Ensuring Transparency in Infrastructure (LR0052)

Limited public access to detailed information on infrastructure projects, including costs, contractor details, project timelines, and progress updates. This results in reduced trust and limited citizen oversight of infrastructure projects. In addition, key processes such as obtaining construction permits, understanding zoning laws and regulations, and navigating contractor certification procedures are not well understood by the public, thus reducing compliance.
7. What problem does the commitment aim to address?
Limited public access to detailed information on infrastructure projects, including costs, contractor details, project timelines, and progress updates. This results in reduced trust and limited citizen oversight of infrastructure projects. In addition, key processes such as obtaining construction permits, understanding zoning laws and regulations, and navigating contractor certification procedures are not well understood by the public, thus reducing compliance.
8. What are the causes of the problem?
National infrastructures are built without full transparency of how biddings are done and the accountability of the funds are normally not known to the public. As the result, public participation in giving feedback to the process is limited due to the lack of full transparency. Thereby, making it difficult for public accountability on construction projects.
Commitment Description
The Ministry of Public Works will publish project documents (such as contract summaries, project costs, timelines, and reports) online for all major infrastructure projects. MPW will also hold community engagement forums and town hall meetings to ensure local participation in project monitoring. Furthermore, MPW will create accessible guides and communication platforms to clarify essential processes like obtaining construction permits, understanding zoning laws and regulations, and contractor certification procedures. These guides will be available online and through public workshops.
8. What solution are you proposing?
This commitment will provide citizens with the information needed to track infrastructure projects, reducing risks of corruption and mismanagement. It will also empower communities by giving them a platform to provide feedback and raise concerns about project implementation. Additionally, by clarifying processes for acquiring construction permits, contractor certifications and the implementation of the zoning laws. Citizens and businesses will be able to better navigate public works requirements, increasing compliance and trust.
9. What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment? What outputs would we like to produce?
The commitment advances OGP values by increasing transparency, accountability, and public participation in government-led infrastructure projects and key regulatory processes. It ensures that citizens have access to information about projects and MPW processes, fostering a more informed and engaged public.
10. How will the commitment promote transparency?
Empowering citizens with knowledge aligns with the principles and values of the OGP, which emphasizes openness and inform accountability and citizen participation in procurement governance. Closing the feedback loop mechanism is a key component of the procurement process in Liberia.
11. How will the commitment help foster accountability?
Public tenders by MOPW will be made public through the official website of the ministry and published in the local daily’s. This process will ensure that the public has the right information to participate within the constructional period by giving constructive feedback to the Ministry on infrastructural projects. There is a whistleblowing protection to further strengthen accountability.
12. How will the commitment improve citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions?
Closing the feedback loop mechanism will be created to continuously incorporate citizens voices in public procurement administration. Citizens, however, are consulted and engaged for their inclusion throughout the fiscal year

Commitment Planning
Milestones
MPW will publish quarterly updates on project status, including detailed financial reports, contractor performance reviews, and progress timelines, on a dedicated public portal MPW will hold quarterly Infrastructure meetings to gather information and share the findings from the meetings with relevant stakeholders in areas affected by projects to allow citizens to ask questions, offer feedback, and be informed on project challenges and successes.

Expected Outputs
# of quarterly update provided
# of financial reports submitted
% of progress made over the period
# of infrastructure meeting held
# of meeting reports submitted
# of completed projects
# of challenges identified and % resolved