OPINION > Something To Think About “What Goes Around, Comes Around” Mister Information Minister Posted by Joe Sawan on Apr 22, 2008, 10:50

The Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) was unexpectedly shown the state House exit door in September, 2007 or the doors of the Presidential Lodge with a note that reads something like, “NEVER RETURN UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO BE A UNIFIED POLITICAL PARTY”.  Since the world famous Kailahun Court Barray reluctantly accepted that verdict and indictment, some interesting things have started happening as proclaimed by the government spokesman and Minister of Information and Communications, Alhaji I.B. Kargbo who is usually calm and not prone to displaying his real emotions.

This writer’s late father used to work in the Kambia District Commissioner’s office and would, occasionally, take his son, to the Port Loko District Commissioner’s office. Interestingly, things are now happening as the Hon. Minister who was not known to have a melodious voice during his family’s stay in Port Loko is now the lead vocalist of the political musical group called, THE CPA STARS.  The Hon. Minister has written several top hits and some of these are: “Media Mischief”, “Incitement ought to be a crime”, “IMC will be dissolved if….”, “Tribalism”, “Appropriate Places” and “Law breakers will face the full force of the law”.  This is an impressive list of hit tunes especially for somebody who only started singing/performing about seven months ago.  Like they say in the entertainment world, “a star is born”.

However, this writer who used to play with the Hon. Minister in Port Loko would like to remind the government spokesman about the following statements which he used to make when he was a full-time journalist. “Journalists are mere recorders and analyzers of events” and “don’t blame the journalists for your mistakes which they publish”.

Will media practitioners be fulfilling their ethical, moral and professional obligations if they fail to accurately record, analyze and report events as they see them taking place? Do media practitioners promote chaos, instability, insecurity and investment disinterest?  Are media practitioners responsible for creating the environment that supports tribalism and regionalism?  If the Minister is threatening the Independent Media Commission (IMC) with dissolution, will he still continue to lead the fight for the repeal of the draconian 1965 seditious libel law?  Has the Minister ever written a column “The last word” under an assumed name?

Media practitioners are fiercely independent with idiosyncrasies that defy conformity and promote cynicism.  In an anti-any-government philosophy and syndrome in Sierra Leone, the media is so suspicious of government that they view the best intentions of the national leadership with skepticism.  Unlike the United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Norway, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands where children are taught patriotism and nationalism, Sierra Leoneans in general and media practitioners in particular have not been exposed to such training.  Most governments do not have policies that make room for “embedded journalists”.  This is a serious mistake, one that has ruffled the information Minister.

Richie Olu Gordon, Philip. Neville, Kelvin. Lewis, Paul. Kamara, David Tam Bayoh and this writer (Joe Sawan) constitute the group of fiercely independent media practitioners.  What these media practitioners want is information, respect and recognition. 

Former President Kabbah, former VP Berewa but more particularly, the former Information Minister tried to influence the media through various strategies for the journalists to help promote Sierra Leone externally and to foster national cohesion internally.  It must be known by the Government spokesman that threatening media practitioners is absolutely the wrong road to travel.  It is a dead end street with some dangerous “pot holes” that spell disaster for any future relationship with the media.  Media practitioners are known all over the world to tempt the limits of the law.  They will become more important whether you jail them or not.  It is not a comfortable feeling to have when the proverbial “shoe is on the other foot applied to you”.  Being on the outside gives people the opportunity to proffer what may appear to be profound normative solutions to critical issues and problem.  Being on the inside is the real world of give and take.  Welcome to the real world Mr. Government spokesman. 

The statement, “what goes around comes around” is an excellent example of the dilemma that is confronting the Hon. Minister. This writer is convinced that the Hon. Minister will remember his unyielding and scatting written and verbal attacks on the former Minister of Agriculture and Food security regarding the distribution of tractors and questioned whether the goal of food security would be achieved.  Mr. Minister, you did the same thing to the former Education Minister and the SABABU Project and yet, nobody in former President Kabbah’s government accused the former media practitioner now the current government spokesman of undermining government and inciting people.  Democracy is sometimes, a two edged sword and the sharp end is now facing Mr. Government spokesman.

Mr. Minister, do you want media practitioners to believe that it is tribalistic for them to report that 80 percent of the present cabinet that hails from the Northern region?  Mr. Government spokesman, do you want media practitioners to believe that it is biased and tribalistic for them to report that all the 30 new tractors, rice and ground nuts seedlings donated to Sierra Leone have all been allocated to “appropriate places” Is it morally and ethically right for politicians who design and implement policies to castigate and threaten media practitioners for merely reporting on the results of those policies? 

What is the essence of a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY ON CORRUPTION if media practitioners who investigate, write and expose corrupt practices are blamed for presenting the news as it is?  What is the purpose of an attitudinal change programme when those who are responsible for implementing the programme want to sweep everything under the carpet?  Transparency and accountability are the cornerstones of good governance in a democratic dispensation.

Several weeks ago, this writer wrote and recommended that certain actions to be taken by government. Nothing seems to have happened and what is the Public Affairs Minister doing?  Here is the list again.

Government should make available “post haste” to the public in general and media practitioners in particular the following.

-      all presidential contracts signed with Ministers and other senior public servants

-      attitudinal change programme, budget and list of all employees

-      full list of all cabinet and deputy Ministers, Ambassadors, Public Servants with their chiefdoms, districts and regions

-      all agricultural gifts recently received recently and regions they have been allocated to

Mr. Minister, Joe Sawan who has lived in this country for almost all his life, has been an analyst for decades. He maintains the view that the current government will not be able to “brow beat” media practitioners into submission.  This government cannot blame the media for policy formulation mis-states and their implementation strategies.  Government will not be able to scare them.  Like you when you were much younger, the truth was the ideal.  And say what you will, Mr. Minister, former President Kabbah was a great leader and a close friend of yours.  With a few exceptions (Paul. Kamara, Philip. Neville, Richie Olu Gordon) he accommodated all media practitioners.

Finally, Mr. Minister, this writer is a little surprised that after only seven months in office, you have publicly allowed the “media heat” from their kitchen to suffocate you far away at the Youyi Building.  In spite of the persistent volleys thrown by the media at the former Information Minister and the SLPP government, he stood his ground and sometimes took the fight to the media in their own meetings.  Media people are your friends Mr. Minister and you too can promote the cause of transparency and accountability with them by agreeing to meet with representatives from each of the two viable political parties in a weekly live radio programme and some of the media gurus in the country.  Your cover as a member of the powerful SLAJ has already been blown open for you are now a politician. Get all those you used to strategize with some months back prior to the general elections to map out the way forward. Such a programme will enable you to debunk allegations of tribalism, corruption, regionalism and inefficiency. C’es la vie.