The project Beneficiaries in Bong County who participated in Local Governance awareness campaigns acknowledged their lack of knowledge on the Local Government Act and the functions of the County Council that is now responsible to manage the county budgets and projects. Before the awareness on the Local Government Act, citizens were unable to ask questions about how decisions were made to fund projects. Rebecca, a twelfth-grade student at St. Peter’s Episcopal High School, recalls feeling powerless: “I used to think that only government officials had the power to make decisions. But now I understand that we as citizens have a...

The Governance CSO Consortium, through the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG), has installed Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) signposts in key locations across Margibi County to improve public access to government services and strengthen political governance and accountability in Liberia. The initiative, part of the project “Strengthening Political Governance and Accountability in Liberia,” funded by the Government and people of Ireland via the Embassy of Ireland in Monrovia, aims to reduce the need for residents to travel to Monrovia for basic government services by informing them about the services available locally at the Margibi County Service Center. The project is...

In a significant stride towards bolstering democratic governance in Liberia, the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG), the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), and Naymote Partners for Democratic Development have officially launched a $1.5 million initiative aimed at “Strengthening Political Governance and Accountability in Liberia.” The project is supported by the Irish government and various local civil society organizations. The program was launched on Tuesday, November 11, and spans three years, from September 1, 2023, to August 31, 2027. It will focus on activities in Bong, Margibi, and Grand Bassa counties, with funding provided by Irish Aid. The effort...

The Government of Ireland has entered into a strategic partnership with three leading civil society organizations in Liberia, the Center for Democratic Governance (CDG), the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), and Naymote Partners for Democratic Development in order to advance democratic governance, transparency, and accountability across the country. Under this agreement, Ireland has committed €1.5 million over a three-year period (2024–2026) to strengthen political accountability and inclusive governance at both national and local levels. Speaking during the signing ceremony, Gerard Considine, Ambassador of Ireland to Liberia, reaffirmed his government’s dedication to supporting good governance and civil society...

Participants at the forum on “Strengthening Participation and Inclusive Service Delivery at the Local Level,” -Research indicates The education sector of the country, especially government-run public schools, continues to face enormous challenges, and recent reports are even presenting more worsening cases for Liberian students. Findings in a research conducted by The Center for Democratic Governance (CDG), in collaboration with Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), highlighted perennial problems of the overcrowded classroom, combining of different grade-level classes, and less learning hours for students in public schools as compared to private schools. The data, which was under the theme, “Strengthening...

Liberia will hold presidential and legislative elections on October 10. The run-up to the vote has been primarily peaceful, and the country has engaged in ongoing efforts to prevent election violence. This Peace Brief, based on USIP research, assesses the risk of election violence and the scope of violence prevention efforts, and provides recommendations for ongoing prevention. Summary There is reason for optimism as Liberia prepares for its October 10 elections. Thus far the run-up to the vote has been calm and peaceful, with few instances of hate speech and property damage reported and no intimidation or physical attacks. A...