By Saio Marrah
In a bid to hold policy actors and government accountable for their policies and promises made to the people, the Institute of Governance Reform (IGR) and other Civil Society organizations have concluded a day’s conference on social responsibility with the theme, “Social accountability and COVID-19.”
Speaking at the event, IGR’s Director of Research and Policy, Fredline McCormack Hale, said the conference attracted representatives of civil societies that came together to discuss about social accountability and its challenges.
She said they are part of the movement to ensure they achieve an increase in social accountability within the region.
According to her, social accountability is how the citizens engage with those promises made by government, and “policy actors,” to ensure they benefit from those promises and policies.
She noted the free health care programme for pregnant women, lactating mothers and under five children and free quality education are part of promises made that should be monitored to ensure they are properly functioning throughout the country.
She added that in as much as every human is a political being and have political ideology, they must endeavor to hold the leaders to account despite their allegiances. “People have to see that their voice matters, that when they make complaint something will be done about it and even those who are guilty realize they don’t do this with impunity. If we take money when we are not supposed to, there will be a problem.” she added.
The Executive Director IGR, Andrew Lavali, in his PowerPoint presentation at the Sierra Lighthouse hotel, in Freetown on Thursday, 19th August 2021, on block change spoke about what penalties that can be instituted should a teacher or nurse fail to execute their duty, or when there is shortage of drugs, what needs to be done to make sure citizens get the drugs.
Another presenter, Executive Director of Network Movement for Democracy and Human Right (NMDHR), Abdul Karim Habib, noted that their movement started their social accountability back in 2010 when the then government introduced the Free Health Care Initiative, “We started a national advocacy initiative for pregnant, lactating mothers, and pregnant teenage girls for quality health care services in three districts that includes Koinadugu, Kailahun and Pujehun,” he said.
He also added that they are currently implementing a project with the title: Legal Empowerment and Accountability for effective Primary Healthcare Delivery in Luawa and Kissi Tongi in Kailahun district with support from OSIWA.
He said the project’s overall objective is to leverage dialogue between service providers and users for effective service delivery, and amplify community education on laws and policies around the primary health sector.
The conference was sponsored by West Africa Civil Society Institute (WASCI).
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (20/08/21)
