| Liberia: Integrity Scorecard Report > Sub-Category: Public Access to Information | ||
| Indicators | Score | |
| 12 | Do citizens have a legal right of access to information? | 33 |
| 13 | Is the right of access to information effective? | 0 |
Indicator and sub-Indicator Details
| 12 | Do citizens have a legal right of access to information? | |||||||
| 12a: In law, citizens have a right of access to government information and basic government records. | ||||||||
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Comments: Although citizens have this right, there is no statue that spells out how it can be exercised References: Article 15(c) of Liberian constitution
Peer Review Comments: Article 15(b), grants citizens the to receive information. Indeed there is no statute. However, media practitioners and civil society groups recently presented a Freedom to Information bill before the National Legislature, which spells out how this right can be exercised.
Peer Review Comments: Despite the law as enshrined in Article 15 (c) of the Liberian Constitution that there shall be no limitation on the public right to be informed about the government and its functionaries, government officials denied journalists the right to information. Because of the constant refusal of government officials to allow journalists unhindered access to public information, the Liberia Media Law and Policy Reform Working under the backing of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) submitted recently to the legislature, among other bills, the Freedom of Information Act that will compel public officials to allow journalists to have freedom to public information.
Peer Review Comments: The lack of statute to spell out the exercise of citizens right to Government information and records has greatly hindered this right. Even the Press here has cried from this. This has led to the formulation sending of a bill by media related groups to the National Legislature on Freedom of Information.
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| 12b: In law, citizens have a right of appeal if access to a basic government record is denied. | ||||||||
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Comments: This report was launched on June 8, 2007 by the Information Minister of Liberia, Dr. Lawrence Bropleh. This report is a six month research about the lack of information from public institution. References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007
Peer Review Comments: Article 15 (b) provides that right, but in practice, there is no law compelling public officials to grant such access. This is why the Access to Information Act has been a welcome development.
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| 12c: In law, there is an established institutional mechanism through which citizens can request government records. | ||||||||
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Comments: This report was a six month study of lack of access to information from public institutions References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007
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| 13 | Is the right of access to information effective? | |||||||
| 13a: In practice, citizens receive responses to access to information requests within a reasonable time period. | ||||||||
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Comments: During the survey almost all institutions said to be written for information through stage managed citizens did not respond References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007 Peaches Suah, Project Manager, Access to Information Monitoring Project, CENTAL, September 15, 2007
Peer Review Comments: It is difficult to access information. Even if the Access to Information Act was passed today, one major hurdle to accessing information would be the lack of information. There is a poor record keeping system here.
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| 13b: In practice, citizens can use the access to information mechanism at a reasonable cost. | ||||||||
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Comments: Unofficial costs associated with getting information from public institution can be very high, research fee and photo copy fee References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007 Macolm Joseph, Consultant, Access to Information Monitoring Project, CEMEPS, September 15, 2007, Monrovia, Liberia
Peer Review Comments: I agree. The draft Access to Information Bill also recognizes the cost factor.
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| 13c: In practice, citizens can resolve appeals to access to information requests within a reasonable time period. | ||||||||
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Comments: No mechanism is in place for such. References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007 Brezhnev Paasawe, Researcher, Access to Information Monitoring Project, CENTAL; September 15, 2007, Monrovia, Liberia
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| 13d: In practice, citizens can resolve appeals to information requests at a reasonable cost. | ||||||||
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Comments: References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007 Brezhnev Paasawe, Research, Access to Information Monitoring Project, CENTAL, September 15, 2007, Monrovia, Liberia
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| 13e: In practice, the government gives reasons for denying an information request. | ||||||||
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Comments: Requests for information are most often ignored References: "Piercing the Veil of Secrecy" Access to Information Monitoring Report, published by CENTAL/OSIWA, June 2007 Brezhnev Paasawe, Researcher, Access to Information Monitoring Project, CENTAL, September 15, 2007, Monrovia, Liberia
Peer Review Comments: In most cases government officials are reluctant to provide said information.
Peer Review Comments: Government officials on the average see journalists as enemies.They fear having their shady deeds exposed, therefore they always assume aggressive postures when journalists ask them to provide information or to comment on a scoop or investigation they are linked to.
Peer Review Comments: Added to ignoring information request is a security cover-up as a way of denying cizens, access to information. Government here would normally declared key information as sensitive security wise.
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