By Millicent Senava Mannah
The International Growth Centre (IGC) has on Tuesday 27thFebruary, 2023, engaged the media, after a dialogue with members of political parties and youths on ways to improve policymaking during an event that was held at the Swiss Hotel at Babadorie in Freetown.
The IGC works with policymakers in developing countries to promote inclusive and sustainable growth through path breaking research.
In his opening statement, the Country Director, Chuku Emeka Chikezie, intimated that the programme was funded by FCDO to provide world class excellent research for policymakers so that they can be better guided by evidence of what works and in the process move the country forward as well as improve lives.
“One of the areas of work we focus on within the IGC is State effectiveness. As you can imagine when you think about development of the State and its effectiveness, capacity is very important. The IGC has a number of initiatives in the hub in London, one of which is called the State of Fragility Initiative,” he disclosed.
He continued that over the years, IGC has undertaken quite a lot of work around this question of fragility, and that the term itself can be a little bit controversial further maintaining that it’s a key area of work to keep concern in the context of Sierra Leone.
“The term fragility is not to stigmatize Sierra Leone, but it’s a commonly used term, and within the IGC, given the work we have done over the past few years, on the question of fragility, not just in Sierra Leone, but also in the Mano River Union it is an appropriate description,” the Country Director stated.
Brian Ganson of Stellenbosch University stated that there are people of goodwill, who from what he can tell are getting up every day and working very hard, and how it is not adding up to change. According to him, he has been a part of the conversation for 30 years.
He furthered that he has been receiving the same questions on his table, that how can it be that they are still asking the question of stalled economic development and how can it be that they are still asking questions about political polarization?
“How can it be that they have not yet arrived at having mutual trust as an obligation that permeates Sierra Leone and therefore gives trust?” he also asked.
He said to some extent there is hope that we can move forward in the ways that we need and deserve. According to him all were gathered to brain storm on how to approach change that’s not working and how all can influence change . He said for him it was a hopeful, exciting and energizing conversation saying there was a realization that we can become trapped in our own circles of comfort.
Head of the State Fragility Initiative, Abdi Ali, said they have seen shock and if they utilize that window of opportunity positively, it will create a conducive environment for lasting solutions.
“Experience from other countries show that when nations go through these periods of pivotal moments there is bound to be small shocks here and there. The alternative is what others have done. What is the classic example? Where shock happens then you utilize it to galvanize as well,” he averred. He said as an economist he sees that the obvious challenges are for everyone.
This event was climaxed with a question, answer and an interactive session.
