By Pewu Y. Sumo
MONROVIA, Liberia — The Chairman of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL), Lawrence Yealue, has dismissed widespread stereotypes surrounding civic engagement and public governance, describing the belief that civil society actors are mere agitators and government officials are universally corrupt as a “myth.”
Yealue made the remarks on Friday, September 25, 2026, during the official launch of the Implementation Strategy for the GOL/CSO Accord and Partnership Policy Framework in Monrovia.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Yealue clarified that civil society organizations (CSOs) do not default to confrontation. Instead, he explained that civil society actors only resort to forceful engagement and agitation when constructive spaces for dialogue become toxic, elusive, or closed off entirely.
Addressing widespread public skepticism regarding state integrity, Yealue defended upright public servants, emphasizing that honest leaders continue to serve within government institutions.
“All government officials cannot be thought of as corrupt because, like in the civil space and all other sectors, there are people still working with integrity,” Yealue stated. “However, a paradigm has developed where we have given bad people a bigger platform in this country than good people.”
He noted that the unveiling of the implementation strategy represents a vital opportunity to reshape this narrative, providing a structured, open framework for civil society and the government to engage constructively rather than collision course.
