By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
In an effort to support the Media industry in Sierra Leone, the International Fund for Public Interest Media has approved a 100,000 United States dollar (one hundred thousand) grant to enhance media investment in Sierra Leone. Fifty percent of the approved grant is said to be disbursed by November this year.
This was disclosed by the Acting Director of Government Information, Emmanuel A.B Turay while presenting the ministry’s deliverables for the Fiscal Year 2022 at the ongoing budget hearing at the Ministry of Finance in Freetown yesterday.
Speaking to Politico, the National Coordinator for the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG), Dr. Francis Sowa, explained that the grant is a national fund meant for public interest media which the government will also contribute to it. He added that other institutions and the private sector will also contribute their legal money which he said will not jeopardize the interest of the media.
He noted that, a multi-stakeholders board has been set up to develop criteria, processes, and procedures for the fund and that they will later issue a call for media houses that may want to apply for the grant to send in their applications if they meet the criteria. He said, after media institutions would have finished applying and the board concluded their work, they will announce those that meet the criteria.
The Funding is part of the aftermath of the national Media Viability and Investment Conference recently hosted by the government of Sierra Leone for a discussion on how to develop the media landscape in the country given its current challenges.
Whilst presenting their annual budget, the Deputy Director of Policy, Planning, and Research at the Ministry of Information and Communications, James Kanja Cobba pointed out that, out of a budget estimate of NLE 4,000,000 (four million New Leones) that was approved for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 projects, they were able to achieve certain deliverables. Some of the deliverables he highlighted are the improvement of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Policy and legal and regulatory framework.
He also said that they were successful in creating an enabling environment for the implementation of E-governance for Public Service delivery. He further said that they created new opportunities for Sierra Leoneans to become digitally empowered and equipped to thrive in the new digital era.
For FY 2022 which runs from January to September, Cobba stated that the Information Ministry improves digital infrastructure and access. He went on to say that, they also oversee the development and implementation of policies on access to information and freedom of information.
He further said that they have developed relevant Policy and Legislative instruments like the enactment of the cyber security and Crime Bill of 2021. He also said that they have drafted and validated the National Film Policy.
The Information Ministry submitted a budget estimate of NLE 15,830,440.00 (fifteen million, eight hundred and thirty thousand, four hundred and forty New Leones for FY 2023 for them to implement key projects in the ministry.
Whilst highlighting the ministry’s challenges, the Acting Director of Government Information, Emmanuel A.B Turay said that they have been mocked in the media for their inability to implement their projects due to a lack of enough resources. He, therefore, urged the Finance Ministry to quickly disburse the budget they presented, saying that elections are coming close and they have important projects to implement.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (07/10/22)
