Integrity Forum members end Strategic Planning Retreat

A one day strategic planning retreat for members of the National Integrity Forum (NIF) geared towards laying the foundation for effective implementation of planned activities was on December 2, 2011 held on the farm of former Foreign Minister, Monie R. Captan, in Upper Careysburg, along the Monrovia-Kakata Highway. 

Liberia Anti Corruption Commission’s Executive Chairperson, Cllr. Frances Johnson Allison, presided over the retreat which incorporated suggestions from both Technical and Steering Committees members of the NIF. 
Three key strategic areas formed the basis for discussions. They included: Strengthening organizational capacity and increasing organizational sustainability to deliver programs and projects, strengthening engagement with the public through awareness and tactical communication, and delivery of programs that support the fight against corruption.

Major issues including the need for an effective NIF secretariat, formulation of financial policy and procedures, development of annual work plan, and formulation of communications strategy, among others were discussed during the retreat. At the close of day, the Technical Committee was mandated to finalize some unresolved issues like the preparation of Terms of Reference for a fulltime professional that will run the day to day affairs of the NIF Secretariat.

Some senior executives of NIF including Governance Commission Chairman, Professor Amos C. Sawyer, LACC Executive Chairperson, Cllr. Frances Johnson Allison, Public Procurement and Concessions Commission’s Executive Director, Peggy Varfley Meres, and Professor Monie R. Captan, among others attended the retreat.

The NIF is a consortium of civil society groups and integrity institutions inaugurated in July 2009 to fight corruption and instill integrity in the way people transact business in government. Its membership includes Liberia Anti Corruption Commission(LACC), Public Procurement and Concessions Commission(PPCC), General Auditing Commission(GAC), Federation of Liberian Youths(FLY), Press Union of Liberia(PUL), Governance Commission(GC), Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia(CENTAL), Civil Service Agency(CSA), Catholic Justice and Peace Commission(JPC), Corporate Responsibility Forum(CRF), and Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative(LEITI).