Naymote's President Meter Project Awareness Takes Off

Eddie D. Jarwolo, the Executive Director of Naymote Partners for Democratic Development, and his team kickoff its town hall meetings and engagement with citizens on the importance of the President Meter project. 

Commencing in Gorzohn, Buchanan City, District #3, Grand Bassa County, and Montserrado County, particularly in District #11, Kebbah in Barnesville, is to educate citizens to hold their democracy and leaders accountable for campaign promises made during and after the elections.

However, the Naymote’s President Meter project, originally launched during the administration of former President George Weah, aims to monitor, track, document, rate, and report on the performance of the President of Liberia during and after elections, along with tracking the development agenda since the inception of the presidency.

These town hall meetings fall under the purview of the Democracy Advancement Program (DAP), funded by the Swedish Embassy and executed by Naymote.

Jarwolo remarked, "We've chosen to kick off our town hall meetings with community leaders, women, and youth, and discuss the President’s Meter Report as a tool for accountability. Many are unfamiliar with our initiative, so we deemed it necessary to engage directly with the local to explain the purpose, methodology, and benefits of the President Meter to our democratic process."

As a civil society organization, Jarwolo emphasized the importance of ensuring that citizens understand their role in maintaining peace and holding the government accountable for delivering on its promises, which are vital for national development and peace.

He added, "Today is the first of our engagement across six different counties, beginning with Buchanan, Montserrado, and Bong County. We aim to inform the people about the 111 promises documented from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's government, including 93 post-campaign and policy statements, covering areas such as youth training in digital technology, infrastructure development, and good governance."

Reflecting on the previous administration's performance, Jarwolo noted that out of 292 promises made by former President George Weah, 24 were fulfilled and 39 were ongoing, totaling a completion rate of 39 percent. 

He expressed optimism that the current administration, having witnessed Naymote's monitoring efforts during the previous administration, would strive for improved performance.

Jarwolo emphasized the importance of fulfilling political promises, underscoring the right of every Liberian to a better quality of life. 

He stressed the significance of community-level awareness campaigns, recognizing communities as influential bases for effecting societal change.

“Our aim is to empower communities to make informed decisions for the betterment of the country. By starting at the grassroots level, we can gradually influence decision-making at higher levels of governance," he concluded.

Participants from the two counties commended Naymote and its team for their impactful work in the country, urging the organization to persist in educating the populace.