VIEWPOINT
APC – SLPP – PMDC must Connect With the People
By Joe Sawan
Apr 2, 2008, 00:50

In western democratic countries, press briefings and appearance on radio/television by the relevant governments and party officials are the norm.  Discussion of the policies and various other undertakings by government constitute the programmes agenda and there routine appearances.  Democratic governance requires transparency and accountability as a means of fostering a sense of awareness and collective responsibility. 

As a result, press secretaries and presidential spokespersons meet regularly with independent media practitioners for question/answers sessions.  These encounters are usually informative, likely and a “no holds barred” sessions.  Occasionally, the President and /or Prime Minister will meet with the press in democracies like the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, Switzerland, Norway and Italy. In the former communist eastern European countries like Russia, Bulgaria, and Poland, press briefings and press freedoms were virtually non-existent and when press briefings were organized, they were stage managed.

In the communist countries, political propaganda and other manipulative gimmicks were the norm.  Adding colour to the big lie was the preferred mode of connecting with their people. African governance systems have created the environment for the presence of press secretaries presidential spokesperson.  Prior to this new development in African government structures most of the earlier African leaders behaved like kings, dictators and were distant.  To them, media practitioners were extremely inquisitive, overbearing negative and sensational.  It was the view of those leaders that media practitioners were firm believers of, “bad news sells” journalists are presumed to be the projectors of a negative external image of African countries. 

Media practitioners respond to these characterizations by noting that they are the “watch dogs of society” and those they merely “chronicle events” To the African leaders, the events that media persons chronicled without adequately investigating the underlying issues/causes that worried them.  Issues like corruption, the relatively poor human rights record and disposition not to keep their promises are usually covered to the dislike of some of these leaders.  Media practitioners, are usually kept on a very “short leash” in several African countries through the enactment and application of draconian criminal libel laws.  Paul Kamara, R. Olu Gordon, Philip Neville and Dr.Julius Spencer have all had brushes with the Sierra Leone libel law.  And, like good media practitioners, they are agitating for a repeal of the law. Sierra Leoneans are generally inquisitive and curious.  Their newly acquired post-war sense of awareness has empowered them to the point of demanding openness from government. 

It does not appear that Sierra Leoneans will compromise on this request because they like to stay connected with the political leadership. As was indicated earlier, press briefings at state House and participation in radio/television discussion programmes by government officials and other party functionaries are nothing new.  They are now relatively common in Sierra Leone.  However, the general consensus among Sierra Leoneans is their clamour and agitation for a new two- hour- weekly “TALK TO THE PEOPLE” programme on UN Radio which is received by people in the four corners of the country.  It should be similar in format to the popular UN Radio programme, “Front Page”.

In this proposed new programme, it is recommended that the Minister of Information and Communications represent government activities because he is the spokesman/mouth piece of the current government.  Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo is articulate, an excellent debater, “au fait” of His Excellency and his cabinet.  It is also alleged that Alhaji I.B. Kargbo is a member of the powerful Central Committee of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party. He will be fully prepared to discuss the issues of Bumbuna, electricity supply in Freetown, attitudinal change, Presidential Appointments and foreign visits. The SLPP and PMDC will each identify a member of their party who will be a permanent panelist on the discussion programme.  The three permanent panelists will, in their weekly presentations to the national audience provide insights into the nation’s development strides. 

This writer, also, recommends that the BBC reporter, Mr. UMARU FOFANA/ HASSAN HAROUNI should moderate the programme.  This writer is convinced that the citizens will like the new programme. They appreciated the appearance of the Hon. Alhaji Alpha Kanu (APC) and Mr. J.J. Saffa (SLPP) approximately two weeks ago on UN Radio. Suspicious, doubts and conspirational theories will not thrive if government officials and other party functionaries are brought closer to the average citizens. If people know either the “truth” or “near-truth”, they will be less inclined to engage in gossip, rumour mongering, character assassination and denigration of public officials.

Finally, the extension of this challenge to the three political parties is done in good faith with the hope that the establishment of the “Talk to the People” programme will help to foster a much better understanding of how government works.  It will also help to create the environment for more citizen participation in the democratic process.