Published: December 15, 2025
KAKATA, Margibi County — Young people in Margibi are emerging as key voices in Liberia’s anti-corruption drive, using International Anti-Corruption Day to demand greater transparency in how public resources are allocated and managed at the local level.
“If youth are powerful agents for positive change, we must use that power to ask questions about allocations in the national budget for Margibi County,” said Christiana Sonpon, a Kakata-based media manager, in a keynote address Tuesday, December 9. Sonpon, known for using her radio platform to push for improved service delivery, said she remains committed to amplifying citizens’ concerns as part of broader accountability efforts.
The county-level commemoration ran parallel to the national observance in Monrovia under the theme, “Decentralizing the Fight Against Corruption, Mobilizing Rural Youths to Demand Accountability and Improved Service Delivery.” Supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Liberia through the Strengthening Political Governance and Accountability in Liberia Project, the event brought together CENTAL, Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, the Center for Democratic Governance, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Integrity Forum.
Organizers said hosting the program outside Monrovia was a deliberate attempt to take the anti-corruption conversation directly to rural communities, where citizens are often most affected by weak oversight and limited transparency.
A march through Kakata’s main streets culminated in the presentation of a youth petition read by Aminata Sheriff of the E.J. Yancy Public School and submitted to Margibi County Superintendent Ojay Morris. The document detailed the impact of corruption on education, health care and basic services, and called for decisive local action. It urged the superintendent to work closely with integrity institutions, support community anti-corruption actors, protect whistleblowers and ensure that officials are held accountable for public resources.
Superintendent Morris pledged to uphold integrity in county administration. “As superintendent, I can assure you my administration will work to protect the integrity and resources of our county under the mandate of the president,” he said.
The official national message for International Anti-Corruption Day was delivered by Randolph E.V. Tebbs, commissioner for monitoring and investigation at the LACC, on behalf of Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe. His remarks underscored the threat corruption poses to national development and reminded the public of reporting mechanisms, including the LACC’s 5222 hotline.
Ireland’s senior program adviser, Good E. Kolubah, encouraged young people to remain vigilant and engaged, describing youth accountability as a catalyst for sustainable change. “The fight against corruption is everyone’s business,” he said. “Let’s continue to work together for a more transparent and prosperous Liberia.”
CENTAL’s project lead, Torwon F. Gensee, reinforced the need for stronger advocacy for improved service delivery in Margibi, while Armah Johnson, acting director for compliance at the Independent Information Commission and representative of the National Integrity Forum, warned that progress must be measured by concrete action, not rhetorical commitments.
As Liberia marked International Anti-Corruption Day, organizers said the Kakata event delivered a clear message: rural youth are not spectators but pivotal actors whose voices and demands can help reshape local governance and strengthen accountability across the country.
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