The Center for Media Studies and Peacebuilding (CEMESP) has launched its “Liberia Country Report on Government Procurement of Digital Technology”.
The report is the outcome of a research conducted by CEMESP, in partnership with the African Freedom of Information Center in Uganda, with funding support from Omidyar Network.
The research project was intended to give members of the public an opportunity to know how the government engages with the procurement of digital equipment.
It also focuses on achieving public awareness of digital technology systems (DTSs), perceptions toward the government in DTSs and expectations regarding legal frameworks, and the process of procurement and information disclosure.
Launching the report on iCampus in Monrovia Thursday, Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President, Charles Cuffey, said he was happy to form part of such event that is aimed at transforming digital technology procurement in the country.
“We are happy that this report will begin the critical conversation around personal data protection in Liberia,” said Cuffey.
Also speaking at the launch of the report, Deputy Minister of Post and Telecommunication, Prosper Brown, said he believes the report is a major stepping stone toward the advancement of digital technology in Liberia.
Minister Brown said the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication welcomes the report as a credible tool, whose findings speak to the reality of challenges in achieving digital technology in Liberia.
He said, as Liberia strives to transition from analog to digital economy, it is the responsibility of every citizen to join hands with the government to achieve such a feat.
Atty. Lamii Kpargoi, the consultant hired by CEMESP to conduct the study, made a formal presentation of details in the report to an audience of government officials, directors of procurement, students, journalists and others
One key finding from the study, according to Atty. Lamii Kpargoi, is “no clear budget line for the purchase of digital equipment, that 80% of people interviewed think there must be public competitive bidding as almost all the people said there is no transparency in government’s procurement, and that the government does not prioritize the protection of digital rights of citizens”.
The report also finds that 34% of the people interviewed are neutral as to whether the government follows the law, suggesting that not a single procurement plan by any government entity seeks procurement of digital technology equipment.
The findings of the report lead to the recommendation for the government to engage into public awareness activities of procurement in Liberia and for the enactment of a data protection law for the country among others.
CEMESP’s Executive Director, Malcolm Joseph, for his part, thanked the African Freedom of Information Center for supporting the Liberia Country Report on Digital Technology Procurement. Joseph urged all stakeholders to use the report to improve digital procurement and technological advancement in Liberia.