The
National Accountability Group recently concluded a fruitful
four-day training program for civil society members
from throughout the Mano River region of Liberia, Guinea
and Sierra Leone. The impetus for the event was to train
civil society on important aspects of corruption and
accountability issues and build their capacity to tackle
these issues and bring them to the people.
The trainers were brought from a diverse range of specialties
and countries, and were led by Dr. Audrey Gadzekpo from
the Transparency International partner Ghana Integrity
Initiative and Lilian Ekeanyanwu from TI-Nigeria, who
imparted their considerable knowledge and expertise
on transparency issues to their willing audience. Their
efforts were complemented by contributions from the
Anti-Corruption Commission, UNDP, and the Decentralisation
Secretariat, among others. The four days covered a rigorous
agenda of topics, including concepts of corruption,
pillars of integrity, public procurement, and budget
analysis, and particular emphasis on local governance
and accountability.
Prominent media, human rights, religious, and academic
civil society members from Liberia and Guinea were invited
to join their Sierra Leonean counterparts in efforts
to build their collective sub-regional capacity, in
recognition that the fates of the three countries are
very much intertwined. The representatives gathered
from throughout West Africa shared their common and
differing experiences in an enlightening dialogue on
the state of governance and corruption in the sub-region.
One promising outcome of this interaction was the creation
of the Mano River Union Media Network Against Corruption,
a media coalition committed to cooperation and persistent
action with an uncompromising commitment to exposing
and investigating corruption.
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[L
to R] Emmanuel Gaima (Decentralisation Secretariat),
Val Collier (Anti-Corruption Commissioner), Lilian Ekeanyanwu,
Audrey Gadzekpo
Aspects
of the seminar focused on decentralisation and the
challenges of ensuring accountability in a decentralised
state. This timely discussion of the citizen’s
role in Local Government emphasised empowerment and
participation in the process, and targeted journalists
and teachers from the Provinces in hopes of arming
them with the ability to disseminate the message to
the local communities.
The importance of the training was summed up by Tom
Cairnes from the UNDP, who stressed that the success
of accountability mechanisms, especially within Local
Government, require civil society leadership and above
all initiative. He concluded that the Local Government
Act provided the space for civil society involvement,
but that it was now up to those assembled to take
that initiative, asking the most pressing question:
“what will you do on Monday” to follow
through
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