With the rate of illegal logging and the abuse of Forest Management Contracts (FMCs), the Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL) has developed Talkay, a digital corruption report platform to enable citizens to participate in the fight against corruption by reporting it in real time.  

Like another natural resource-based sector, forestry is affected by various episodes of corruption, as a result, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed the Responsible Parties Agreement (RPA) with IWL to support the Community Based Forestry Management project to implement the anti-corruption and accountability portion of the project. 

The platform is a mobile application that uses SMSs and the internet to report corruption. According to the IWL Executive Director Harold Aidoo, Talkay permits users to report and document corruption as it happens, and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) receives the report instantly on the dashboard.  

Mr. Aidoo explains that although the SMS platform limits users to reporting the location and the kind of corruption happening, with the mobile application, users go through a 7-step reporting that includes attaching evidence such as photos, videos, audio, and incident documents. He added that the application also gives the user an option to announce their number if they wish to be contacted, their names, or if they prefer to remain anonymous. However, this is not the case with the SMS platform as the user’s mobile number appears on the dashboard as the report goes through and the FDA can contact the reporter for more details. 

He says although the SMS platform is free, the mobile application requires a user to have internet access. He added that the mobile application enables users to file reports offline and submit them when accessing the internet. 

The application developer, IWL presented the use of the application to UNDP to weigh its development and better understand the product ahead of its roll-out. 

Subsequently, the developers are to present the application to all relevant stakeholders including the FDA, Liberia Anti-corruption Commission (LACC), Forestry Communities, and the media ahead of its anticipated date to roll out at the end of this month.