13/06/2024
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ON JUNE 10, 2024, INTERNATIONAL ARCHIVES DAY, HON. EBENEZER A. BORBOR, TECHNICAL ASSISTANT, DG'S OFFICE, DELIVERED A KEYNOTE ADDRESS.
THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, HON. D. NELSON BEARNGAR, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR ADMINISTRATION, GABRIEL N. DOMAH, DISTINGUISHED PLATFORM GUESTS, SPECIAL INVITEES, SENIOR AND GENERAL STAFFERS OF CNDRA, MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
June 9 across the globe is known as International Archives Day, and is being observed today, June 10, 2024, which marks another historic day for the Center for National Documents and Records Agency/National Archives, as she celebrates 76th International Archives Day under the Global Theme: “ARCHIVES & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES”.
I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been chosen to be the “KEYNOTE SPEAKER” for this momentous and historic 76th International Archives Day Celebration, among my fellow senior staff members and general CNDRA/National Archives coworkers. Permit me to start by expressing my sincere gratitude and admiration to the Almighty God, the Management, and the Hardworking Committee of this Ceremony for selecting me.
And so, I have the singular honor to speak to you on the National Theme: “RESTORING ARCHIVES VIA TECHNOLOGIES”
It is important that I give a quick synopsis of the CNDRA/National Archives.
Established in 1977 with the primary goal of preserving national documents and records, the Center for National Documents and Records Agency/National Archives has been actively involved in the preservation of records through manual recording of important historical information about our country, including details about Liberia's participation in international events.
The CNDRA/National Archives runs and operates the National Public Library Service, which was detached from the Ministry of Education, and is responsible to provide Library service throughout the 15-Political Subdivisions of the Republic of Liberia; the Marriage Registry which was detached from the Ministry of Justice; the Tubman Center for African Culture (TCAC) in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County; which during its pre-war status served as one of Liberia’s renounced Research Center, where scholars came from the world over for research purpose; the Tubman Library Museum (TLM) in Harper, Maryland County, also contributed to providing valuable historical information for research purpose as well. The TCAC and TLM are currently in a state of disrepair and require significant attention from the government and its foreign allies in order to be returned to their pre-war state.
A wide range of legal instruments or papers are also being preserved by the CNDRA/National Archives. It functions as one of the government's revenue-producing entities.
Prior to her creation, the CNDRA/National Archives and other international archival organizations worked with the manual recording of important information to preserve paper records and documents until the development of the Document Management Systems (DMS) in 1999.
What is Document Management Systems (DMS)?
Document Management Systems (DMS), is the use of a computer system and software to store, manage and track electronic documents and electronic images of paper-based information captured through the use of a document scanner. The DMS is known as the database-supported management of paper or electronic based documents.
We are aware of the fact that technologies have impacted the world over.
Traditional archival tasks have been impacted by the advancement of technology. Collection production, assessment, arrangement and description, preservation, and research services have all changed as a result of the digital age. Global archival institutions are therefore far ahead of other organizations in using digital technology in archives.
The practice of keeping digital data organized and preserved for future access and retrieval is known as digital archiving. In short, it is an electronic record and information archive that replaces the paper archive through methodical storage. These are important considerations when you take the importance of information into account. Digital archiving is now required because of the internet's dominance over paper records and the growth of technology.
And so, it is imperative that the CNDRA/National Archives be restored through technological means. Digital archiving technology is the most preferred infrastructure for preserving historical documents and artifacts that serve as evidence of the past, and it improves timely accessibility and retrieval of records while preventing the loss of important records. This is why restoring the CNDRA/National Archives through technology cannot be overstated in this digital age. Currently, the CNDRA/National Archives overall lack the required digital infrastructure needed to upgrade to global standards and best practice.
Therefore, replacing manual preservation of paper records with a digital archiving solution would ensure meeting the challenges of long-term digital preservation-boosting accessibility and ensuring information security. This is why digital archiving has spread far across the digital landscape. It has become compelling that the CNDRA/National Archives transition to becoming part of this dynamic realm of digital preservation; putting it on par with Global Archival Institutions.
The most significant question is, how can this be achieved? This can be accomplished when the CNDRA/National Archives receives sufficient budgetary support from the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the National Legislature. This will allow the Archives to acquire contemporary equipment and construct the necessary digital infrastructure, improving record accessibility and retrieval and preventing the loss of important data.
Also, the Government of Liberia is respectfully asked to focus its attention on the CNDRA/National Archives to understanding and accepting the importance and vital role played in preserving the Nation’s heritage and historical artifacts, and her contributions to the Good Governance, Transparency, and Accountability Sector of Government, and assist Government makes informed decision, and acknowledging the fact the CNDRA/National Archives is the “National Mirror” that when looked into, enables one to know about the Nation’s Historical Past, Present and moving into the future. It informs one to knowing where he or she came from, where he or she is currently, and where he or she is headed. Archives are adapting to digitization and emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and blockchain to promote democracy, protect citizens' rights, and enhance quality of life by harnessing data and preserving cultural heritage.
Permit me to use this platform to respectfully call on H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of the Republic of Liberia, and other government representatives, including Members of the Honorable Legislature, to acknowledge that they are all, along with the rest of the country's citizens, somehow linked to the CNDRA/National Archives because the archives preserve information about their own and their children's inheritance. As such, the loss of valuable information about their respective inheritance and their children’s inheritance would be very detrimental to them and the nation as a whole, simply owing to either their refusal or unwillingness to pay much more attention to the CNDRA/National Archives by not sanctioning the CNDRA's budget proposal that would enable her to build the required digital infrastructures to guide against the loss of valuable information about the land, including theirs. Besides, it is noteworthy to state that the National Archives is the custodian of valuable historical artifacts and documents, to name a few below:
• Liberia Declaration of Independence;
• The Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, 1847;
• The Commonwealth Flag, known as the “First Flag,"
• Treaties from Queen Victoria
• The Official Seal of King George of Great Britain (1910–1936);
• Treaty of Amity, Commence, and Navigation between Italy and Liberia, signed on October 23, 1863, which led to the commencement of ships flaying Liberia’s flag;
• The Constitution for the Government of the African Colony in Liberia, laws to govern the colony;
• One of Liberia’s greatest warriors, Madam Sua Koko, who fought for this nation, for which a district is named in her honor, is known as Sua Koko in B**g County.
• The First Black African to have graduated from Harvard University, USA, in 1927, who hails from Grand Kru County, known as Plenyeno Gbe Wolo, etc.
And so, it is incumbent upon all of the major actors in the state to have a rethink of their minds about the persistency of awarding low or inadequate budgetary support or allotments to the CNDRA/National Archives. Currently, the CNDRA/National Archives budget is US$778.000.00, which shows a lack of interest in putting it at global archival levels and helping her fully decentralize her programs across the country relative to service delivery. The said budgetary allotment cannot address even a technical component of the CNDRA. US$30,000.00 of CNDRA’s budget was allotted for goods and services. When divided by 12-months, this amount this amount is US$2,500.00. This amount cannot handle goods and services for CNDRA’s Central Office, not to mention offices in the 14- counties; it cannot help in any way in providing the requisite and/or minimum working tools to enhance work operations. It would be most preferred that CNDRA/National Archives be given a budgetary allotment of
2- million United States dollars annually, which is a minimum compared to the budgets of archival institutions across the region and the world over.
It is imperative that I inform you that a recent assessment of the Northwestern and Southeastern Counties of Liberia done by CNDRA’s Director General, Hon. D. Nelson Bearngar, shows that the National Archives is heavily challenged relative to her activities within the 14 counties across the country. It is established that the respective service centers cannot house the entire operational components of the CNDRA, and there are needs for the CNDRA to fully decentralize her activities and programs across the country and to have facilities of her own to provide full services to all. However, work conditions at CNDRA’s Service Center offices need serious attention for improvement. In an effort to improve work conditions there, Director General Bearngar and his team have developed a proposal pending submission to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for onward submission to the government’s decentralization partners.
It would shock one to note that, given the important role played by the CNDRA/National Archives, employees of the CNDRA make salaries as low as US$80.00, which is unpleasant, demotivating, and inconceivable. It is therefore, with compulsion, that I call on the National Legislature, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and the Civil Service Agency to consider revisiting the salary structure of employees of the National Archives and putting it on par with other Commissions of Government that make no contribution to the National Treasury of Liberia yet have salaries of at least US$300.00. It is unthinkable that institutions of government generating revenues and contributing to the nation’s Treasury would struggle for budgetary support and improvement of employees’ benefits.
In conclusion, restoring the CNDRA/National Archives via technology is a must, and the government must consider the provision of required funding to the CNDRA to fully build infrastructure that would promote digital archiving in its entire scope of operations and provide training opportunities for employees in building their capacities.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.
