MONROVIA — Residents of District 8 in Montserrado County over the weekend participated in a one-day Legislative Constituency Engagement organized by the Inclusion Cluster of the Legislative Monitoring Coalition of Liberia (LEMCOL), with Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL) serving as the lead facilitator.
By Patience M. Jones
The engagement, held Saturday at the District Event Hall in Jallah Town, brought together elders, community chairpersons, political party leaders, youth representatives and other stakeholders for a direct dialogue with their lawmaker, Prince A. Toles.
The forum — implemented in collaboration with InfoQuest and supported by the European Union, Irish Aid and the Embassy of Sweden under the Liberia Electoral Support Project Plus (LESP+) — aimed to strengthen transparency, participation, and inclusion in legislative processes.
The project is managed by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Liberia and jointly implemented by NIMD Liberia and UN Women.
The interactive session provided a platform for citizens to commend ongoing development efforts while raising concerns affecting their communities, including infrastructure, sanitation, inclusion of persons with disabilities and access to legislative information.
Speaking on behalf of the disability community, Diarram J.T. Appleton, emphasized the urgent need for inclusive governance, calling for sign language interpreters in public institutions, accessible infrastructure and the appointment of disability advisors for lawmakers.
He noted that such measures would reduce poverty and improve participation among persons with disabilities. In response, Rep. Toles acknowledged the concerns and revealed that his office already includes a person with disabilities serving in an advisory role.
He pledged gradual improvements, including the construction of accessible facilities such as ramps, as resources allow.
Providing an update on his legislative work, Rep. Toles highlighted his role as Chair on Claims and Petitions and a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), emphasizing oversight as a key function of his office.
He announced that his 2025 legislative report will be presented in May 2026, attributing earlier delays to logistical challenges, including the late allocation of office space upon assuming office in 2024.
On development initiatives, the lawmaker outlined several ongoing and planned projects in the district, including: Construction of a modern police station in Soniwein, Establishment of a vocational training center, Deployment of sanitation tricycles for waste management, Expansion of scholarship opportunities for over 600 students, Provision of ambulance and public transportation services, and Support for women empowerment programs across communities.
He stressed that many of these projects were derived from prior consultations with district residents, underscoring his commitment to citizen-driven development.
Residents also raised concerns about poor sanitation, particularly the lack of toilets in densely populated communities.
Stephen K. Nyanfa, a community leader, urged stronger enforcement of housing regulations to ensure landlords provide adequate sanitation facilities.
Responding, Rep. Toles agreed on the need for enforcement while committing support toward rehabilitating existing community toilets.
However, he emphasized a preference for long-term, sustainable development projects over short-term interventions.
As part of the engagement, LEMCOL presented findings from its legislative monitoring report covering January to March 2026. The report assessed performance based on transparency, accountability, participation and inclusion. Key findings included: 100% openness of plenary sessions to the public and media, Improved female lawmaker participation, Persistent delays in session start times, Limited public access to committee-level deliberations, Gaps in publishing legislative documents on official platforms.
LEMCOL recommended increased public access to legislative information, stricter adherence to procedural rules, and enhanced citizen participation in decision-making processes.
The engagement concluded with renewed calls for stronger collaboration between citizens and lawmakers.
Rep. Toles encouraged residents to remain engaged, submit petitions, and participate in public hearings to ensure their voices are reflected in national decision-making.
The District 8 engagement forms part of a broader initiative being implemented across five counties — Bomi, Margibi, Gbarpolu, Lofa and Montserrado—aimed at promoting citizen-led oversight and deepening democratic accountability in Liberia.
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