PHOTO: Tokpa Tarnue, 1st among the five integrity icon
By Frank Sainworla, Jr, fsainworla@yahoo.com
Five distinguished public servants, including Journalist Tokpa Tarnue, have been announced and honoured as Liberia’s Integrity Icon 2021 at a ceremony in Monrovia on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, with United States Ambassador, Michael McCarthy describing such citizens as critical to the advancement of democracy.
The five winners were chosen from a list of hundreds of public servants in which Journalist Tarnue emerged as winner number one in an annual program organized by Accountabilitylab Liberia..
Those celebrated are Kulubo M. Davis, a certified Midwife (CMF), officer in charge at the Tenegar Community Clinic in the Brewerville suburb of Monrovia; Joseph K. Bryant, County Director, Liberia Institute for Geo-information Service (LIGIS); Inspector Sam M Dikoah, Traffic Commander, Liberia National Police-Paynesville Detachment; Siaka S. Paul, Language Arts Instructor, Sinje Public High School (Ministry of Education) and Togba Tarnue, Correspondent, Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS). Tokpa is also a Stringer for this news outlet, www.newspublictrust.com
Kulubo M. Davis Inspector Sam M Dikoah
Joseph K. Bryant Siaka S. Paul
Speaking at the 7th annual celebration of Liberia Integrity Icon held at the I-Campus in central Monrovia, Ambassador McCarthy congratulated the winners and said that they “represent the best ideals of public service”, while underscoring the need to uphold integrity in the society.
He said the honouring ceremony for Liberia’s Integrity Icon is being held on the eve of the International anti-Corruption day, saying that to defend democracy is to fight corruption and promote integrity.
The US diplomat said democracy thrives when grassroots efforts are strengthened and integrity is promoted, thus breeding good governance.
Speaking earlier, Lawrence Yealue, Country Director of Accountabilitylab Liberia said his institution will continue to celebrate integrity icon, because he said integrity is “doing the right things at all times even if no one is watching you.”
According to him, integrity icon has become a global movement and said that there are more good people in Liberia, including police officers, four of whom have been nominated since the start of the program in Liberia seven years ago.
Mr. Yealue hailed the governments of the United States and Sweden for their support to this project.
“”We will continue to do what we can do for ourselves,” the Accountabilitylab Liberia Country Director said.
The Minister of Information, Ledgerhood Rennie also attended the ceremony and congratulated the winners of the Liberia Integrity Icon 2021.
Liberia’s Auditor General, Garswa Jackson spoke of the importance of celebrating integrity icon and called on Liberian Musicians to make songs promoting integrity icon in the country.