MONROVIA, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has proclaimed October 2026 as “Month of Good Governance,” placing transparency, accountability, institutional performance and citizen participation at the center of a month-long national governance campaign.
By Patience M. Jones
The proclamation, dated September 16, 2026, was formally presented during a press conference at the Governance Commission in Monrovia, where Acting Chairperson Prof. Alaric K. Tokpa described the initiative as one of the most significant moments in the Commission’s current work.
Tokpa said the observance is intended to move Liberia beyond simply talking about good governance toward measuring how public institutions perform and how citizens experience government.
“Good governance is about integrity. Good governance is about transparency, it is about accountability. Good governance is about effectiveness and efficiency,” Tokpa said.
He also identified inclusiveness, participation, the rule of law and equity as essential components of good governance.
According to the presidential proclamation, good governance is considered fundamental to national stability, sustainable development and the protection of citizens’ rights and dignity.
The declaration calls on government institutions, civil society organizations, educational institutions, traditional leaders, private-sector actors, the media and citizens across Liberia’s 15 counties to participate in activities throughout October.
Government Institutions to Face New Integrity Measures
One of the major components of the month will be the deployment of the Governance Barometer to support the compilation of the Annual State of Governance and Integrity Report.
The proclamation also directs the Governance Commission, working with integrity institutions including the General Auditing Commission and Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, to publish the maiden National Integrity Index (NII) during the observance.
The NII is designed to assess public institutions against governance and integrity indicators. The Governance Commission previously launched the index with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission in April 2026 as an annual framework for assessing public institutions.
The Commission says the index will examine areas including transparency, accountability, ethical compliance, citizen engagement and institutional capacity.
The move could give citizens and policymakers a more structured basis for examining the performance of public institutions rather than relying solely on broad statements about accountability.
Citizens to Rate Government Institutions
Another major feature of the October observance will be the institutionalization of Citizen Scorecards.
Under the presidential proclamation, town hall meetings, public dialogues and digital feedback mechanisms will be used to gather citizens’ views about public institutions.
The information gathered is intended to feed directly into institutional evaluations.
For Tokpa, the involvement of ordinary citizens is central to the governance process.
He said direct beneficiaries of government services must have opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their lives.
The Commission is also expected to convene independent review panels involving civil society organizations, educational institutions, the private sector and the media to review and validate governance-related metrics before recommendations are submitted to the Executive.
Tokpa Links Good Governance to Liberia’s Conflict History
In his remarks, Tokpa connected Liberia’s governance challenges to the country’s history of conflict.
He argued that the absence of good governance practices contributed to the conditions that preceded Liberia’s civil war.
“It is in the absence of good governance practices that this country descended into war,” Tokpa said, stressing that the lessons of Liberia’s past should reinforce the importance of accountable and inclusive institutions.
He said the Governance Commission remains relevant because of its role in helping prevent governance failures that could contribute to future national crises.
The Governance Commission’s mandate includes advising the state on governance, institutional development, integrity and related reforms. Its current leadership identifies strengthening accountability and inclusive institutions as central to its work.
Decentralization Also Takes Center Stage
Tokpa also highlighted recent developments around Liberia’s decentralization agenda.
He said a high-level dialogue held September 16–17 brought together political leaders, government institutions and development partners and resulted in the relaunch of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Local Governance and Decentralization.
According to Tokpa, consensus was reached on the need to advance the devolution of authority in line with Liberia’s Local Government Act of 2018.
He described devolution as the highest form of decentralization, saying it would move aspects of governmental authority closer to local government structures and communities.
Tokpa said the process could give citizens greater opportunities to participate in decisions affecting their lives and the delivery of public services.
October to Focus on Integrity and Civic Responsibility
Under the proclamation, governance and integrity will serve as the central themes for national, regional and local activities throughout October.
Educational institutions, local government structures, traditional leadership councils and media houses across the country are being encouraged to organize dialogues, debates and community outreach activities focused on integrity and civic responsibility.
The proclamation also calls for special recognition and awards for individuals, institutions and communities demonstrating commitment to good governance and public integrity.
President Boakai has called on citizens, government ministries and agencies, educational institutions, traditional leadership councils, national and international organizations to work with the Governance Commission in implementing activities during the month.
From Celebration to Measurement
The declaration of October as Good Governance Month comes as Liberia’s governance institutions increasingly emphasize measurable standards of transparency and accountability.
The National Integrity Index, Citizen Scorecards and independent validation mechanisms outlined in the proclamation are intended to provide mechanisms through which government performance can be assessed using institutional data and public feedback.
For the Governance Commission, however, the significance of the month will ultimately depend on implementation.
As Tokpa put it, the challenge is not simply to recognize good governance but to continuously strengthen the systems that make it possible.
The October observance will therefore place Liberia’s governance institutions, citizens and civil society at the center of a national conversation on a fundamental question: How can the principles of good governance be translated into measurable performance, stronger institutions and greater public trust?
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