By Frank Sainworla, Jr., fasinworla@yahoo.com
Liberian Lawmakers, many of whom are from forest communities, have in recent weeks been proudly leaving the banks with US$30,000.00 each for “Legislative engagement”, while their constituents are yet to get their forest royalties under the Forest Management Concessions (FMCs) agreements and Community Rights Law which they had enacted.
In two tranches of disbursements of US$15K each, Liberia’s 103 Senators and Representatives have now been given a total of over US$3 million, which they allotted for themselves in the 202/2021 national fiscal budget only to facilitate their meetings with their constituents.
The current 54th Legislature has been in office for close to four years now.
During a media engagement organized by the Forest Media Watch (LFMW) at its office in Monrovia’s Congo Town suburb on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, the need was stressed for the media to underscore the importance of implementing these agreements so that communities across Liberia can get their just benefits. These benefits from their forest resources are said to amount to millions of US dollars.
In a background report on the status of the forest sector and the effective monitoring and implementation of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA), the Coordinator of LFMW, Moses R. Quollin said “illegal logging is endemic in Liberia,” even after cancellation of all logging concessions and some serious reform efforts were made in the sector.
Mr. Quollin spoke of the impact the independent media has made in promoting the effective monitoring and implementation of the VPA and issues in the forest sector, but he said more needs to be done by forging greater partnership.
“Despite this progressive legal framework and monitoring system, none of the Forest Management Concessions (FMCs) that operate today are legal (World Bank, 2019) and communities neighboring these have lost out on an estimated 20 million USD that they should have received, seven times more than they did receive (Forest Trends, 2020). Current arears from the logging companies to the Government amount to 16 million USD,” Mr. Quollin said in a background EDU project report presented at the media engagement.
According to the report: “Today illegalities are rife; the government has – again – failed to distribute industry money owed to communities; there is widespread misuse of funds and flawed contracts are being signed between communities and timber companies. There is a clear lack of government oversight and intent to implement the laws and regulations.”
An official of the National Union of Community Forest Management Body (NUCFMB) told Tuesday’s media forum said the vast majority of the communities have not got their royalties.
The NUCFMC official said there was lack of transparency in the operations of logging companies and the general administration of the country’s forest sector.
For example, one company (the same company) signing concession with multiple communities are using different names, the NUCFMC claims.
Paul M. Kanneh, Team Leader of the Forest Media Watch said networking with the independent media is intended to step up public education on the workings of the forest sector and increase access to information throughout Liberia.
He said with the support of the EU, the LFMW is planning to shortly launch a short term investigative reporting partnership with independent media outlets to increase access.
“The independent media has been a great help in promoting forest issues,” Mr. Kanneh added.
According to FFMW Coordinator, the project is also intended to provide access to data that will enhance Civil Society Organizations’ monitoring of the forest sector and enhance advocacy, thus to “jointly contribute to creating change”.
Mr. Quollin announced that the soon to be launched project is expected to target six communities from five counties.
They are: Bluyeama (Lofa), Ziadue&Tekpeh (Rivercess), Zuzohn (Grand Bassa), Beyan Poye (Margibi) – all in harvesting stage – Tarsue (Sinoe) in pre-felling stage and Salayea (Lofa) – not logging.