MONROVIA – Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President Julius Kanubah has blasted the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai over confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements reportedly imposed on civil servants, warning that the policy threatens Liberia’s Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and could undermine years of efforts to promote transparency and accountability.
By: Kabina S. Kabah – kabinaskabah98@gmail.com
Kanubah is calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the policy, arguing that it could revive a culture of government secrecy, discourage civil servants from disclosing information of public interest, and restrict citizens’ access to records held by public institutions.
Speaking during a governance dialogue organized by the Governance Commission as part of the Month of Good Governance, Kanubah described the policy as a serious setback to Liberia’s transparency framework, arguing that it contradicts the principles of accountability, openness, and inclusive development being promoted by the government.
He said the reported agreements, which he linked to the Civil Service Agency under the leadership of Dr. Josiah Jukpa, undermine the FOI Act and weaken the authority of the Independent Information Commission, the institution legally mandated to enforce the law.
According to Kanubah, the policy could effectively discourage public employees from sharing information that citizens and journalists need to scrutinize government decisions and hold public officials accountable.
The PUL president said the Independent Information Commission had opposed the policy, stressing that the commission’s statutory mandate must be respected in decisions affecting access to public information.
He maintained that the Boakai administration must demonstrate its commitment to good governance through concrete action rather than statements of intent.
“The PUL categorically calls on the Boakai administration to unconditionally rescind this policy,” was the central demand of Kanubah’s remarks.
Kanubah Blasts Governance Commission Over Silence
Kanubah also turned his criticism toward the Governance Commission, blasting the institution for what he described as its failure to speak out against measures that could weaken Liberia’s transparency laws.
He argued that the commission cannot credibly promote good governance, accountability, transparency, and national integrity while remaining silent when policies that could restrict public access to information are introduced.
Kanubah challenged the commission to take a more active role in defending the Freedom of Information Act and protecting institutions established to advance transparency.
He warned that allowing policies that restrict information access to continue without meaningful institutional scrutiny could undermine the progress Liberia has made since the passage of the FOI Act more than 15 years ago.
According to him, the commission should not stand by while laws intended to promote accountability are weakened by practices that encourage secrecy within government.
Kanubah said the issue was particularly important because the Governance Commission had convened stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the FOI Act and open data practices across government.
He argued that the discussions would have limited impact if institutions responsible for promoting transparency failed to respond to developments that could undermine those objectives.
78 Ministries and Agencies Failed to Appoint Information Officers
Beyond the controversy surrounding the confidentiality agreements, Kanubah highlighted persistent institutional weaknesses that continue to obstruct the implementation of the FOI Act.
He cited a recent assessment by the Independent Information Commission indicating that 78 of 103 ministries and agencies assessed had failed to appoint designated Public Information Officers.
Kanubah said the situation reflects a significant gap in the implementation of the law, which is intended to provide citizens with a formal mechanism for obtaining information from public institutions.
He also challenged what he described as a misconception among some government institutions that communication officers or public relations officers automatically qualify as Public Information Officers under the FOI Act.
According to Kanubah, the designation and responsibilities of Public Information Officers must be understood within the specific requirements of the law.
He warned that without designated officers to receive and process information requests, citizens and journalists could face unnecessary difficulties in accessing public records.
Kanubah further criticized government agencies for failing to respond to information requests within the legally required timeframes.
To illustrate the problem, he referenced a USAID-supported program in which journalists reportedly submitted 104 requests for information, but fewer than five received responses within 90 days.
He said the figures demonstrate the challenges journalists encounter when seeking official information and raise concerns about the practical effectiveness of the law.
He said the commission suffers from chronic budget shortfalls and has experienced serious operational difficulties, including an alleged eviction from its office over unpaid rent and periods of operating from a basement without electricity.
Addressing Commissioner Toga during his remarks, Kanubah described the reported circumstances as evidence of the practical challenges confronting the institution responsible for enforcing the country’s access-to-information law.
He argued that an oversight institution cannot effectively perform its statutory duties without adequate financial support, operational facilities, and the authority to ensure compliance by public bodies.
Kanubah Warns Against Donor Dependency
Kanubah also questioned the sustainability of Liberia’s open government and open data reforms, arguing that they remain heavily dependent on external donor funding rather than consistent national budgetary support.
He warned that reliance on external assistance makes long-term progress vulnerable to changes in donor priorities and the withdrawal of financial support.
He called for the government to take greater ownership of transparency reforms by providing the resources needed to sustain open data systems, strengthen oversight institutions, and improve public access to official information.
Kanubah said the government must prioritize these reforms if it intends to build institutions that are transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of citizens.
