REPUBLIC OF
LIBERIA
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, CULTURE
AND TOURISM
P. O. BOX 10-9021 - CAPITOL HILL
1000
MONROVIA 10, LIBERIA
Office of the Deputy Minister Cell
#: +231 (0) 886523518
OFFICIAL
PRESS RELEASE
For
Immediate effect
(Monrovia: January 22, 2015)
Government officials and civil society representatives are expected to meet
this Friday in a follow-up meeting to discuss the need and means of promoting
accountability of Ebola resources in Liberia, with particular emphasis on the
necessity for increased proactive disclosure and timely responses to request
for information on funds and other resources donated, received, used and held
in connection with the fight against Ebola.
The first meeting, organized
by The Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism and The Carter
Center’s Access to Information Project, was held on November 19, 2014 and
brought together key stakeholders to discuss accountability of Ebola
resources. Participating in the
inaugural event were officials from the Ministries of Finance, Education,
Gender and Development, Internal Affairs and the Liberia Anti Corruption
Commission, LACC as well as representatives from some leading civil society
groups in the country, including the Christian Association of the Blind, The
Liberia Crusaders for Peace, Center for Accountability and Transparency,
CENTAL, Liberia Media Center and the Center for Media Studies and Peace
Building, CEMESP among others.
MICAT and The Carter Center’s
Access to Information Project are convening the ongoing discussions in support
of the commitment of The Government of Liberia to ensure that both local and
international funding, supplies and other resources provided for fighting the
Ebola Virus Disease are fully utilized and accounted for. The meetings are based on the belief that a
gathering of information holders and those seeking information to discuss ways
to enhance proactive disclosure of public information best serves the interest
of building trust and guaranteeing continued support from local and
international partners in the fight against the EVD.
Deputy Information Minister
for Public Affairs, Isaac Jackson said the ‘outcome of the meetings will
re-enforce the Ministry of Information Daily Ebola press briefing’ that
regularly updates the public on the state of the Ebola fight and management of
resources.
The Carter Center’s Access to
Information Project Lead, Cllr Negbalee Warner
also said, ‘the effort is consistent with the value of Liberia`s Freedom
of Information Act which promotes the right of people to be informed about
their government and how it manages the affairs and resources of the people.’
When the stakeholder’s first met in November,
they called for public institutions to regularly provide information to the public;
to inform on the utilization of Ebola funding, supplies and other resources and
to hold regular meetings of stakeholders to discuss challenges in information
disclosure.
The Liberian FOI Law was
passed September 2010 as part of the Government of Liberia`s efforts to empower
citizens to request information and get informed as well as actively
participate in policy and development debates.
The Carter Center Access to
information Project is working in Liberia at the request of the Government of
Liberia to share international FOI implementation experiences and assist all
Liberia stakeholders to advance freedom of information in the country.
Signed:
___________________________
Atty. Isaac Jackson, Jr.
Deputy
Minister for Public Affairs