Monrovia-The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) has launched an initiative aimed at engaging stakeholders ‘s view and input in the formulation of fiscal budget 2023 to garnered holistic development in the country.

The MFDP said the engagements is intended to have citizens mostly through civil society actors who have interests in the publication and analysis of government budgets to ensure conformity with fiscal transparency.

The Deputy Minister for Budget and Development Planning at the MFDP, Hon. Tanneh Brunson who is also Chair of the engagement made the statement on Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at the ministry edifice.

She said government is working with civil society organization (CSO) to improve the process of fiscal transparency in the country.

Deputy Min. Brunson asserted that CSOs are key cardinal partners to reinforce drivers of accountability and improve decision making in the budget.

The MFDP deputy boss averred that the major aim the initiative is to build the technical capacity of the government to implement mechanisms for public participation in the elaboration of fiscal policies while providing opportunities for dialogue between CSOs and finance authorities.

“This initiative is gear towards providing opportunities for dialogue between civil society organizations and public finance authorities,” deputy Min. Brunson said.

She said the objective of the initiative is to ensure fiscal policies and resource allocation decisions are informed by issues and aspirations of the the ordinary citizens.

Deputy Min. Brunson also added that the initiatives by the MFDP increase public trust through dialogues with citizens and non – state actors, obtaining public comments on analyses, alternatives, and decisions through pre budget consultations.

At the same time, the Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Mr. Harold M. Adoo said Public participation is cardinal to the budget process as it makes government more accountable and responsive to its citizens.

Mr. Adoo added that the initiative also provides opportunity for citizens to make inputs in identifying their priorities as well as improve their perception of the performance of the government.

“Citizens play a critical role in advocating and helping to make public institutions more transparent, accountable and effective, as well as contributing innovative solutions to complex development challenges, Mr. Adoo said. “The recognition that citizen have both rights and responsibility to contribute to decision making processes that affect their wellbeing is fundamental to public financial management,” He asserted.

The CSOs Head mentioned that while the concept may appear relatively new, some countries on the African continent are making frantic efforts to ensuring that they get on par with other countries around the world.

However, he said many others including Liberia are still lagging behind in providing more effective opportunities for citizens to participate in fiscal management, especially the budget cycle.

“The need for Civil Society and by extension citizens’ participation in the budgeting process of a country’s National Budget is very cardinal and essential, Mr. Adoo said. “This is why we as Civil Society have been and continued to be vociferous in our calls to expand the space or engagement around the national budgeting process in Liberia to include Civil Society,” He stressed.

The CSOs boss said CSOs can play an important role in public budgeting, adding CSOs can help improve budget policies by providing much needed information on public needs and priorities because of their close proximity to the citizens of any country.

He added that CSOs can also ensure accountability by holding the Executive accountable for how it uses public resources, noting all mechanisms are possible when the requisite information is available to CSO and the citizens at large.

Public participation in the national budgeting process, from its formulation; to its execution and subsequent evaluation is one surest way of enhancing budget transparency and accountability, because the fight against corruption cannot be won in the absence of public participation

Mr. Adoo assured the government of CSOs’ commitment during the process adding that in setting the priorities of the National Budget and monitoring its execution, the government can count on them for their fullest cooperation.

“Permit me therefore to assure the Government of Liberia of Civil Society’s commitment to be a meaningful participate in these processes, hoping that they are genuinely meant to ensure greater and meaningful citizens’ participation and not mere posturing to achieve a certain end,” The CSOs boss stressed.