By Bampia James Bundu
President Ernest Bai Koroma yesterday urged the Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, SLEITI, to ensure the country successfully complies with the process now. This, 13 months after the country had been suspended by the Board of the EITI in Oslo.
The president told the official launch of SLEITI 2011 reconciliation report and national work plan in Freetown that with the expansion of mining companies in the country there was every need for the government to be transparent and accountable not only the people but also to development partners.
He promised that his government would ensure that natural resources were harnessed for the greater good, adding that parliament was discussing the EITI bill which he would be ready to sign into law.
He called on local and international development partners to support the process and ensure that the extractive industries played their role in the development of the country.
He commended the multi stakeholders group of the SLEITI and the National Advocacy Coalition on Extractive (NACE), for their "outstanding support in ensuring that they put the report together, thereby producing the 2011 and December 2013 report at a short notice”.
Chief of Staff in the office of the president, Dr. Richard Conteh, said there was need for citizens to hold a government accountable. “Stewardship is very important because the people need to be properly informed and educated on such issues in the country”, he said, adding that the signing of the Mines and Minerals Act in 2009 was a demonstration of the president’s commitment to transforming the mining sector.
Civil society representative, Joseph Rahal of Green Scenery, recalled that in December 2012 Sierra Leone was suspended by the EITI board for failing to meet some of the criteria and was given a second chance to effectively meet them.
He urged all to be proactive and determined to ensure that Sierra Leone qualify this time around to become EITI compliant. He reaffirmed CSOs’ commitment to partnering with the government to ensure the development of the country.
On behalf of mining companies, president of OCTEA mining company, Ibrahim Sorie praised the multi stakeholders’ group, SLEITI and the government for their effort in compiling the report. He assured that mining companies were always ready to be accountable to government.
(C) Politico 15/01/14
