The media is an important and vital element of information dissemination, whether via radio, newspaper, television or social media, as part of efforts to promote good governance in the country, Liberia’s Auditor General, Yusador Gaye, has said.
Madam Gaye made the observation recently in Monrovia at a symposium intended to build a solid relationship between the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and the media in ensuring that the society is free of corruption and other vices that have the proclivity to create mistrust of the public sector.
The forum was held under the theme: “Enhancing GAC-Media Relations.”
Participating journalists and GAC staff discussed how they can cultivate a positive partnership through which the media can professionally and ethically engage government ministries, agencies and commissions so that they are answerable and fair enough to the citizenry.
The commission anticipates that journalists will further intensify their level of engagement, reporting on governance issues in a more structured, responsible, proactive and investigative manner.
The work of the GAC, Auditor General Gaye said, is not excluded from undergoing such scrutiny by the media.
“You are powerful,” she told journalists, adding that since good governance means accountability, transparency, responsiveness, effectiveness, among others, the media has a huge role in safeguarding these standards and ensuring that they are met from time-to-time.
“Good governance essentially means how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in an honest fashion,” she added.
The forum enlightened journalists on the role of the GAC and reminded them of their crucial responsibility in promoting a better democracy wherein citizens can trust those in the public sector as a result of the government being fair in all its dealings.
In June 2005, an Act was passed by the National Legislature of Liberia to amend Chapter 53.2 of the Executive Law of 1972 which granted the General Auditing Commission autonomous agency status and making it amendable to the National Legislature of Liberia.
The 2005 amendment makes Chapter 53 of the Executive Law comply with Article 89 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which named GAC as one of the three autonomous Commissions in Liberia.
