By: H Matthew Turry
The Independent Information Commission (IIC) has commemorated the 14th anniversary of Liberia’s landmark Freedom of Information (FOI) Law with a strong call for immediate government compliance.
Despite the progress made since the law’s passage, the Commission sounded the alarm over widespread non-compliance by government ministries and agencies, which have deprived of essential information and consequently eroded public trust in government.
Information Commissioner, Joash T. Hodges, in a press conference in Monrovia on Monday, September 16, 2024, highlighted that despite years of outreach, including official letters and administrative circulars, majority of Liberia’s ministries and agencies as well as public corporation have neglected their statutory obligations under the FOI Act.
According to the IIC’s latest report, an assessment of 50 institutions showed that only 8% of govern ministries is fully compliant with the law, while 82% is only partially compliant.
Shockingly, Hodges said 10% remains in complete violation of the law, leaving critical gaps in public access to government information.
“This neglect has paralyzed the public’s right to know,” Commissioner Hodges declared. “When ministries and agencies fail to comply, it severely undermines transparency and fosters a breeding ground for misinformation and disinformation,” he furthered
Hodges maintained that the FOI Law which was signed into effect by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on September 16, 2010, was a watershed moment for transparency in Liberia.
The IIC was established to enforce public access to information, and required all government bodies to appoint Public Information Officers (PIOs), maintain user-friendly websites, and publish annual reports, among other statutory duties.
However, after 14 years, these requirements have been met with consistent neglect, while many government bodies have failed to even designate PIOs as required by Chapter 3, Section 3.6 of the FOI Act.
“The IIC’s annual reports continue to highlight this glaring issue,” Hodges said. “Many government entities remain non-compliant, and that has significantly hampered the Commission’s efforts to enforce the law.”
Non-compliance, according to the IIC boss, is not merely an administrative failure but a direct assault on participatory democracy. “Without access to timely and accurate information, citizens are left in the dark about the operations of their government, limiting their ability to hold officials accountable and undermining the rule of law.
He noted that over the past six years, the IIC has also faced crippling financial constraints. From 2018 to 2023, and added that the Commission was allocated a mere $90,000 for goods and services, but only received $48,424.
The inadequate funding has stifled the IIC’s ability to raise public awareness, provide training for PIOs, and decentralize its activities across Liberia’s 15 counties, he added, saying that the lack of financial support has paralyzed our daily operations.”
Mr. Hodges explained further, “This has directly affected our ability to promote the FOI Law, leaving citizens largely unaware of their right to request information, “saying that operational difficulties have also had international repercussions for the Commission .
He said Liberia has lost its position as Vice Chair of the West Africa Governing Council for Information Commissioners in 2019 due to the Commission’s inability to attend international conferences.
Accordingly, Commissioner Hodges has issued a stern reminder to government ministries, autonomous agencies, public corporations, and other entities that benefit from public resources to comply with the law or face consequences, urging that these institutions to take immediate steps, including appointing PIOs, establishing internal information request review bodies, and maintaining up-to-date websites, as mandated by the FOI Law.
The IIC has received increased budgetary support under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration, with an allocation of $156,152 for goods and services in 2024.
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