To ensure that citizens’ knowledge about utilizing the Citizens Feedback Mechanism Platform (CFM) is strengthened, the Institute for Democratic Action and Development, (IDAD) has concluded a second leg of its campaign awareness activities in Gbarma, Gbarpolu County.
The awareness campaign which was held on Friday, July 14, 2023, brought together traditional and local leaders, representatives from different community-based organizations, youth and student groupings, and several residents from neighboring towns including the Township of Gbarma.
The CFM is a national mobile and online platform for direct, near real-time exchange between the citizens and the Government of Liberia on the delivery of public services.
Primarily, the Platform allows citizens to use their mobile phones and a designated short code 2424), or, write directly into the relevant section of the CFM portal (www.libtak.gov-lr/cfm ).
Through the CFM, citizens can share their concerns and experiences regarding the delivery of public services with Liberian Government Ministries, Agencies, or Commissions (MACs), and receive relevant timely feedback and redress from these entities. The CFM is part of the government’s commitment to improve public service delivery through monitoring and mitigating challenges.
The message is then verified and categorized by the CFM system and channeled immediately to the concerned service provider for feedback and action. In subsequent engagements, the service provider (a MAC) communicates specific measures being taken to address the issue raised by the citizen.
A key feature of the design of the Citizens’ Feedback Mechanism consists of its escalation function, the message sent to the frontline provider is simultaneously relayed to higher levels within the service delivery chain, ensuring prompt response and resolution.
During the awareness campaign, the Program Manager of IDAD, Sylvester Saye, stressed the significance of the CFM Platform and the pivotal role it plays in the government’s decentralization agenda.
Mr. Saye made an insightful presentation on the utilization of the platform and allowed residents to provide their views, concerns, questions, suggestions, and recommendations relative to the platform.
For her part, a resident of the town, Madam Nancy Kormeh urged the government of Liberia to pay keen attention to the services being provided and recommended that the staff at the Service Center be empowered technically to carry these services to various towns in Gbarpolu County.
Also speaking, Mr. Stephen Tamba, Administrative Assistant to the Offices of the City Mayor in Gbarma thanked IDAD for organizing the awareness campaign.
Tamba mentioned that the platform is not effective and has been inactive for a considerable period.
He disclosed that residents are experiencing challenges when it comes to the utilization of the CFM Platform and stressed the urgent need for the establishment of a service center in Gbarmai.
Also speaking, Titus Folley a representative from the Gbarpolu County Motorcycle Union, noted that citizens are not receiving licenses and other documents due to the inactiveness of the Service Center.
The Administrative Assistant pointed out that residents from far-away towns are going through difficulties due to the long traveling distances from their towns to Bopolu, the Capitol City of Gbarpolu County.
IDAD is rolling out the CFM awareness in Margibi, Grand Bassa, Bomi, Gbarpolu, Bong, Nimba, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Maryland, and Sinoe Counties in Liberia. The project is funded by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP.