By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
There is a thick cloud of discontent at the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS) following the removal from office of the Western Area Branch Manager, Unissa Carew.
An investigation by Politico reveals that the situation has degenerated into a bitter row within the humanitarian organization, with many volunteers threatening to leave.
It follows the handling by Carew of the 8 September football match between Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Following that match, angry football fans attacked the Red Cross after the infamous last-minute penalty miss by the Leone Stars captain, Umaru Zaingalay Bangura that could have qualified the country to the next stage of the football world cup qualifiers.
The attack left several Red Cross volunteers injured and one of their ambulances damaged, after the irate fans alleged that the Red Crossers were whisking Zaingalay away.
Our sources say that following the attack, the Secretary General of SLRCS, Kpawuru Sandy, removed Carew from office and instituted an investigation as to how come Red Crossers were deployed at the stadium in the first place.
Several attempts to get Sandy proved futile. Even a visit to the Red Cross office did not help.
However, in a verified audio in the possession of Politico, Carew strenuously denies deploying at the stadium without authorization. He said he did get approval after it had been argued that the SLFA had agreed to pay the organization after the match because it was a weekend and banks were closed.
According to a Red Cross source who spoke on condition of anonymity, workers and volunteers are dismayed at the decision of the charity accusing the leadership of concerning themselves more with the damage to the ambulance than the welfare of the injured volunteers. They even alleged that the management failed to visit the affected volunteers.
The SLRCS headquarters is situated at No. 6 Liverpool Street in Freetown, just three minutes away from the Western Area office which is at Pultney Street. Politico made efforts to get SLRCS to comment on the matter, but was turned away with the excuse that there was no one available to talk. They wouldn’t give any contacts, either, for any of the Society’s officials who would be willing to talk.
Minutes after SLRCS declined an interview Politico circled back and visited the Western Area office where a staff said all senior personnel were at the headquarters at Liverpool Street.
The SLRCS is one of the most respected humanitarian organisations in Sierra Leone with their volunteer work highly acclaimed. However, this latest controversy has revealed a deep-seated level of discontent and infighting within the organization.
Politico learnt that last week a senior member at the SLRCS even led the police to arrest Carew, whom they accused of inciting the volunteers into embarking on a strike action.
This came after most of the volunteers had boycotted the World Red Cross Day celebration as a show of protest against the management and in solidarity with Carew who has volunteered with the organization for a very long time. Members in the top management of SLRCS accused Carew of masterminding the boycott. Politico could not get Carew to comment on the allegation.
Several attempts by the SLRCS leadership to solve the issue over the last three weeks have failed. With such bitter discontent among senior management and the Western Area office, there is a chance that this controversy might affect the SLRCS’s capacity to respond to any unforeseeable situation in the capital that requires their help.
© 2019 Politico Online
