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Choithram Memorial Hospital & NATCO Donate 40 Million Leones to Constituency 115

By Amin Kef Sesay

As part of rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility and to enhance community development, Choithram Memorial Hospital limited and NATCO on Monday 2nd December, 2019 donated 40 million Leones to residents of Constituency 115, in the East End of Freetown for the completion of the Koya Town Health Post Fencing and Electrification Project. Two cheques of twenty million Leones each were handed over to the current Honourable Member of Parliament representing that Constituency, Alpha Amadu Bah, on behalf of the community. The handing over of the cheques took place at the Choithram Office on Rawdon Street in Freetown.

Handing over the cheques, Head of Choithram & NATCO, Harish Agnani, disclosed that the gesture is part of the fulfilment of its corporate society responsibility towards community development, adding that this is not the first time they have been dishing out such a support.

He said prior to the donation, he received a letter from the Honourable Member of Parliament requesting the support of Choithram Memorial Hospital and NATCO towards the completion of the Koya Town Health Post Fencing and Electrification Project in Wellington, noting that as two responsible companies they wasted no time but responded to his request in order to promote the development of Koya Town in particular and the Wellington community as a whole.

The Honourable Member of Parliament expressed appreciation to Choithram and NATCO for their continuous support towards the development of the Constituency, noting that these two companies have been very supportive financially to better capacitate them to undertake the implementation of several developmental projects within his Constituency as requested by his constituents.

On behalf of his constituents, he applauded them for what he described as a timely gesture and assured the two companies of his support to them whenever the need arise.

 

 

President Bio Gives Hope on World AIDS Day

President Julius Maada Bio

By Amin Kef Sesay

People living with HIV/AIDS have been hailed by President Julius Maada Bio for their courage and dedication to the fight against the global pandemic. Bio, as part of commemoration of World AIDS Day 2019, said those who were infected and receiving free treatment where the reason the prevalent rate of the virus has been stabilized.

“Because of your example, we have stabilized HIV prevalence rate, reduced new infection rate and increase the number of Sierra Leoneans on treatment,” the President said in a recorded message during the national event on Sunday, December 1, in Freetown, This year’s commemoration is the 31st edition since the world started remembering the day as part of efforts to raise awareness about its impacts and efforts to contain it.

The National AIDS Secretariat (NAS) organized the event, alongside its partners that include people living with the virus, UN agencies and other civil society groups campaigning for an AIDS free world. The event was held at the forecourt of the main ministerial building in Freetown – Youyi Building and it was preceded by a march past across the streets of the capital city.

Various speakers, from Government to UN to CSOs, all recommitted to the fight against the virus. In Sierra Leone, the President is the chairperson of the National AIDS Commission, under which the NAS falls.

In his keynote address, Bio said as an indication of his Government’s commitment to eradicate HIV, it had declared the disease a public health concern. He also promised, in line with his Government’s priority to provide access to quality and affordable healthcare for every citizen, investment in building a resilient health care system.

He went on to say that the Government would provide equitable and free HIV services to every Sierra Leone “in a stigma and discrimination free environment.”

This year’s World AIDS Day was commemorated on the theme: “Community Makes the Difference to End AIDS by 2030.” Latest Statistics from the NAS and UN agencies show that new infection rate of HIV continues to decline in the country. As of 2018, 4, 100 new cases were recorded, down from 4, 700 new cases in 2015.

Women & Girls to gain empowerment through Northern Region Women Network  

Network Members pose with Sheik Abubakarr Conteh

By Theresa Vamboi

The Northern Region Women’s Network (NRWN) on Friday 29th November 2019 offered prayers of thanksgiving at the Masjid Hamdallah at Naimbana Street as part of the first anniversary celebrations. The Network, which comprises fifty professional women drawn from various fields in society, also held their annual general meeting on Saturday 30th November 2019 where they discussed the successes, challenges and the way forward of the network, especially their strategic plan for the coming years.

The Chairperson of the Network, Mrs. Hossinatu Kanu Koroma said the Network was formed with the specific objective of supporting women and girls in the north to enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development. Her network, she said, is a non-political and non-governmental organization that is supporting and facilitating the transformation of women and girls in four key thematic areas: providing quality education and vocational training for women and girls in the North, establishing mentorship; guidance and counseling programs that will empower girls for their future careers; embarking on an advocacy drive for the protection of legal instruments on gender; and fostering agricultural production that will provide job opportunities and economic growth for women in the North.

She spoke about a thirteen year old girl that was raped by her uncle whom the network supported to get justice in the court of law. The girl, Mrs. Kanu Koroma said she will continue to receive support from the network in areas like continuing her education after giving birth and her baby will be taken care of by one of their members.

Delivering her sermon during the Friday Jumah prayers, the Chief Imam of Hamdallah Mosque, Sheik Abubakarr Conteh spoke on the topic “Living a Purposeful Life”. He lauded the network members for coming together to support women and girls in the north and added that they are obeying the instructions of the Holy Quran in giving thanks to the Almighty Allah. “Women are very precious in the lives of men. They are our mothers and sisters working very hard to develop their colleagues in the north,” he prayed to the Almighty Allah to prevent them from trouble and disappointments.

The Almighty Allah, Sheik Conteh said, gives women the right to take an active part in the development of their homes, families and the nation by extension, and warned that men should stop suppressing women or they will be punished by the Almighty Allah. “Islam gives women the right to express their views and work for the survival of humanity. He called on the women to continue with promoting the affairs of women and girls in the north and they should discourage those challenges affecting the region. “Continue to be agents for a positive change in the region for the development of our nation,” the Chief Imam advised and further admonished them not to do things beyond their scope.

“You should endeavor to stand for the truth and be united and work together to achieve your goals,” the Chief Imam said. He furthered that the network members should not relent in educating girls to prepare them well for a brighter future. “Education is very important to Islam. Please teach girls to have good morals in society so that they stand in a better position to replace you in your various fields in the future,” Sheik Abubakarr Conteh stated ending up offering prayers for the women and admonishing them to always be thankful to the Almighty Allah further encouraging other women to emulate their good examples.

 

Conservation Society calls for Environmental Protection

A cross section of participants with the event organizers

By Amin Kef Sesay

As Sierra Leone prepares for crude oil exploration, the Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL) has organized a policy dialogue forum for key stakeholders to examine and discuss the Petroleum Policy for Sierra Leone, with a specific focus on Health, Safety, Environment, and Social Impact. The event is geared towards helping the current Government to strengthen the relevant structures to ensure environmental safety even before the commencement of full-scale oil exploration and production in the country. The all-important event was held at the Hill Valley Hotel Conference Hall on Friday 29th November 2019 and it brought together key stakeholders from government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, Civil Society, the Media, and Policy Makers to discuss the importance of having a sound environmental protection policy in the oil and gas sector.

It is reported that a good number of countries and companies have already shown interest in investing in the oil and gas sector, but what has come out clearly is the fact that crude oil exploration is going to be offshore but the extraction activities cannot, however, go without grave environmental consequences. It is against this backdrop that the CSSL, with support from the MAVA Foundation through the Regional Programme for Conservation of the Coastal and Marine Zone, is poised to undertake sensitization activities to raise awareness about these issues, and also engage policymakers and other key stakeholders.

President of CSSL, Charles Showers said oil and gas are important and viable resources for the development of a nation and added that extracting these products sometimes have adverse effects on the environment. “We should be proactive enough to have an applicable policy in place to forestall the mistakes done in other countries,” he said.

CSSL’s Executive Director, Dr. Sheku Kamara remarked that his organization has great care for the environment including wildlife and their habitat. “We want to preserve our environment for the benefit of the nation,” he said and added that in anticipation of expanding the oil industry, frank actions must be taken to protect the environment. He furthered that they are looking at possibilities of having a sound environmental policy in the oil and gas industry by ensuring that the right laws are in place.

Edward Momodu Sesay is the Programme Manager of CSSL. He named the environment, human development, and biodiversity as things that should have a realistic balance for mutual benefit and survival.

The petroleum sector, he further said, has risks that can have serious negative impacts on the health and safety of the country’s citizens and Communities’ environmental sustainability if not properly dealt with and on a long term. “The policy lays out key principles that should ensure effective management of these risks,” he said and furthered that the policy shall contribute to and promote a balance to ensure sustainable development. “Petroleum operations have the potential to cause irreparable damage to the environment and compromise the socio-economic conditions, health and safety of the people, thus affecting the sustainable development of the country,” says the Programme Manager and suggested that the Government should ensure that health, safety, security, and environmental issues are integrated into the planning and development of the petroleum sector.

One of the key principles, he highlighted, as contained in the policy is that “Environmental and Social Impact Amusement and Environmental Management Plan shall be submitted by petroleum companies, which shall be evaluated by the Sierra Leone Environment Protection Agency and any other competent authority, as required by the SLEPA Act (2008) prior to initiation of activities. Such assessment shall be comprehensive and cover areas specified in the Act, including an oil spill contingency plan and an Emergency Preparedness Response Plan (EPRP). Anticipated or real negative impacts shall be mitigated and positive impacts promoted.”

Another key principle Mr. Sesay made mention of states that “At the end of petroleum activity, the environment shall to the extent possible be brought back to its original state. Companies shall provide financial assurances to ensure that the environment will be rehabilitated at the end of the activity.”

Representatives from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), National Minerals Agency (NMA), Petroleum Regulatory Agency, Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, and other key stakeholders made meaningful input in having sound policies in place for an effective environmental protection in the oil and gas industry. They noted that environmental management cannot succeed without good policies in place.

 

 

“Improvement in Science and Technology is fundamental to Development…” -Pres. Bio

By Alim Jalloh

On 29 November 2019 at Mile 91 in the  Tonkolili District,  His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has informed students at the Canadian College of Modern Technology  that improvement in science and technology is fundamental to the development of the country.

In his welcome address, Chief Executive Officer of the college, Muckson Sesay, said that they were pleased to receive the President, noting that that was demonstrative of his commitment to human capacity building not only in words but also in action. He said their programmes were good and the classrooms were well-equipped to ensure students got the required skills as a means of integrating technology into the syllabi.

Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, reiterated that the President is visiting the college because of his commitment to education and inclusive development and commended the administration of the college for providing modern facilities that would help to capacitate young Sierra Leoneans.

In his remarks, President Bio expressed delight to be at the campus, saying that the work of the college is in line with his vision for human capital development. He said he wanted to leave a lasting legacy in the country by building on education that would be a foundation for sustainable development and the improvement of the wellbeing of citizens.

He mentioned that the college is offering the best to students that would enable them to be competitive in the challenging world, noting that he wanted to produce quality Sierra Leoneans that would help the growth of the country and the world at large. He therefore urged students to make good use of the facilities.

‘’I am pleased with the type of education offered here in technology and entrepreneurship because of its quality and relevance to society. I want to use this opportunity to thank the CEO and sponsors for bringing back to society. We will give him our full support and encourage the community to also do the same,’’ he said.

 

 

YAC Popularises ACC’s 2019 Amendment Act

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By Amin Kef Sesay

During a press conference held at the Siaka Stevens Stadium Atlantic Hall in Freetown on the 2nd December 2019, members of Youth Against Corruption (YAC) engaged the media on the importance of the amendment of the ACC Act, with the view that the message will be disseminated across the country for citizens to know about the provisions of the Act.

Speaking on behalf of the ACC, Morris Kante, a representative of the institution, explained that the bill is an effort to ensure that the Commission get the required legislation to effectively fight corruption in the country. He expressed appreciation to YAC for their good work in the fight against corruption noting that Sierra Leone is where it is today because of corruption, with citizens being deprived of the basic amenities of life, namely: electricity, health care services, water and food. He gave a brief history about the evolution of the Commission from a toothless dog to one that has prosecutorial powers.

Over the years, he went on, the fight against corruption was launched by the Late President Kabba, with the setting up of the ACC in 2000, but it lacked prosecutorial powers. In 2008 it was given powers to prosecute by the then Ernest Bai Koroma Government, but at present there has been the realisation that though it was fine yet it did not yield the desired goal and corruption is till rife in the country. With the advent of President Bio, the need for an amendment of the Act to further address the existing loop holes, constantly being manipulated by public officials to deprive the nation of huge amounts of money, these and several factors were looked at and amendments made to make the process effective.

Among the objectives of the amendment are to strengthen protection of those who assist the Commission and make corruption a risky enterprise for public officials, increase penalty, provide the Commission with an alternative to prosecution and widen the scope of the offence and reduce the period for Asset declaration after leaving office, from 1 year to 3 months. This, it was pointed out will make the Act functional and provide the desired result.

Corruption evolves with time and laws are needed to be amended to meet the challenges. ACC can now prevent contracts deemed to have elements of corruption taking place, in consultation with the NPPA.

Making his own submission, Hon. Mustapha Sellu, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Corruption, explained the status of the bill that has been passed by the House, stating that the said bill is now awaiting Presidential assent to make it become law, according to the provisions of the constitution. He stated that during the deliberations in the House, MPs were able to thrash out all the sticking points and have finally approved the bill and sent it to the President for signature.

Hon. Sellu further stated that information brings transformation. He noted that specific sections and areas were looked at namely asset declaration in a bid to harmonise them with the Constitution. He also referred to Section 126 (a), stating that what is being looked at mainly in the COI is that of contracts. In this area he dilated that in respect of proposed contracts, the ACC Commissioner will consult with the NPPA boss on whether the contract is in the interest of the people. Thus the ACC can in consultation with the NPPA stop such contracts from being signed as long as they are not in the interest of the people.

He further stressed that a party to the contract who feels dissatisfied can go to court to seek redress. He also stated that a huge percentage of what is going on at the COI is on procurement and not about salaries etc, thus it is wise that the ACC captures such in their fight against corruption. He further disclosed that the use of cash in every transaction is responsible for the corruption taking place, unlike in the developed world where transactions are done with cards, which can be easily detected and the culprits nabbed.

In his own submission, Moses Mambu, a Civil Society activist of Consortium on Service Delivery, said that since independence, with all the resources that the country has, the country is still grappling with the basic amenities of life. He warned that if Sierra Leoneans fail to take action now to curb corruption, the future generation will be doomed. He expressed happiness to see young people taking the destiny of the nation in their hands, for it is only in so doing that the nation will develop. He assured YAC that they are ready to support them in any endeavour that will enhance the development of the nation.

He spoke about the Wellington–Masiaka road contract, stressing that the road provided by the colonial powers and our fore fathers is now being used as toll road. He stressed that in his view an alternate road should have been made of quality for those who do not wish to pay any toll. “It is their right to choose and should not be forced to use the only road that the colonial master left for the people as toll road,” he bemoaned referencing the tragic situation that truck drivers who could not afford the toll are faced with to navigate the so called alternate road, which he described as a death trap.

Sheku Koroma, Executive Director of YAC expressed happiness in seeing a good number of young people in the audience. YAC was established in August 2018 to help the ACC fight corruption. He re-echoed the views of Moses Mambu on the need for youths to embrace the fight against corruption. The ACC, he went on, cannot fight this war alone. He called on the media to take the message abroad and disseminate to the nation the provisions of the Act and how citizens can participate in the fight

Other speakers included Success Kamara, Assistant Public Relations Officer of the ACC. He reminded the media that Section 11 of the Constitution gives the media the obligation to ensure they hold State institutions and officials accountable to the public. Imran Sillah of the Ministry of Information also added his voice to the discussion.

 

To accelerate Development… Pres.Bio Commissions First National Drone Corridor

By Jonathan Hindolo Kurabu

In an unprecedented move, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chancellor of Njala University, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has officially launched the National Drone Corridor. The national drone corridor which is spearheaded by DSTI, Njala University, UNICEF, and the Civil Aviation Authority is said to be the first national government led initiative in West Africa and second in Africa.

The ceremony attracted members from the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, UNICEF, Ministers of Government including the Chief Minister, Minister of Health and Sanitation, Internal Affairs, Minster of Technical and Higher Education, Minister of Basic and Senior  Secondary Education among others.

In his opening courtesies, Vice Chancellor and Principal, Njala University, Professor Abdullah Mansaray described the launch of the National Drone Corridor as a celebration of the success of partnership among Directorate of Science. Technology & Innovation, (DSTI), the Civil Aviation Authority, UNICEF, Njala University and the local communities in Kori chiefdom.

Having being challenged by President Bio during inauguration of the Njala University Court, to ‘’think big’’ and to transform Njala into an institution that meets the challenges of the 21st Century, Professor Mansaray said the National Drone Launch is one of the many achievements and testaments of the tremendous strides taken under his leadership within this short time with the support of staff, and development partners in harnessing technology for national development, hence he is particularly pleased that such a remarkable technological revolution is happening under his leadership.

Making a statement, Chief Innovation Officer who now doubles as the Minister of Basic and Senior  Secondary Education said as part of Sierra Leone’s National Innovation and Digital Strategy and their recent investments in GIS, Sierra Leone will provide the platform for digital governance to accelerate the development challenges. Dr. Moinina David Senge averred that Sierra Leone is the first country in West Africa and second in Africa to have a Government-led drone corridor which he said is purely a collaboration among DSTI, Njala University, UNICEF, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority and many visionary yes-Sayers. The Drone Corridor has a full 250m runway for fixed wing drones, an attached research facility for industrial and a whole set of use cases in health, agriculture, and education. ‘The impact of today cannot be understood with a view of yesterday which is why it was a Phenomenal to have 100+ children on site’’, he opined.

UNICEF Country Representative to Sierra Leone, Sulaiman Brima lauded the initiative and commended President Julius Maada Bio for his consistency in prioritizing science and technology and urged them to replicate the initiative to other parts of the country. He said drones can form a key part of the solution to save lives; hence, UNICEF remains deeply committed to continue the partnership and support in any way and also pledged UNICEF’S unflinching commitments to support the use of drones for social good and optimally to support the improvement of children.

Paramount Chief of Kori Chiefdom, PC Thomas Gbappie IV pledged his chiefdom’s unwavering support to the initiative and promised to offer more lands for development and for the good of the chiefdom. He commended their ancestors for the forthright thinking in leasing parcel of land to Njala University which to date has been a mammoth blessing for the people of Kori Chiefdom and the country as a whole.

In his keynote note address, the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio affirmed that the people of Sierra Leone have already seen how technology is helping to streamline citizenship registration with implication for financial inclusion, public service delivery and the participation of citizens in the full life of our democracy. ”We have also used technology to streamline revenue collection, financial processes with implication for transparency and accountability in governance, we have used technology and data to plan and review policy interventions with implication for focused investment and better outcomes,” H.E Bio said.

“We are inspired as a nation adding that we are an innovative nation and we will continue embracing technology because of the boundless opportunities it offers to us as a growing nation. ”Our progressive vision for the possibilities offered by drone technology predicts also align very well with Africa Union’s high level panel on emerging technologies 2018 which calls for member countries to use drones to boost Africa’s development and accelerate transformation of the continent. We are particularly energized about the possibilities of drone technology to serve primarily our human capital development priorities in free quality education, food security, and quality healthcare and other ancillary development benefits,” he said.

The National Drone Corridor among others will provide multiple and ground breaking opportunities in for instance agriculture and food security, drone technology can provide a bird’s eye view of a farmer’s crop, spray fertilizers and insecticides more efficiently and also help the general crop monitoring and management.

This will increase average acreage yields. Cash crop plantations can be more effectively monitored on air by drones,  can help to monitor green cover loss and adequately anticipate general problems related to primate resilience and biodiversity loss as a result of human activities, extend the possibilities for teaching new curricula and new disciplines that are critical for national development from waste management, urban planning to infrastructure management to eco-tourism, drones can facilitate rapid delivery of medical supplies for pregnant women and help stem maternal mortality, vaccines and lifesaving medicines such as snake bites serum or deal for medical emergencies or otherwise inaccessible areas where there may be an outbreak of communicable diseases, help facilitate the transport of drugs. Help with area surfing, mapping in order to predict and act on possible developments among others.

 

Transparency & Accountability… New Direction Govt. Too Has Glaring Lapses

By Amin Kef Sesay

Allegations of corruption in the auctioning of unclaimed goods at the Port, booking by reluctant commercial drivers at points where they are supposed to be checked by traffic police and wardens, continued exploitation by schools and teachers in various forms in spite of the FQE,  poor service delivery by certain MDAs, allegations of demanding of commission from contractors by Finance Ministry officials before contract payment is approved and made; these and many allegations of lack of transparency and accountability dog President Bio’s New Direction Government.

Accountability  and  transparency  are  major  pillars  in  the  architecture  of  governance if the goal of poverty reduction through effective and efficient service delivery by MDAs and economic growth and diversification are to be achieved by the Government and its people in the shortest possible time.

Paul  Wolfowitz,  former  President  of  the  World  Bank,  in  a  2006  speech  in  Jakarta  noted that

in developing a community or country good  governance is the foundation of all other State activities which  essentially  boils down to a strong mix  of  transparent  and  accountable  institutions;  ethical work conduct, skills and competence and above all willingness by State actors particularly those entrusted with finances, resources and service delivery responsibilities to do the right thing.  Some MDAs, the people observe, are still stuck in the old way of doing things – no bribe, no hand shake, no service.

For the New Direction Government to succeed where previous administrations failed in delivering on their promises to the people, transparency and governance should run through the country’s entire political, economic and social structures.

Any weakening in public  accountability  and  transparency;  respect  for  and  strengthening  of  the  rule  of  law  and  anti-corruption   measures;   democratization,   decentralization   and   local   government   reform;   increased  civil  society  participation  in  development,  respect  for  human  rights  and  protection of the  environment amount to failure by whatever political party is in power.

Transparency refers to openness in Government policies  and  decisions which requires making available required information to the populace in order to minimize the scope for misuse of resources and enhance public capacity to hold Government and its officials to account.

Crucially, budget transparency is paramount because it is through it that management of national resources is implemented. Therefore, absence  of  transparency  in  budgeting  processes  can  engender  corruption,  inefficiency  and  inequity,  and compromise the provision of public services and the development effort. Particular focus is advised on public procurement. The use of open tender processes, publication of relevant information regarding award of contracts, easily accessible complaints procedures when foul play  is  suspected,  are  among  the  crucial  considerations  for  ensuring  good  governance  in  public financial management.

Similar approaches should be adopted in the management of revenues accruing from natural resources  such  as  oil  and  other  mineral  wealth,  forestry  and  fisheries  resources.  The  contracts  signed  with  foreign  partners  for  the  exploitation  of  these  resources,  the  revenues  accruing  there  from  and  the  uses  to  which  they  are  put  should  be  readily  accessible  to  the  populace. Absence of transparency in these matters create breeding houses for conclusion of  arrangements  which  may  not  be  of  general  national  benefit,  encourage  misappropriation  and exploitation of national resources in the interest of an elite minority, with a potential in the long run of threatening national cohesiveness and precipitating instability.

The case for transparency and good budgetary management assumes further significance in the evolving advocacy for channeling aid through the domestic budget. The provision of aid in  the  form  of  general  budgetary  support  confers  greater  independence  in  the  use  of  resources  on  recipient  countries,  stronger  national  ownership  of  development  policies  and  programmes, and lower costs than those associated with multiple aid delivery modalities. For this  intention  to  be  achieved  on  a  wide  basis  and  the  proffered  benefits  realised,  donor  governments  and  institutions  must  have  confidence  in  mechanisms  in  place  in  recipient  countries for the management of the budget.

Worries about corruption and mismanagement are  antithetical  to  this  objective;  hence  the  need  for  strengthened  budgetary  procedures,  improved governance and transparency.  There is a strong perception in the donor community that international assistance is required to help strengthen the public financial management systems and processes in aid receiving countries, including oversight by parliament, audit boards and  civil  society.  Apart  from  the  technical dimensions of the intervention, it is considered pertinent that, as may be relevant, the   recipient   countries   should   subscribe   and   adhere   to,   internationally   sanctioned   arrangements,  such  as  the  Extractive  Industries  Transparency  Initiative  (EITI),  to  ensure  appropriate  disclosure  of  revenue  accruals  and  maximization  of  inflows  from  national  resources.  Accountability   is   the   natural   concomitant   of   transparency.

Indeed,   the   purpose   of   transparency is essentially the facilitation of accountability. In general, accountability refers to the  obligation  of  those  in  authority  to  account  to  those  on  whose  behalf  they  exercise  such  authority,  for  the  discharge  of  the  responsibilities  entrusted  to  them.  We  can  distinguish  between  financial,  political  and  administrative  elements  of  accountability.  The  exercise  of  accountability  requires  a  system  of  laws,  regulations  and  codes  of  conduct.

In addition, mechanisms should be established for monitoring compliance and deviations, and institution of corrective measures.  Financial  accountability,  which  tends  to  be  the  main  focus  in  this  context,  pays  special  attention  to  budgetary  processes.  It  is  deemed  a  necessary  condition  for  good  governance;  prudent management of public resources; reduced corruption; better delivery of services; and a  support  to  efforts  at  poverty  alleviation.  Strengthening  financial  accountability  requires  reforms  almost  across  the  board,  touching  on  the  parliamentary,  judicial  and  administrative  structures  and  modalities  of  government,  and  could  thus  entail  a  far-reaching  revamping  of  governance systems.

PAN-SL to Host National Storytelling Festival

By Foday Moriba Conteh

To celebrate the country’s rich culture and tradition heritage, the Patriotic Advocacy Network-Sierra Leone (PAN-SL) in partnership with Usifu Jalloh commonly known as Cowfoot Prince is set to host its annual National Storytelling Festival on the theme: United We Stand- Beat Tribalism. The programme is schedule to take place on Tuesday 24th December, 2019 at the Miatta Conference Centre.

Speaking to this medium in an interview Executive Director of Patriotic Advocacy Network (PAN-SL) Ansumana Keita disclosed that the National Storytelling Festival is an annual event that celebrates the traditional and contemporary oral heritage of Sierra Leone and promote both literary and oral culture together with traditional songs that are under threat of extinction.

He added that NSF inspires people in all facets of society including pupils, students, educators, elderly people and Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora; thus creating the platform for people to share their stories in a well-structured, organized, educative and entertaining manner.

He said that for the past three years, NSF has been able to attract the attention of both national and international audience, noting that last year, the grand festival was staged at the Miatta Conference Hall with over 500 people in attendance.

He disclosed further how the 2019 National Storytelling Festival will involve the engagement and participation of school going pupils, university students and youth groups across Sierra Leone on the theme “United We Stand-Beat Tribalism” which, according to him, was deliberately selected in order to promote peace, unity and national cohesion in the country. He also revealed that the students will take part in competing and entertaining their audiences, adding that they will be telling stories, poems, doing cultural and musical performances stating that  special prizes including Certificates, Medals, Trophies and Cash Prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Keita maintained that the NSF is divided into categories which are stories with traditional songs and music and instruments, stories in riddles, stories in native languages and stories in English etc.

Underscoring the objectives of staging the event, he pointed out creating a platform where the young and youth can showcase their talents, to bring young people together to tell the beautiful and educative stories of our Land and to engage school pupils to know more about our heritage of our Motherland, adding that the goal of the event is to revamp and celebrate the rich oral, literary culture and heritage of our beloved country.

He said prior to the event they will be touring and facilitating trainings in various schools, universities and communities which ,as he maintains, started in November and then organize a two week event in December- one week for school going pupils and university students and another one week for community engagements.

He disclosed that the NSF is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 24th December, 2019 at 2:00pm at the Miatta Conference Centre.

He called on Sierra Leoneans to support the said event as tickets are now available for sale at 79 Pademba Road or call/ whatsApp +23277459773. Prices: Standard Le30,000, Patron Le100,000 VIP Le 200,000.

 

AMNet trains Magistrates, Prosecutors and Parliamentarians on Combating Human Trafficking

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In its quest to enhance adequate capacity building for Magistrates, Prosecutors and Parliamentarians in dealing with issues relating to the trafficking of persons in Sierra Leone, Advocacy Movement Network Sierra Leone (AMNet) on Monday 2nd December, 2019 held a one day training for Magistrates, Prosecutors and Parliamentarians on combating human trafficking and protecting the rights of child migrants and women victims, through community engagement action, at Country Lodge in Freetown.

In his address Head of Programs, Advocacy Movement Network Sierra Leone (AMNet), Samuel Bangura, extended appreciation to the trainees for attending further highlighting how the training will create a better understanding of the concept of human trafficking and its related regulations.

He said that AMNet, through the project, is committed to ensure that positive, meaningful and proactive support to end human trafficking through speedy judicial processes in reporting and prosecuting perpetrators, adding that at AMNet their task is to make it possible and their mission is to build strong cooperative networks for CSOs, MDAs, community structures and other actors to enhance an understanding of their respective roles, relationships and become motivated to act.

He also extended appreciation to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Free Movements of Persons and Migrants (FMM), West Africa through whose agencies the project is funded by the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the European Union (EU). He also thanked the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Project Steering Committee, the Office of the National Security, the Trans-National Organized Crime Unit and the World Hope International etc. for their supervisory roles.

He said they are honored to have distinguished Magistrates, Prosecutors, and parliamentarians in their midst, adding that all these three categories are esteemed specialists in enacting regulations and dispensing justice relating to human trafficking.

State Prosecutor at the Law Officers Department and the lead in Human Trafficking matters, who also doubled as the facilitator, Adrian Fisher, disclosed that the training is geared towards discussing issues relating to trafficking of persons in a bid to enhance adequate capacity building for Magistrates, Prosecutors and Parliamentarians in dealing with such issues in Sierra Leone and how they impact upon Sierra Leoneans and the country as a whole.

He pointed out that human trafficking issues are very key as it is on the increase in the country. He added that the Magistrates, Prosecutors and Parliamentarians are very key in combating human trafficking in the country maintaining how the training will increase awareness of the relevant legal provisions, increase awareness on the dangers of human trafficking on women in Sierra Leone, adding that Sierra Leone is currently seen as a country where trafficking takes place stressing that the training will help to re-define Sierra Leone.

He assured Sierra Leoneans of their commitment in combating human trafficking saying much has been accomplished in combating trafficking but said with the current measures been taken he believes such will yield positive outcomes, noting that one of the measures is the aspect of taking trafficking matters directly to the High Court for trial.

He called on Sierra Leoneans to report issues of trafficking of persons to the Transnational Organized Crime unit as a matter of urgency for urgent investigation assuring that the perpetrators will be prosecuted.

Legal Adviser and Senior State Prosecutor ( CID) Joan M.S Bull disclosed that the training is not only timely but important to them as State Prosecutors pointing out that for the past eight years they have been prosecuting such cases but there had been no conviction of perpetrators of human trafficking. She said that human trafficking has been causing a lot of problems for Sierra Leoneans.

Underscoring the importance of the training she said that such will   empower them as prosecutors in order to draft their charges which will help them to convict perpetrators. She called on victims of human trafficking to report cases in order for them to bring the perpetrators to book.

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