Monrovia—In a bid to enhance the effectiveness of Liberia’s National Legislature, the Institute of Research and Democratic Development (IREDD) has committed to refining its monitoring index to evaluate the performance of individual lawmakers in the 55th Legislature.
By: J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972)-[email protected]
During a review session held at the Boulevard Palace in Monrovia, IREDD’s Executive Director, Dan T. Saryee, emphasized the importance of legislative accountability.
Since 2006, IREDD has been implementing its Legislative Monitoring Program, which assesses the performance of all 103 legislators as well as the overall functioning of the legislative body.
“In our governance system, the Legislature represents all of us—the ordinary people and the influential alike. It is crucial to ensure that our Legislature is open and accountable, providing the public with a voice and an opportunity to hold it accountable,” Saryee stated.
Providing an overview of the Legislative Monitoring Program, Saryee explained that the index is based on three constitutional functions: representation, lawmaking, and oversight. These functions are further broken down into 32 indicators, calculated using aggregated data.
The main goal of the performance report, according to Saryee, is to promote legislative accountability, transparency, and effectiveness. Additionally, it aims to empower citizens with the information needed to hold their legislators accountable, ensure that laws are people-centered, and strengthen legislative oversight of other government branches.
In terms of representation, Saryee noted that IREDD will focus on attendance and participation.
The organization, he said, will monitor factors such as the number of times legislators are present or absent, instances of illness, participation levels, voting records, feedback to constituents, and whether legislative agendas reflect consultations with constituents.
He revealed that on the critical function of lawmaking, IREDD plans to develop 12 specific indicators to measure each legislator’s performance, including the number of bills proposed, sponsored, co-sponsored, and voted on, as well as the number of petitions received, resolutions introduced or supported, and amendments to existing laws.
Discussing oversight, Saryee remarked, “The oversight function of the Legislature is crucial for controlling waste and ensuring that services reach constituents. However, it is also where collusion between executive agencies and ministries to misappropriate public funds can occur.”
For institutional monitoring, Mr. Saryee, divulged that, IREDD will evaluate the Legislature’s performance in areas related to accountability, transparency, and modernization, including monitoring the submission to regular audits, the strength of oversight functions, the functionality of the Legislature’s website, the accessibility of voting records, the transparency of budget hearings, and the availability of essential services like water, electricity, and internet.
Mr. Saryee also highlighted the importance of gender-sensitive legislative practices, stating, “We aim to measure the inclusiveness of the Legislature’s lawmaking performance, ensuring that marginalized groups, including women, are adequately represented in national decision-making processes.”
IREDD’s renewed focus on these indicators is expected to foster a more accountable and effective National Legislature, better aligned with the needs and expectations of the Liberian people.