Monrovia – The Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD) has unveiled its 2024 Legislative Performance Monitoring Midterm Scorecard, offering a comprehensive evaluation of Liberia’s 55th Legislature.
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr(231886458910)[email protected]
The report, produced in collaboration with the Medica Moda coalition, assesses the legislature’s adherence to international standards in key areas such as representation, lawmaking, oversight, institutional performance, and gender sensitivity.
It aims to provide citizens and stakeholders with an evidence-based tool to understand legislative performance and advocate for needed reforms.
A copy of the report in the possession of FrontPage Africa reveals significant attendance issues within both the Senate and House of Representatives, with troubling absenteeism undermining legislative effectiveness.
Senate: The report reveals that ten senators, including Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee K. Lawrence, received the highest attendance scores (A). However, six senators, including Crayton O. Duncan and Prince Johnson, scored lower (C), while two senators, Bill Teah Twehway and Francis Dopoh, were marked with the lowest score (D) for chronic absenteeism.
The report says one senator, Alex Jeneka Tyler, was marked (NG) due to his assignment with ECOWAS.
For the House of Representatives, 18 lawmakers received high attendance marks (A), but 20 lawmakers were marked with an (F) for persistent absenteeism. This stark contrast indicates systemic issues in engagement and accountability within the House.
The Legislature has been criticized for its lack of effective oversight, especially in monitoring public spending and enforcing legal requirements.
Failure to Enforce Quarterly Reports:
The report highlights that the Legislature has not ensured compliance with the Budget Law’s mandate for quarterly performance reports from ministries.
Only two ministries—Transport and Internal Affairs—have submitted the required reports in the past two quarters, raising concerns about the Legislature’s commitment to transparency and fiscal accountability.
The report also points to a culture of collusion between legislative committees, especially the Ways, Means, and Finance Committees, and executive agencies. This has potentially facilitated the misuse of public funds, eroding public trust in the legislature’s ability to hold the executive accountable.
IREDD in her report criticizes the Legislature for focusing more on the interests of lawmakers rather than those of the public, with underrepresentation and elitism playing a significant role in this dysfunction.
The report notes a lack of meaningful engagement with ordinary citizens, particularly those in remote regions, who often have little access to their representatives. The report accused Lawmakers of engaging in self-serving lawmaking rather than addressing the needs of their constituents.
The report also exposed the absence of properly functioning constituent offices that disconnects lawmakers from their constituents, limiting the ability of ordinary Liberians to voice their concerns or receive assistance from their elected officials.
As the legislature is being monitored while they perform their duties, IREDD has proposed several key reforms including stricter attendance Policies. IREDD says a more robust attendance policy should be introduced, with clear consequences for chronic absenteeism, to improve legislative productivity and accountability.
IREDD in its report recommended that resources for constituent engagement should be allocated based on the specific needs of different regions, particularly those that are underserved or remote.
IREDD also wants Lawmakers to broaden their outreach to engage all segments of their constituencies, including those outside their political or familial networks.
Legislators should be mandated to establish and maintain functional offices in their districts, providing a direct line of communication with their constituents, the report recommended.
Strengthen Financial Oversight: according to the IREDD, the Joint Public Accounts, Expenditure, and Audit Committee (PAC) should be better resourced to investigate and address financial irregularities, restoring public trust in the legislature’s fiscal responsibility. IREDD also recommended the promotion of gender sensitive practices, saying the Legislature should take steps to address gender imbalance by promoting the representation of women in leadership roles and among staff, ensuring a more inclusive political environment.
IREDD’s 2024 Legislative Performance Scorecard paints a concerning picture of the 55th Legislature’s performance, highlighting issues of absenteeism, poor oversight, self-serving lawmaking, and insufficient engagement with the public.
These shortcomings undermine public trust in the legislature and hinder the country’s development. However, the report’s proposed reforms—ranging from stricter attendance policies to promoting gender equality—offer a path forward.
IREDD is of the conviction that by implementing these changes, the legislature can better serve the needs of the Liberian people, fostering greater transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. Only through these reforms can the legislature fulfill its essential role in Liberia’s development and regain the trust of its citizens, the report noted.
