Liberia’s Governance Commission Acting Chairperson Prof. Dr. Alaric K. Tokpa has outlined poor governance, over-politicization of the civil service, overstaffing of government institutions, indiscipline, corruption, impunity, and the intimidation and killing of professionals as governance crisis inherited by the Boakai-Koung administration.
Dr. Tokpa believes that public sector reforms must be carried out with utmost seriousness as it is no secret that the administration of President Joseph N. Boakai inherited a broken governance system from the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information Culture Affairs and Tourism Tuesday, October 1, 2024, he said addressing these concerns require system reform which is better achieved as the government will need to encourage effectiveness, efficiency, accountability, transparency, and capacity building in the public sector.
Acting Commissioner Tokpa said the values of accountability, transparency, and quality performance were given little or no attention during the administration of former President George M. Weah, and there was little or no regard for rules and regulations.
On October 1, 2024, the Government of Liberia through the Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), the Director General of the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) signed a memorandum after several months of consultation on the need to deliberately, persistently, and consistently stand together and work with other stakeholders to pursue public sector and civil service reform in Liberia.
The MoU is crucial in such a relation for public and civil service reform, national capacity building, and social economic development, we have resolved to revive the Tripod, the tripartite arrangement between the three institutions of government.
Furthermore, for the purpose of fully executing the MOU, the institutions have agreed to set up a Technical Working Group (TWG) and the tasks and assignments of that working group have been clearly elaborated in its terms of reference (TOR).
The Liberian educator said that knowing the significance of these institutions and their responsibilities for national renewal and social economic development at the national, local, and sub-local levels, “we have decided to hold together in strong solidarity and work with other stakeholders to promote the necessarily reforms that are required for the successful implementation of the AAID (the Arrest Agenda for Inclusive Development).”
“Today, the Governance Commission (GC) stands with the Civil Service Agency (CSA) and the Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA) to declare to Liberia and the world that public sector reform in Liberia has become an international concern and a domestic demand that must be carried out with utmost seriousness,” he said.
