By Alpha Abu
Journalists and civil society activists have been briefed about the deliverables and operations of Ministries, Departments and Agencies at the second annual engagement organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in Bo. Representatives of MDA’s took the podium to present detailed reports of their work for the year 2021, and their plans for subsequent years.
The Chief Minister in the Office of the President Jacob Jusu Saffa in his keynote address at the second annual engagement of the journalists which this time also included representatives of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), said the government’s policies are rooted in inclusivity, partnership and accountability. The Chief Minister told a jam-packed gathering at the Bo Inn on Friday 26th November 2021 that the event afforded the opportunity for the government’s policies and activities to be placed on the public domain for scrutiny. He said engaging the Media and CSOs is a manifestation of the government’s belief in bold and progressive actions that would enhance an open and transparent society.
Saffa viewed the event as a platform for the government’s performance records to be brought to the people of Sierra Leone. He said the government has formed a social contract with the populace and stressed the importance of citizens getting well- informed on the work of the government, through the media.
He said the pace at which initiatives such as the Gender Empowerment Bill and Youth Policy are being pursued lend credence to the willingness and visionary leadership of President Julius Maada Bio.
He registered the government’s willingness and openness to partner with the media so as to promote national peace and cohesion.
Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rahman Swarray whose ministry organized the two-day event explained the government’s premium on open engagement that has its basis on a reform-minded leadership in President Julius Maada Bio. He said the convergence of journalists and civil society activists attest to the government’s prioritizing of discussions that would better the country as a whole.
A civil society representative from the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR), Andrew Lavallie in his statement highlighted the approaches employed by CSOs to access vital statistics from the general populace on their perception of the stewardship of government. He said they have also been able to go through government bureaucracy to access sensitive data that had helped them in benchmarking Public Finance Management. Lavallie noted that engagement in an open society and welcomed the assembling of journalists and CSOs.
The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Ahmed Sahid Nasralla urged Ministers of Government to be more accessible especially when journalists are often trying to crosscheck on information that they may want to report on. He also used the occasion to highlight the numerous challenges encountered by media institutions in their day to day operations. Over one hundred representatives of media institutions and civil society organizations attended the event that ended on Saturday 27th November, 2021.
Copyright (c) Politico Online 29/11/21
