Written by Parnneh Mallobe

As Liberians go to the polls in October to elect the president and representatives of the Legislature for the next six years, Accountability Lab Co-CEO, Blair Glencorse, has called on young people to fully participate as “agents for positive change”.

Speaking to over 60 youth-led civil society and community-based organization leaders and entrepreneurs during an event organized by Accountability Lab Liberia and iCampus in Monrovia, Glencorse said the youth need to focus equally on what happens after the elections, as on the elections themself. “We have to track what the candidates are promising now and hold the elected officials to account for those promises afterward,” he said.

Democracy is more than elections

“Elections are not equal to democracy – democracy means a lot more than just elections; it includes the rule of law, freedoms of speech and association, inclusion, equality, and equity, and a free press, amongst others. Elections are just one step in democracy, although a very important one,” Glencorse added.

He urged youth leaders to use their platforms to encourage people to vote, monitor or organize election activities, and counter mis- and disinformation wherever possible. “We all have our independent preferences for candidates. But what matters most is that we all think about what a particular candidate is offering us that helps address the challenges we face, and we vote for that individual.”

Glencorse also used the occasion to speak to young entrepreneurs in Liberia, saying businesses often succeed when they are values-driven. Entrepreneurs should harness their listening abilities – twice as much as talking – to understand their customers and be better able to represent their needs.

He highlighted the need for collaboration, noting that success is not about being triumphant over opponents or rivals, or leading your peers in any particular adventure, as it is often thought. “One thing I have learned is when you lift others, you lift yourself. Collaborating with others always provides you an advantage over others who do not. If you both succeed, if someone is doing the same thing as you, that expands the field or the market in a greater way for both of you,” he shared. “That is what Accountability Lab Liberia and iCampus have been doing,” Glencorse added.

Partnerships for growth

It was emphasized that the upcoming elections were also a good opportunity to collectively push to ensure that the new government prioritizes policies that benefited everyone, including entrepreneurs. Liberia needed new regulations that made it easier to register and run a business, taxes that were easier to pay, and trade policies that allowed for access to new markets. Citizens should also consider how to push for a vibrant, productive innovation ecosystem. These changes would allow the private sector to care more about social issues, as too often they tended to focus solely on internal accountability or the security of their supply chains. 

Glencorse also called on people to commit to small actions to get things moving. “It doesn’t matter how small – it could be registering to vote or launching a small campaign in your community or raising awareness. The key is that we get going – we all have a role to play!” Glencorse said.

Speaking during the event, Grace Tomah Barry, the Chief Executive Officer of Nimba County treatment center, Grace Diagnoses, highlighted the importance of curiosity as a way for young people to exert their energies in the business and private sectors instead of only focusing on politics. She said this approach would answer the frequent question that many young people asked – ‘What have you done for your country?’. Barry called on young Liberians to maintain their values amid financial and economic difficulties. This was especially pertinent as elections drew close and some politicians were tempted to offer money in exchange for votes.

“Most of us ignore our values in society and start to run after things that will benefit only ourselves, and not the masses. Very soon, people who have been suffering for the past five years and counting, will start preaching the good of politicians because of a bag of rice and a little money, and quickly forget about what they have been through. Many fail to analyze what they have been through, and what could happen to their children’s futures if they don’t make the right decisions,” Grace concluded.

*Mallobe is the Communications Officer at Accountability Lab Liberia

Sheena Adams