Lawmakers Reminded

-As IREDD Launches Campaign Promises Tracking

By Jackson C. Clay, Jr.

The Institute for Research and Democratic Development (IREDD) has launched its campaign ‘promises tracking’ for the seventy-three (73) lawmakers who recently won the seventy-three (73) electoral districts across the country in the just ended October 10, 2017 Presidential and legislative elections in the country.

IREDD Executive Director, Harold Aidoo

Speaking during the launch of the document Monday, May 21, 2018, IREDD Executive Director, Harold Aidoo said the document aimed at providing citizens with the necessary information and tools to hold their elected representatives more accountable based on the promises they made during elections.

Aidoo stated that this campaign ‘promises tracking’ is part of an effort to enhance internal democracy and accountability of political parties and independent candidates.

He believes many of the reasons used by electorates to vote out or in legislators are not founded on democratic principles, thus, this is so because according to him, the level of education and awareness about the role of lawmakers among the population still remain low.

“Although civil society organizations, particularly IREDD and the media have over the past 12 years done considerable work around civic education about the work of the legislature, it is clear that lot needs to be done,” Aidoo stressed.

Aidoo asserted that though most of the campaign promises made of the current lawmakers are extremely broad and not time bond, he believes this is an important step in deepening Liberia’s democracy and a tool to be used to hold legislators accountable by citizens.

“It is my expectations that citizens across the country will make use of this document and I also hope that the media particularly community radio stations across the country will further publish the promises of lawmakers at the community and constituent level to make the promises known to electorates,” Aidoo noted.

Meanwhile, Harold Aidoo disclosed that only seventy-one (71) representatives were able to made promises during the just ended elections in the country, noting that Montserrado County district #10 representative, Yekeh Kolubah did not have any campaign promise and the institute could not validate Representative Kargon Gunpue of Nimba County district #4 due to the just ended resolved court crisis with the incumbent, Garrison Yealue.