By Amos Harris
The Independent Information Commission (IIC) has taken its Freedom of Information (FOI) message directly to local communities and a university campus, urging Liberians to move beyond basic awareness and actively exercise their legal right to access public information.
The Commission made the call on Monday, September 28, 2026, as Liberia joined the global community in observing the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI). The day-long awareness campaign shifted the FOI message out of formal settings and into everyday spaces, featuring engagements at the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) on Camp Johnson Road, as well as the Slipway and Logan Town communities on Bushrod Island.
At each stop, IIC officials engaged students, residents, and the public on the core purpose of Liberia’s FOI Law, outlining practical steps citizens can take to request and secure information from public entities. The outreach aimed to demystify the FOI process, encouraging citizens to view requesting public information as a normal, lawful exercise of their constitutional rights.
Following the interactions in Logan Town, the IIC team convened at the Contemporary Intellectual Museum for a broader discussion on the history, importance, and practical application of the right to information. Addressing participants at the museum, William Jeremiah Tunning emphasized that September 28 represents far more than an annual international event, noting that access to information is fundamental to meaningful civic participation.
Tunning cited Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to seek, receive, and impart information, linking this right directly to transparency, public accountability, democratic participation, and sustainable development. He outlined the global evolution of the observance, noting that UNESCO proclaimed September 28 as IDUAI in 2015, leading to its first global celebration in 2016 and subsequent recognition by the United Nations General Assembly in October 2019. He also highlighted Sustainable Development Goal 16, specifically Target 16.10, which calls on states to ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms.
Furthermore, Tunning stressed that technological advancements have expanded the scope of universal access, arguing that information must not merely exist, but must be findable, understandable, timely, and accessible across diverse platforms serving all segments of society.
Focusing on practical application, IIC Acting Outreach Director Jutomue Doetein guided participants through the mechanics of Liberia’s FOI framework. He explained how citizens can draft and submit formal information requests and identify the correct public institution responsible for specific records. Doetein reassured attendees that the FOI process is neither overly complex nor out of reach for ordinary citizens, urging the public to familiarize themselves with the law and utilize it responsibly to obtain public records.
Shifting to the obligations of the state, IIC Acting Compliance Director Armah Boimah Johnson addressed the responsibilities of public institutions, identifying proactive disclosure as a cornerstone of FOI compliance. Johnson stated that public bodies should routinely publish and update key categories of information without waiting for individual requests. He highlighted the vital roles played by Public Information Officers, Internal Information Review and Redress Bodies, and annual reporting mechanisms in enforcing institutional accountability. These structural mechanisms, Johnson noted, are essential for transitioning FOI implementation from a reactive response model into an ingrained organizational culture of openness.
Concluding the day’s activities, IIC Executive Director Lorpu Page delivered a strong call to action, pressing citizens to move from general awareness to active usage of the FOI Law. Page remarked that the true value of the law lies not in its existence on the statute books, but in whether citizens actively use it to obtain lawfully accessible information. She encouraged participants to act as ambassadors by sharing their knowledge within their neighborhoods, emphasizing that widespread public engagement is vital for fostering transparency, accountability, and responsive governance across Liberia.
The IIC’s commemorative efforts successfully combined grassroots community outreach, public education, procedural instruction, and civic dialogue, all aimed at bringing Liberia’s FOI Law closer to the people and strengthening democratic governance.