By Rancy Clarke, Bong County Correspondent
The head of the Open Government Partnership Secretariat, Mr. Ralph Jimmeh, says, Liberian journalists should work harder to increase public understanding about the national budget of the Republic of Liberia.
Mr. Jimmeh urged media practitioners to use their various platforms to intensify awareness on the budget and ensure it aligns with government’s development goals.
Jimmeh said educating citizens of the country about how the budget is expended will enable them to hold government accountable for any missteps.
He added that the PFM laws require that the budget should originate from the people to reflect their needs, but this has been ignored.
The Open Government Partnership Secretariat head at the same time attributed the underdevelopment of Liberia to government’s failure to match the national budget to the priorities of its citizens.
Mr. Ralph Jimmeh emphasized the crucial role of the media in promoting accountability and transparency, calling on journalists to consistently report on the budget.
He made the statement at the end of a one-day workshop with journalists in Ganta, Nimba Counties at the weekend.
