Begins Disseminating 16th LEITI Summary Report
By Tokpa Tarnue
The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) Secretariat has begun the dissemination of its 16th LEITI summary report across the country, in line with the EITI Standard and funded by GIZ.
The LEITI requires implementing countries to summarize the EITI Report and present it as charts and graphs to help local communities understand it more clearly.
Disseminating the summary report stimulates public debates at various levels within communities across the country and raise awareness among citizens about transparency and accountability within Liberia’s extractive sector which enables local communities nationwide to engage with their leaders at county sittings and ask relevant questions about concessionaires’ operations.
Speaking at the start of the engagement in Voinjama, LEITI’s Technical Officer McDonald S. Kerl said, the dissemination of the summary report also inform citizens about how concessionaires meet their obligations within their Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs) with the Government of Liberia.
According to him, the objectives of this dissemination of the summary report includes, creating awareness on contract transparency and accountability, stimulate debates among citizens about the operation of concessionaires in their various counties and communities, reduce conflict in concession communities by providing evidence-based information about payments made by concessionaires and the amount received by the Government, giving citizens adequate knowledge about concession companies operating in their counties, allowing them to engage their leaders at various county sittings and assist lawmakers in the review of concession companies’ agreements.
“We have demarcated the country into four regions to disseminate the report properly; region one include Lofa, Bong, and Nimba, region two include Cape Mount, Bomi, and Gbarpolu; region three include Margibi, Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Montserrado, and Sinoe, while region four include Maryland, Grand Gedeh, River Gee, and Grand Kru.” Mr. Kerl further indicated.