OPINION
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One Thing & Another
ACCOUNTABILITY……..the Lubricant for a Moving Vehicle of Democracy
Posted by Teddy Foday-Musa on Oct 8, 2007, 08:53
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Democracy is like a vehicle that moves a certain state forward for the development of her citizenry. Government Officials are regarded as the engineers in charge of tightening up the bolts and nuts of that democratic vehicle for a good ride. Accountability should be the lubricant in order to up keep the engine of such a vehicle so as to avoid a disastrous mechanical failure.
Therefore, it goes without saying that in the practices and display of democracy, accountability should not only be a front-runner, but actually coated around the activities of government officials as a monitoring tool for their good political performance. Against this back drop, it is a mandate from the people, on to any ruling government to implement accountability within all facets of national life. It is also the right of the people not only to follow up on the activities of their government officials, but also to get a clear insight of the performance track records of those whom they voted into state offices.
For a very long time in Sierra Leone, the reading of our National Budget planning devoid of accountability has been the only insight we get into the operations of our ruling governments and their officials. Cynics say it is not good for a democracy. The budget reading has always been a blanket report that covered all government functionaries without any clear message of proper accountability.
Sierra Leone’s democracy has now grown to a point that individual government officials need to be accountable to the people on behalf of their government entities. United States of America which is the leading exponent of modern democracy has what they refer to as the “State of the Union Address”. This is done by the American Head of State. This State of The Union Address has a direct link to accountability in the eyes of democracy, and for the update of the American tax payers. (The People). There are also other means through which individual government officials in the US are directly accountable to the people.
Our head of state, including his government officials should not be an exception in maintaining such accountability to the people. Such idea of accountability should even be brought before our parliament as a bill, in order for it to be transformed into a constitutional law based on the following recommendations:
That our Head of State (President) and his vice be accountable to the people. That all government Ministers in collaboration with their Deputies and their Permanent Secretaries be accountable to the people. That all head of Parastatals be accountable to the people. That all Head of Diplomatic Missions (Ambassadors) be accountable to the people.
A certain time and period should also be allocated to this national exercise of accountability. It will also be nice if an opportunity is created for the citizenry to follow-up on this exercise. Many Sierra Leoneans want a national accountability exercise for all government officials within a stipulated time in the five year mandate of a ruling government. Such a day could be referred to as “National Accountability Day”. This for sure will prepare the minds of the International Community and Donors about how serious a government or country is in curbing out Corruption. If only Sierra Leone can implement this policy, it will reduce the country’s chronic corruption problems currently at hand. Corruption is one of those vices that are deterring the progress of African in general and Sierra Leone in particular. This is more so the reason why a zero tolerance condition has been hinged by some International Donor Agencies before assistance can be granted.
Therefore, the accountability exercise launched into the activities of the former SLPP ministers and other government officials, is one that is applauded by most Sierra Leoneans. It is the belief of people that this will give a clear picture of how Tejan Kabbah and his SLPP managed the country for eleven years. For others, such action is going to be a set-standard for investigating another set of government ministers and other officials who will be appointed under the New APC government.
However, most SLPP supporters have seen this initial move by “The Presidential Transitional Task Force” as a kind of witch hunt instituted by the new APC in order to bring down prominent SLPP officials. This is what a supporter of SLPP wrote:
“What do you expect from a newspaper like Standard Times especially when quoting sources within the Presidential Transitional Task Force who's avowed intent is to "expose corruption" - well really a politically correct trend of witch hunting and suppressing/killing opposition. The Standard Times story is only preparing our minds for the worst. Don't be surprise if some of the most formidable SLPP names capable of a strong political fight like John Benjamin, John Karimu, Alpha Timbo, Prince Harding, Alpha Wurie etc are not sooner or later implicated Welcome APC”..(Leonenet Oct. 2007)
But on the other hand, this is not the opinion of some SLPP supporters. Some of them genuinely believe that even the former Head of State: Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who led their party to a state house victory on two occasions, should account for his stewardship to the people of Sierra Leone. On the 12th August 2007, Mr. Frankin J Rogers, a patron of the SLPP wrote a letter to Tejan Kabbah. He wrote this as one of the many requests he was making to Tejan Kabbah in the name of accountability.
“We want to know the total amount of all monies received for the people of Sierra Leone on a yearly basis from Donor Countries and all well wishers abroad in hard currencies such as British Pound Sterling (£), United States Dollar (USD$), Euro (€), etc. etc.”….(Franklin J. Rogers…SLPP Patron)
Today, Mr. Franklin J Rogers has earned respect and statesmanship from many Sierra Leoneans for putting the interest of his country above his party (SLPP). He has proved the point that he is a Sierra Leonean first and SLPP second. This is what another SLPP member told me in support of Mr. Rogers. He said:
“Mr Rogers is merely seeking for accountability in Sierra Leone, which he thinks could be the way forward for our country’s progress and development.”
However, in order to allay the fears of some SLPP supporters about their pointer to a witch hunt, it will be advisable for the APC to make known publicly their findings about these investigated ministries. At the same time, those who fall culpable should also be allowed to defend themselves openly and freely, devoid of any political intimidation from the government.
If only this is done, both Sierra Leoneans and the International Community will render the New APC government of Ernest Bai Koroma a compliment full of BRAVO and admiration for their initiative of accountability.
Teddy Foday-Musa
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