Liberia transparency drive targets state agency compliance

The Independent Information Commission (IIC) and the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) have launched an initiative to enforce compliance with Liberia’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act of 2010. The campaign, which ran from August 11 to September 2, 2026, targeted several state entities, including the National Identification Registry (NIR), the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), the Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment (LACE), and the Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation (LWSC).

The initiative aims to transition public bodies from mere awareness of the law to practical application, facilitating public access to government records to rebuild trust in state institutions. IIC Executive Director Hon. Lorpu P. Page stated that FOI compliance should be a collective institutional obligation rather than the duty of a single officer.

Officials noted that citizens do not need to justify requests for public data, and while reviewing records is free, agencies may charge minimal fees for reproduction costs. To ensure administrative compliance, the IIC is urging agencies to designate Public Information Officers (PIOs) and establish Internal Information Request Review Bodies (IIRRBs).