MONROVIA — The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) on Wednesday convened the second edition of its National Anti-Corruption Financing Policy Dialogue, renewing calls for stronger budgetary support to Liberia's integrity institutions amid persistent concerns over weak oversight and underfunded anti-graft agencies.
Held on November 19 with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) through the Embassy of Sweden, the gathering united civil society leaders, government officials, development partners, and the media under the theme: "Financing Anti-Corruption Efforts to Promote Transparency, Accountability, and Good Governance in Liberia."
CENTAL Highlights Progress, Gaps in Anti-Corruption Efforts
Providing an overview, CENTAL Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen said the dialogue seeks to deepen information-sharing around current wins, challenges, and next steps in Liberia's anti-corruption fight. He noted that the ongoing project--with Sweden's support--entered its second phase in 2024, continuing a partnership that began in 2020.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"So we are happy for this engagement that has achieved a lot and it's also helping to facilitate this very important event for which we're here today," Miamen said.
He stressed that corruption continues to undermine development, limit livelihood opportunities, and deny citizens the benefits they should receive from the national budget and natural resources. These realities, he added, require collective effort.
Miamen also pointed out that although some progress has been made in financing integrity institutions, significant gaps remain. "From what I have gathered from previous speakers before me, it shows that there has been marginalized progress made in financing integrity institutions," he said. "So it is against this backdrop we were organizing this dialogue to identify means of addressing these financing gaps."
Keynote Speaker: "Corruption Thrives When Oversight Fails"
Delivering the keynote address, former Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) Executive Chairperson Cllr. James Nyepan Verdier Jr. warned that corruption is not unavoidable--it expands where institutions are weak and underfunded.
"Financing anti-corruption institutions is crucial for achieving transparency, accountability, and good governance," Verdier said. "It requires multifaceted strategies that prioritize independence, sustainable funding, and collaboration with civil society and international partners."
He stressed that Liberia's watchdog agencies are supposed to be the nation's first line of defense, yet they often face severe financial and capacity shortages.
Verdier called for a strengthened and independent framework for oversight institutions, including the General Auditing Commission (GAC), the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). He also underscored the role of civil society in tracking budgets and monitoring government activities.
"ACIs are designed and established to police the powerful, yet the powerful often control their budgets. This creates a fundamental conflict of interest," he said.
He recommended that budgets for anti-graft entities be protected from political interference, set directly by the Legislature, and supported through multi-year funding commitments. He also called for legal safeguards to prevent arbitrary cuts and enable institutions to retain a share of recovered assets.
EU Affirms Support for Transparency and Oversight
European Union Ambassador Nona Deprez reaffirmed the EU's ongoing support for Liberia's anti-corruption architecture, highlighting both financing and strengthened oversight mechanisms as central to improving governance.
Deprez emphasized that the EU's work aligns closely with Liberia's own reform priorities. "We work at the policy level through continuous dialogue, pursuing the same objectives you have articulated," she said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
While reinforcing the EU's support for institutions such as the LACC, GAC, and IAA, she cautioned that funding alone cannot solve systemic challenges.
"We must look not only at the resources available but at how those resources are spent," she said. "That is why we are deeply engaged in oversight, supporting transparency in public financial management, and implementing higher-level instruments to reinforce accountability."
Stakeholders Call for Greater Investment in Integrity Institutions
The event ended with a panel discussion involving representatives of government anti-graft institutions and civil society. Speakers highlighted persistent funding gaps and operational challenges, while the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning outlined hurdles affecting the execution of budgetary demands.
The consensus across the dialogue: without sustained political will and financial commitment, Liberia's fight against corruption will remain slow and uneven.
