IIC, CENTAL Push Agencies on FOI Compliance

MONROVIA, Liberia, September 7, 2026 — The Independent Information Commission (IIC), in partnership with the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), has stepped up efforts to ensure public institutions comply with Liberia’s Freedom of Information Act and improve citizens’ access to government-held information.

The latest phase of the campaign, conducted from August 11 to September 2, focused on awareness, compliance, integrity-building and anti-corruption engagements at several government institutions.

The institutions included the National Identification Registry (NIR), Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE) and Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC).

The campaign seeks to move government institutions beyond awareness of the 2010 Freedom of Information Act toward practical implementation of its requirements, including proactive disclosure of public records.

IIC Executive Director and Head of Secretariat Lorpu P. Page said compliance with the FOI Act should be treated as an institutional responsibility rather than the duty of a single officer or department.

Page urged government institutions to strengthen internal information systems, improve service delivery and promote a culture of openness, arguing that access to information can strengthen public confidence in government.

During the engagements, IIC Acting Outreach Director Jutomue Doetein provided an overview of the country’s legal framework governing access to information, including the Commission’s mandate, procedures for requesting information and circumstances under which information may lawfully be withheld.

Doetein emphasized that citizens requesting public information are not required to demonstrate personal interest in the information or explain why they want it.

He said searching for and providing information is free, although institutions may charge reasonable costs associated with reproducing requested documents.

IIC Acting Compliance Director Armah Boimah Johnson, meanwhile, outlined the responsibilities of public institutions under the FOI Act, including the appointment and effective functioning of Public Information Officers and Internal Information Request Review Bodies.

Johnson also emphasized proactive disclosure, proper records management, timely handling of FOI requests and annual reporting.

He encouraged government institutions to routinely publish important records instead of waiting for citizens, journalists and civil society organizations to formally request them.

Such information, he said, should include enabling laws, policies, strategic plans, budgets, procurement contracts, expenditure reports, annual reports and information on procedures and costs for accessing public services.

According to the IIC, proactive disclosure can strengthen transparency by allowing citizens and accountability institutions to scrutinize public spending, contracts, government decisions and institutional performance.

CENTAL Program Officer Siafa S. Kamara addressed the anti-corruption component of the engagements, highlighting corruption risks associated with procurement, employment, financial and asset management, and public administration.

The discussions covered bribery, favoritism, conflicts of interest, kickbacks, extortion, illicit enrichment and bid rigging.

The IIC and CENTAL said freedom of information and anti-corruption efforts are closely connected because access to government records allows citizens and oversight institutions to scrutinize public expenditure and decision-making.

Participating institutions were also encouraged to improve records management, maintain FOI request registers and establish systems that allow them to respond to requests within legally required periods.

Officials from the participating institutions welcomed the engagements and expressed commitments to strengthening their compliance with the FOI Act.

The campaign follows similar engagements with several government institutions, including the National Transit Authority, National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), Liberia Intellectual Property Office, Bureau of State Enterprises, Ministry of Public Works and Civil Service Agency.

The IIC said its broader goal is to establish functional information-access systems throughout government, including qualified Public Information Officers, effective internal review bodies, proactive disclosure mechanisms and improved records management.

The Commission is expected to continue the campaign at the Liberia Immigration Service on September 8, Liberia Electricity Corporation on September 9 and Food Authority of Liberia on September 10.

Through the initiative, the IIC and CENTAL are seeking to make the legal right to public information more accessible while strengthening transparency, accountability and integrity across government institutions.