chairperson of the NEC, noted that a run-off election could only be conducted if the Finance Ministry of Finance disburses the remaining funds.
She stated, "Regarding the availability of funds for a potential run-off, I must say no, as we still require the remaining US$3.2 million to reach the US$53 million budget for the elections."
She informed Senate members that, to date, the Ministry has remitted slightly over US$49 million of the US$53 million budget approved by the legislature. It is currently unclear whether the government has fully disbursed the required funds within just a day of the elections.
Despite the financial challenges, Bloh called on Liberians to maintain peaceful conduct during and after the elections. He emphasized the significance of this election as the first time the NEC will employ a biometric voter registration system, while the voting process will continue to be manual. Internal peace and security will be ensured by state security agencies, particularly members of the Joint Security Task Force.
However, the ECC chairperson expressed regret that reports of pre-electoral violence, investigated by the Liberian National Police, have not been made available to the public and that the perpetrators have yet to be held accountable. This situation has the potential to undermine public trust in the security apparatus.
To ensure transparency, the ECC plans to deploy observers to the tallying exercise at all magisterial offices across the country. Additionally, they will monitor the filing and adjudication of electoral petitions that may arise from the conduct of the election.
Bloh also said the election is critical because, "it is the first time the NEC will conduct an election using biometric voter registration system, but the voting process will continue to be manual. Internal peace and security will be provided by state security agencies, specifically members of the Joint Security Task Force," Bloh noted
He regretted that reports of pre-electoral violence investigated by the Liberian National Police have not been made available to the public and, with the perpetrators yet to be held accountable.
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"This has the tendency to reinforce the public perception of mistrust in the security apparatus," the ECC chairperson said.
According to him, the ECC will deploy observers to the tallying exercise at all magisterial offices across the country, to assess the level of transparency of the process. "The ECC will further observe the filing and adjudication of all electoral petitions arising from the conduct of the election."
In conclusion, while concerns remain regarding the minimum technical assistance from development partners, the government has provided significant resources for the elections. The ECC continues to monitor the electoral process, and it is crucial for all Liberians to engage in peaceful and constructive participation during this significant democratic event.
