Monrovia – Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has released its 2025 Policy Brief on Governance and Anti-Corruption in Liberia, offering a deep dive into the early implementation of Pillar Four of the Government’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development — and a sharp reminder that progress must match promises if Liberia is to achieve its 2029 governance and accountability targets.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) — [email protected]
The ARREST Agenda lays out a sweeping framework for national transformation across six strategic pillars, covering 52 core programs and 378 interventions aimed at driving growth in governance, infrastructure, rule of law, health, education, and environmental sustainability.
But while Naymote’s new brief acknowledges early gains such as biometric ID enrollment, pilot e-procurement systems, and legislative movement on decentralization, it paints a sobering picture of the challenges that persist.
According to the findings, 60.7% of core services at County Service Centers remain unavailable, and 85.7% of operations still rely on manual processes, leaving critical governance reforms vulnerable to stagnation.
At the launch event held Friday, October 10, Naymote Executive Director Eddie Jarwolo said Liberia’s governance reform process cannot succeed through symbolism or slogans.
“Liberia’s future rests on accountable institutions and a government that delivers for its people,” Jarwolo said. “While reforms have begun, they risk becoming symbolic without urgent action to decentralize services, digitize governance, and ensure citizen feedback drives transformation.”
He emphasized that the brief serves as a call to action for policymakers, civil society, and citizens to hold leaders accountable for real results, not just rhetoric.
The document recommends a series of “high-impact interventions,” including decentralized biometric ID printing, nationwide adoption of e-procurement, stronger anti-corruption enforcement, and full operationalization of the Revenue Sharing Regulations. Jarwolo also underscored the need to embed citizen satisfaction metrics into national monitoring systems.
“The test of governance is not in policies written on paper, but in the lived experiences of citizens,” he said. “This brief seeks to keep the focus where it belongs — on the people.”
Dr. Bropleh: ‘Do the Bold Thing’
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Rudolph Bropleh, Vice President for Graduate and Professional Studies at Cuttington University, emphasized that governance and anti-corruption reforms are not optional — they are essential.
“Good governance reduces opportunities for corruption, and when those opportunities are reduced, so too are the incidents of corruption,” he said. “We need different systems because old systems were designed to produce exactly what they’re producing. This is a step in the right direction, but we challenge our government to do the bold thing.”
Governance Commission, Gender Ministry, and Internal Affairs Welcome the Findings
Governance Commission Acting Chairman, Professor Alaric Togba, hailed the brief as a “service to country,” noting that governance and anti-corruption are foundational to effective development.
“A system must be transparent, accountable, effective, and efficient to make meaningful impact,” he said, urging government institutions to take Naymote’s recommendations in good faith and work collaboratively to strengthen implementation.
From the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Deputy Minister Curtis V. Dorley thanked Naymote for its continued commitment to advancing transparency and good governance, particularly from the perspective of Liberia’s most vulnerable citizens.
“Women, children, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities often bear the highest cost when governance fails and corruption goes unchecked,” Dorley said. “When systems lack transparency, women and girls are excluded from decision-making and become more vulnerable to exploitation.”
He pledged the ministry’s readiness to partner with Naymote to ensure that reforms reflect the realities of ordinary Liberians.
Also, Deputy Internal Affairs Minister for Research and Development Planning Edward K. Mulbah described the event as timely and aligned with ongoing government efforts to strengthen decentralization through the Local Government Act.
“The Act is seven years old, and we’ve made progress — from administrative to political decentralization,” Mulbah said. “This administration has started addressing the challenges facing County Service Centers, including staffing and budgetary support. We’ve recruited coordinators for all centers, and they’re now being paid properly.”
Broad Participation
The launch attracted key stakeholders, including representatives from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, development partners and civil society organizations — signaling broad national interest in accelerating Liberia’s governance system.
As the country moves further into the ARREST Agenda implementation phase, Naymote’s policy brief stands as both a mirror and a roadmap — reflecting current gaps and charting a path toward genuine accountability, transparency, and inclusive growth.
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