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By Aminata Phidelia Allie
Acting United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, country director, Dr. Mohamed Abchir, has described the constitutional review process as “a unique opportunity for voices to be heard”.
He told a one-day workshop organized by the Constitutional Review Committee in collaboration with the UNDP, at Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown that because the media had played important role during past challenges in Sierra Leone, its role was also still very vital.
He referred to the review as a historic national process whose outcome would surely influence and promote social justice, peace, development and conflict prevention mechanisms to avoid a repeat of socio-political violence.
Abchir noted that the constitutional review process was not a party issue but a national issue, “as the constitution is owned by and applies to all Sierra Leoneans”. He said it was for this reason that President Ernest Bai Koroma called for national participation, emphasizing the importance of inclusiveness at all levels.
He observed that the process also offered a perfect opportunity for the consolidation and safety of the country’s “hard-won gains over the years”, adding, “if managed well, the constitutional review process itself, will strengthen the culture of democracy and help to develop a tradition of the rule of law and meaningful participation in decision-making”.
For participation of groups of stakeholders to be effective, however, he said they had to be well informed and coordinated so that they would understand how the process worked when dialogue started in earnest. He also described the training as an opportunity to further discuss the role of the media in the review process.
Outlining the importance of communication to the review process, chairman of the committee,Justice Edmond Cowan, said they viewed communication strategy as “very imperative because communication is at the heart of our everyday lives”. He observed that with good communication, one could avoid being misunderstood or prevented from expressing unclear messages, ideas, feelings and instructions.
“Embedded in good communication is a good listening skill. Both good communication and listening skills help build good relationships and trust”, Justice Cowan stated.
He said at the committee they believed that with a proper communication strategy in place the concepts of inclusiveness, participation and ownership would be actualized, adding that the training was timely “because the CRC is poised to start civic education and public consultations”.
Giving a background to the formation of the constitutional review committee, its Secretary General, Augustine Sheku, said the 80-man committee was set up in July 2013 “to undertake an all-inclusive and participatory process for the review of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone in tandem with the recommendations of the CRC submitted in 2008”.
He said the overarching deliverable of that task was to have a finalized constitutional review process with a revised document presented to parliament for adoption. For almost a year since its inception, Sheku said, a secretariat to man the functionality of the committee had been set up by government, eleven vehicles procured and eleven researchers assigned to provide the committee with technical support.
The workshop, which was attended by over fifty media practitioners and a number of civil society activists, aimed at educating the media on “ethical, objective and conflict sensitive reporting”.
(C) Politico 13/03/14
AN EMBLEM OF PEACE AND AN ICON OF DEMOCRACY IN SIERRA LEONE: A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE PRESIDENT DR ALHAJI AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH
With a heavyheart, I join fellow Sierra Leoneans, at home and abroad, to express our condolence to Mrs Isata J. Kabbah, the children and the entire Kabbah Family on the passing away of the former President, AlhajiDr. AhmadTejanKabbah.
For any family to lose a loved one is a great personal tragedy; but to lose a man whose dedication and commitment to the service of his nation has become the emblem of our country’s transition from war to peace, such loss is a national tragedy. The outpouring of grief and condolence messages at home and abroadhave brought out his most enduring legacy - ending the war and establishing the building blocks of our country’s post-conflict recovery.
As a young military officer in the mid 1990s, the first opportunity I had to meet him was in November 1992 as Chairman of the National Advisory Council, which had been established by the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC). Dr TejanKabbah had returned to Sierra Leone with enormous experience in public service both national and international and was revered by many. When I became Chief Secretary of State presiding over cabinet meetings, I had the privilege of holding discussions with him on many issues ranging from policy formulation, policy implementation and governance issues. He was a good listener and widely respected for his meticulous approach to issues.
I can still remember that Historic Day, March 29th 1996 in the Chamber of the House of Parliament as I handed over the Presidential Staff of Office to the newly elected President, the late Ahmad TejanKabbah. He was filled with enthusiasm and optimism for our country and I could sensehis determination and vigour to make his own contribution to national development especially the supreme task of bringing to a final end a war that had caused so much pain and suffering to so many innocent citizens of our country.
To that end, despite all the challenges he faced, his commitment was unwavering and his endurance remarkable. After he declared the end of the war in 2002, he became concerned about healing the wounds that the war had created among the citizenry. This led him to establish the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to start the healing process. At the same time, the late President initiated many programmes not only to deal with the intractable problems of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of ex-fighters, but also provide assistance through social action to help citizens and communities alike with post-conflict resettlement and recovery. He secured the peace; he promoted reconciliation; and cared for the welfare of all the people.
But the legacy of the late President Ahmad TejanKabbah is not limited to just bringing the war to a close or to preaching reconciliation between perpetrator and victim; he presided over a country in which democracy had disintegrated and was now yearning for revival. For my part, by presiding over the holding of the elections in 1996 I had inaugurated the process of revival of which he was the immediate beneficiary. It was left to him to build on the new foundation and make it grow and flourish. Starting from the reintroduction of local government to establishing democratic institutions, he further solidifiedthe framework for democracy to grow and flourish and for good governance. Indeed as a former President and a former Leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, he laid the socio-economic foundation and started the road map from peace to national development.
Following his retirement as President in 2007, I had the privilege of meeting him several times and always found him to be welcoming and eager to share his experience. One such unforgettable experience was his delightful narrative of how glad he was to hand over power peacefully at the end of his second term of office and admonished all leaders of Sierra Leone to always be great respecters of our National Constitution. What peaceful and beautiful country Sierra Leone will be if this admonitionwas heeded to by all concerned!In the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, as the then Presidential FlagBearer of the SLPP, I had the opportunity of having the latePresident and former Leader of the Sierra Leone’s Peoples Party with me during my campaigns in the Kambia District and also in Karina in the Bombali District. No doubt his presence at those campaign rallies despite his then ailing health was a great demonstration of his commitment to the success of our party SLPP.
Therefore, as we all mourn as a nation the passing of this great leader and mentor, we must all zealously guard his abiding legacies of peace, democracy and good governance for Sierra Leone. It is an obligation for all Sierra Leoneans no matter your political affiliation.
To Mrs Isata J. Kabbah, the surviving children and the entire Kabbah Family, whilst you grieve for this personal loss, I hope you will all take solacein the fact that the late President Ahmad TejanKabbah will always be remembered as a national emblem of our country’s transition from war to peace and as an icon of democracy and good governance.
Brig. Julius Maada Bio (Rtd)
Flag Bearer of the Sierra Leone People’s Party for the 2012 Presidential Election
16 March 2014
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