Naymote Partners for Democratic Development is urging the 55th Legislature to champion principles of accountability, transparency and responsiveness in serving the needs of the Liberian people.
Addressing reporters last Friday, Naymote Executive Director Eddie Jarwolo said the legislature needs to be robust in its oversight duty in fostering a thriving democracy.
He said it must hold the Executive Branch accountable, diligently monitoring executive functions, maintaining a balance of power, and steadfastly defending the interests of the people.
“The core legislative functions of lawmaking, representation and oversight must consistently uphold the principles of social accountability and the efficient delivery of public goods and services,” the Naymote boss said.
Mr. Jarwolo said after closely monitoring the performance of the 54th Legislature from January 2018 to January 2023, Naymote noted a deficiency in oversight functions, resulting in lack of transparency and openness in executive activities.
According to him, the Legislature failed to hold the Executive accountable for many of its actions and inactions.
He further revealed the absence of budget performance reports, non-submission of reports from ministries, agencies, and commissions to the legislature, no access to voting records of legislators, the absence of a functional website for public engagement, and the non-availability of annual reports.
“Notably, during the 2018-2022 period, the Legislature received appropriations exceeding US$228 million without an accompanying audit report on fund management and light of these observations, Naymote calls upon the 55th Legislature to adopt a more robust approach.
He said it includes implementing institutional reforms to fortify oversight committees, establishing transparent systems, launching a functional website for public access to legislative activities, and introducing a state-of-the-art electronic voting system to provide transparent voting records.
Naymote Boss said these initiatives aim is to make the 55th Legislature more citizen-centric, accessible, responsible, and accountable, thereby fostering a democracy that effectively serves the people.
He indicated that Naymote is committted to contributing to legislative strengthening by creating a Legislative Engagement Guide (LEG) that will enhance the involvement of civil society organizations and citizens in the legislative process.
Jarwolo noted Naymote’s pledge to host town hall meetings which are expected to bring legislators closer to the people, support youth legislative dialogues, provide training for legislative staff, monitor legislative engagements and improve media engagement with legislators.
“Naymote affirms its commitment to vigilant monitoring of policy responses, coupled with ongoing assessments of political accountability. This commitment will result in the development and publication of policy briefs and periodic reports, potentially on a quarterly and yearly basis,” he averred.
Jarwolo indicated that these publications will meticulously detail the performance of elected officials, contributing to enhanced transparency and accountability in government for the benefit of the broader population. https://thenewsnewspaper.online/2024/01/08/naymote-wants-accountability-fostered-in-55th-legislature/
