Justice Minister Oswald Tweh Receives the Forest bible from MFGAP’s Team Lead Letia Mosenene. The DayLight/Harry Browne
By Varney Kamara
MONROVIA – The Ministry of Justice has received 150 copies of the “forest bibles, books containing environmental laws and regulations governing Liberia’s forestry sector.
The lack of understanding of environmental laws and compliance regulations has significantly hampered prosecution and enforcement efforts in the country’s forest sector.
The books, comprising basic definitions, crimes, and fines, aims to close this gap. It is an undertaking of the Multi-stakeholder Forest Governance and Accountability Project (MFGAP), funded by the British government.
“This is a very good opportunity to understand the laws. It will improve the prosecutorial arm of the ministry because our prosecutors and county attorneys will have all of them at their fingertips,” said Justice Minister N. Oswald Tweh.
“In many instances, our prosecutors have to find the law, define and explain it. Now, summarizing them in a single place makes their task easier. This is a very good step.”
In May 2017, the Forestry Development Authority published the overview of the legal framework for forests, meant to improve sectoral governance and ensure compliance. However, progress has been marginal, with the sector plagued by irregularities and noncompliance.
Lucia Gbala, a representative of Heritage Partners and Associates, the firm that compiled the books, said it would enhance accountability in the sector.
“The best lawyers need to know where to find the laws,” Gbala said. “Putting these laws together and compiling all of the relevant laws for the work of prosecutors and other laws to be able to have easy access and educate the communities.”
Letla Mosenene, MFGAP’s team lead, said her group was working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies to ensure sufficient awareness of forestry and regulations.
“This is one of the efforts we are making to ensure that the people obey the laws, and that they effectively participate in governance of the forest sector,” said Mosenene. “We think this tool will go a long way to help the ministry carry on its work.”