MONROVIA – As Liberia continues its struggle to strengthen accountability institutions and restore public confidence in governance, the role of young people is increasingly being recognized as indispensable to national anti-corruption efforts. That reality came into sharp focus at the Inter-University Integrity Debate Grand Final in Monrovia, where the Witness Protection Agency joined civil society and development partners in promoting transparency, whistleblower protection and civic responsibility. Far beyond an academic competition, the event became a platform for discussing systemic corruption, citizen oversight and the protection of those willing to report wrongdoing. It also highlighted growing efforts to position students as active stakeholders in Liberia’s governance and accountability architecture. THE ANALYST reports.
WPA THROWS WEIGHT BEHIND YOUTH INTEGRITY CAMPAIGN
The Witness Protection Agency (WPA) of Liberia has reaffirmed its commitment to witness and whistleblower protection while positioning Liberia’s youth as key partners in the country’s ongoing battle against corruption.
The declaration was made during the Inter-University Integrity Debate Grand Final organized by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and co-sponsorship from the WPA.
Held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at the United Methodist University campus in Monrovia, the event brought together approximately ninety-five students drawn from four of Liberia’s leading institutions of higher learning.
The gathering formed part of CENTAL’s broader National Integrity Building and Anti-Corruption Program and sought to encourage greater youth participation in discussions surrounding transparency, accountability and civic responsibility.
Participants represented the University of Liberia, African Methodist Episcopal University, United Methodist University and Stella Maris Polytechnic University, all of which maintain active chapters of CENTAL’s Integrity Club initiative.
DEBATE BECOMES PLATFORM FOR NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY DISCUSSION
Organized under the theme, “Rewriting the Narratives through Debates for Improved Efforts Against Corruption, Inclusion, and Youth Confidence,” the event evolved beyond a traditional academic competition and became a broader national discussion about governance and public accountability.
Students engaged in structured debates featuring opening statements, rebuttals, propositions and judicial rulings rendered by former Integrity Club members serving as adjudicators.
Representatives of government institutions, civil society organizations, university administrations and media entities were also present, giving the event a distinctly national character.
Observers noted that the format enabled participants not only to sharpen their analytical skills but also to engage directly with some of the most pressing governance challenges confronting Liberia.
For the WPA, the event provided an opportunity to connect directly with young people and emphasize the importance of reporting corruption through safe and protected channels.
GRIGSBY ISSUES STRONG ANTI-CORRUPTION CHALLENGE
Delivering the Agency’s keynote message, WPA Director Hon. T. Maxwell Grigsby II described the gathering as an important national platform for confronting corruption and discussing practical solutions to Liberia’s accountability challenges.
Commending CENTAL for what he termed an “educative and impactful initiative,” Director Grigsby stressed that the debate represented much more than a competition among universities.
“This gathering is not merely a debate,” he declared. “It is a platform to discuss corruption and the challenges confronting Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts.”
The WPA Director identified several practices that he believes continue to undermine public confidence in governance and impede national development.
Among them were tax compromises, under-declaration of revenues and the abuse of duty-free privileges, all of which he described as corrosive practices that weaken state institutions and deprive the nation of critical resources.
According to him, meaningful progress in Liberia’s anti-corruption campaign requires not only stronger institutions but also a citizenry willing to challenge misconduct wherever it occurs.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CONCERNS RAISED
In remarks that attracted significant attention from participants, Director Grigsby also expressed concern about the apparent shortage of public transportation services within Monrovia and surrounding communities.
He pointed to government support reportedly provided through the 2026 supplementary budget to the National Transit Authority and questioned whether ordinary Liberians were receiving the intended benefits.
Specifically, the Director referenced more than US$200,000 reportedly allocated to support public transportation services.
Despite that support, he observed that many of the buses visible in and around Monrovia appear to be engaged in private contracts for funerals, field trips and other activities rather than serving commuters struggling with transportation challenges on a daily basis.
The comments reflected a broader argument advanced by the Director that public institutions must remain accountable for the resources entrusted to them.
STUDENTS URGED TO REPORT WRONGDOING
A major focus of the Director’s presentation involved encouraging students and citizens to utilize available reporting mechanisms when confronted with evidence of corruption.
He urged participants to take advantage of national anti-corruption hotlines and the Office of the President’s reporting hotline, commonly known as 2424, as channels for exposing misconduct.
Director Grigsby also identified public utility revenue collection as an area requiring heightened public vigilance.
“It is both unethical and detrimental to national development for individuals entrusted with collecting public utility revenues to divert or underreport funds meant to improve service delivery,” he stated.
His remarks were widely interpreted as a call for stronger citizen oversight of public institutions and a reminder that anti-corruption efforts cannot succeed without public participation.
PARTNERSHIP WITH CENTAL SET FOR EXPANSION
Looking beyond the debate, Director Grigsby disclosed that the government has allocated resources to support broader public engagement activities through the WPA.
He encouraged CENTAL to deepen collaboration with the Agency through outreach programs in Margibi, Bong and Nimba Counties.
According to him, such partnerships would enable the WPA’s message concerning witness and whistleblower protection to reach larger audiences, particularly outside Monrovia.
The proposal was welcomed by many attendees as evidence of a growing partnership between state institutions and civil society organizations in advancing accountability and transparency.
Observers noted that expanding these initiatives to rural communities could help strengthen public awareness regarding reporting mechanisms and citizen protections.
WPA EXPLAINS ITS LEGAL MANDATE
Also addressing the gathering was Atty. Frank S. Suku, Coordinator and Head of Secretariat of the Witness Protection Agency.
Atty. Suku used the opportunity to educate students about the agency’s statutory responsibilities and operational framework.
He explained that the WPA was established under the Witness Protection Act of 2022 as an autonomous institution operating within the Executive Branch of Government.
According to him, the Agency works closely with both the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to administer witness protection services across multiple stages of legal proceedings.
These stages include investigation and pre-hearing activities, courtroom proceedings and post-trial interventions.
He further outlined a range of services provided by the WPA, including physical protection, psychosocial support, legal assistance, safe housing arrangements and reintegration programs for vulnerable witnesses and whistleblowers.
UNIVERSITY OF LIBERIA EMERGES CHAMPION
The debate itself produced a closely contested final between the University of Liberia Integrity Club and its counterpart from African Methodist Episcopal University.
The motion before the finalists asked participants to debate whether public dissatisfaction with government progress in fighting corruption was more justified than public satisfaction.
After extensive arguments and rebuttals, the University of Liberia secured victory by a narrow margin of 93 points to 91, earning the championship trophy and the top prize.
AMEU finished as runner-up in what observers described as one of the most competitive Integrity Club debates held in recent years.
The competition represented the culmination of a months-long process involving numerous institutions across Montserrado County.
BUILDING A GENERATION OF ACCOUNTABILITY ADVOCATES
For both CENTAL and the Witness Protection Agency, however, the ultimate objective extended beyond identifying a winning team.
The event formed part of a broader strategy to cultivate a generation of young Liberians equipped to engage governance issues, challenge corruption and participate meaningfully in public life.
By combining civic education, legal awareness and youth engagement, organizers hope to create an environment in which citizens can report wrongdoing without fear and contribute actively to national accountability efforts.
The WPA’s participation underscored its conviction that witness and whistleblower protection remains an essential component of the fight against corruption and that young people must play a central role in shaping a more transparent and accountable Liberia.
As the Agency looks toward expanded outreach initiatives across the country, officials say they remain committed to working alongside students, civil society organizations and public institutions to strengthen integrity, promote justice and protect those who courageously speak truth to power.