By Saio Marrah
The Parliament of Sierra Leone has unanimously approved, Sheka Mansaray, as the Chairman and seven out of eight board members of the newly established Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion. The other nominee was absent.
The board members of the Commission include Valnora Edwin, Alhaji Sulaiman Bah, Paramount Chief Sheku Amadu Tejan Fasuluku III from Kono district and Ambassador Haja Alari Cole.
Main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party Member of Parliament ,Hassan Abdul Sesay of Constituency 050, Tonkolili district reminded them that their job is a very challenging one and that they should make sure they address the burning issues that triggered the civil war that are still prevalent. He said they should be proactive in curtailing issues that are a potential threat to peace.
He however noted that President Julius Maada Bio demonstrated good will by appointing them, and that they should judiciously execute their tasks to the expectations of the president and the people of Sierra Leone.
The leader of one of the opposition parties in Parliament, National Grand Coalition (NGC) Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella reminded the appointees they have a huge task ahead of them and that peace and national cohesion is among the UN sustainable Development goals (SDGs). He said there will be no development without peace.
He regarded the new Chairman, Sheka Mansaray, as one of the brains behind the Lome Peace Accord when he was serving as the Special Adviser to late President Ahmad Tejan Kabba, though all the accolades for the peace accord was given to his then boss, President Kabba. He said there was no doubt in his mind about his calibre in addressing issues related to peace- building.
Dr. Yumkella however admonished him and his team to demonstrate impartiality, steadfastness and integrity for them to succeed.
He emphasized that people will judge them based on their neutrality and apolitical stance in the execution of their responsibilities. The NGC leader also pointed out that the commission should uphold a particular provision in the constitution, which he called “ethnic audit” to ensure no one ethnic group hold more than 30 percent of all political appointees.
The leader of another opposition party in parliament, Coalition for Change (C4C) , Saa Emerson Lamina, from Kono district, in thanking President Bio for the appointments, cited Johan Galtung’s definition of peace as not just the absence of conflict, but when there is social justice in society. He frowned at the idea of the winner takes it all as one of the main reasons that caused the civil war in Sierra Leone.
Paramount Chief Member of Parliament from Tonkolili district, Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III regarded the Chairman Mansaray as a man that can write a whole book about the war in Sierra Leone as he has wealth of knowledge.
He said all the people of Sierra Leone need from them, is righteousness and inorder to protect their integrity, they should be fearless and honest to the country. He described corruption as not just taking money illegally but failing to do the right thing at the right time, which they should avoid.
He called for funds to be allocated to the commission so that they can fearlessly execute their duties.
Member of Parliament of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party, Nenneh Lebbie of Constituency 086, Bo district, encouraged the commission board members to unify the country which she said, is still seriously divided along regional, tribal as well as party lines.
She also pointed out that they as members of parliament and people of Sierra Leone want to see the commission truly independent and them serving their conscience.
Member of Parliament of the main opposition, APC, Daniel Koroma of constituency 046 in Koinadugu District, questioned the independence of the commission as according to him, the commission has a supervisory person, who happens to be the Chief Minister.
Parliament also approved John Rogers, as Deputy Chairman of the National Disaster Management Agency and Retired Colonel Binneh Conde Conteh, as the Deputy Chairman of the Small Arms Commission.
Copyright © Politico Online 22/10/21
