PHOTO: CNDRA Director General D. Nelson Bearngar
Following a three-day visit across the counties of Gbarpolu, Bomi, and Grand Cape Mount, the Center for National Documents and Records Agency Director General, D. Nelson Bearngar, has uncovered a number of difficulties that the agency’s local offices in the western part of Liberia are facing.
The evaluation found that the Gbarpolu county office is immobile, lacks equipment (the only non-operational desktop purchased in 2015), lacks administration motivation, pays a low wage, fails to advertise the services provided by CNDRA, and processes marriage certificates and other legal documents slowly.
“Few people come here to process Western marriage certificates, and the understaffing is caused by a dearth of skilled labor development,” the CNDRA DG said.
According to him, Bomi County office lacks necessary equipment, makes it difficult to obtain a marriage certificate or process documents from Monrovia, leaves the center vulnerable because there isn’t a security guard for the building, and occasionally arranges for the registrar to travel to Monrovia to process documents. Additionally, people are unaware of the services that CNDRA offers to the public, are unaware of the differences between traditional and western marriage certificates, lack vehicles and motorbikes, are understaffed, lack stationary, and lack petty cash to transport the registrar with documents to Monrovia.
The examination also found that Grand Cape Mount County’s problems with logistics are lacking: there is not enough staff in the office, there is no printer, stationery, or other equipment, applicants for marriage certificates are being sent to Monrovia for processing, etc.
Meanwhile Director General D. Nelson Bearngar paid a visit to the Tubman Center for African Culture in Robertsport. He said recent assessment conducted at the facility revealed that the Tubman Center for African Culture is lying in ruins and if nothing is done to resuscitate and revitalize the enthusiasm of such noble institution’s historical values to its pre-war status, the nation and its people would be at a greater educational disadvantage.
TCAC is one of Liberia’s historical centers, situated in the western region, with an estimated terrain elevation above sea level of 83 meters. CNDRA’s Director General said it will cost the Liberian government thousands of dollars to restore the TCAC.
According to him, grass has engulfed the entire facility, and some dangerous species, including creeping inserts, are commonly seen in the deplorable building.
He alleged that some residents in the area have turned the abandoned facility into a toilet and garbage center. He also indicated that some of the residents from nearby communities travel daily from their respective homes just to defecate and dispose of waste at the TCAC facility.
Reflecting on the past, the Director General also acknowledged that scholars from various parts of the country and abroad visited the Center to conduct research until it was looted during the civil war.
He asserted that plans are underway to solicit donor funding to rehabilitate the center and retrieve some of the valuable items that were removed.
CNDRA Director General D. Nelson Bearngar wants the Liberian government, international partners, and other philanthropists to help rehabilitate the Tubman Center for African Culture.
He said if reconstructed, the agency will identify qualified staff for employment at the TCAC with the requisite expertise to help revamp and maintain the center to its pre-war standing.
It was built to conduct research on African culture and other relevant information about historical values. Prior to the civil war in Liberia, the center contributed immensely to the educational needs of Liberians domestically and abroad.
After the civil war, some residents in the historical center area looted the roof, floor covering, and other materials of the center.
Moreover, history, customary laws, folkways, and legends of the Vais and the descendants of black American settlers who have lived in the county since it was established, along with those of other ethnic groups in Liberia, were preserved in the Tubman Center for African Culture in Robertsport.
In 2018, some unknown individuals used the TCAC facility as a burial site due to the current deplorable state of the building.
The purpose of the tour was to familiarize the Director General with staff members, gain an understanding of the problems at the local CNDRA facilities, conduct an inspection of the National Archives offices, cultivate amicable working relationships with staff, stakeholders, and county officials, and ascertain first-hand information on the condition of the National Archives facilities in the region.
Additionally, seek suggestions from employees, stakeholders, and county officials on how to improve service delivery under the rescue mission.