Monrovia – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) in partnership with the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia has commenced a two-day anti-corruption workshop aimed at involving the religious community in the fight against corruption in Liberia.
The workshop which runs from September 19 to the 20 at Cape Hotel in Monrovia is being held under the theme: “The role of the religious community in the fight against corruption”.
Religious leaders from the Christian and Muslim communities are in attendance.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Cllr. James Verdier Executive Chairperson at the LACC, said corruption which is an old age problem can only be reduced or minimized with the collective efforts of the government and the religious community.
Cllr. Verdier said the religious community is important in the fight against corruption because up to 95 percent of those who have been accused of corruption are from the church or Mosque.
“Almost 95% of those who have been accused of corruption are from the church or the mosque.”
“They go to church every Sunday and the mosque every Friday any our religious leaders do nothing about it. How good, is it necessary to handle the spiritual needs of a people and we don’t care about the role they play in society,” Cllr. Verdier said.
The LACC boss said religious leaders play a very critical role in the development and growth of any nation describing them as elements of moral caution in the society.
He said Liberia as a religious country needs the guardians of the religious community in order to reduce corruption in government.
“Religious leaders play a very critical role in the development, in the progress and in the growth of any nation, but in order for our country to progress we need to transform our religious beliefs in to our practice in the society” the LACC Chairperson said.
The LACC boss speaking further at the workshop called on the religious community especially the Christian leaders from honoring officials of government who are allegedly involved in corruption scandals.
For his part, Bishop Jonathan B.B Hart, President of the Inter-religious Council of Liberia lauded the LACC for inviting the Religious community to discuss about corruption in the Liberian society. Bishop Hart said the religious community should start now to question contributions coming from government officials who have been indicted by corruption institutions.
He said corruption which is a threat to every sector of the society should be looked at by the religious community in order to improve the living condition of its members. Bishop Hart said the resources of Liberia are for each and every citizens of the country and not for any corrupt officials to see it as their own.
“Corruption is a very dangerous thing in our midst. Dangerous in our government, in our private institutions and dangerous in our businesses that we do because it is always wanting to take it all for yourself and forgetting about the people you serve” Bishop Hart said.
He said corruption is active in Liberia because it has been practiced from the very root of the society which is the family. He said it is binding upon the religious community in Liberia to lead the process in fighting corruption.
Also speaking Sheikh Kabah M. Trawally who spoke on behalf of President of the National Muslim Council said it is about time the government of Liberia through the LACC tackle corruption through the religious means saying – “Almost all of us as Liberian do believe in the existence of God who is the final judge for all of us “.
Sheikh Trawally said the government of Liberia has wasted twelve years in fighting corruption without realizing any result because they failed to reach out to the religious community.
“We have wasting twelve years as a government in fighting corruption without achieving anything because we failed to take it to the spiritual leaders and I believe it is time we do that,” he noted.
Speaking also at the workshop, the head of the Legal Professional Development and Anti-Corruption Program in Liberia (LPAC) at USAID, said USAID will always support the implementation of programs like these because of the importance of all the players and opinion makers involved.
“USAID is very pleased to support and assist in the implementation of programs like this because of the involvement of all the major players and decision makers in Liberia.”