By Sahr Ibrahim Komba
232news
The government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Information and Communication engaged Civil Society Organizations and media on it’s development activities for 2022.
The three-day event took place at Kenema City Council hall Kenema District with the Theme: “consolidating democracy: our collective, share and patriotic responsibility”.
Speaking at the conference, the President of Sierra Leone Association of Journalist Ahmed Nasrallah thanked the government for repealing the obnoxious criminal libel law which had prevented journalists from holding government officials to account.
He said that the event promotes accountability in democratic dispensation and urged civil society organizations and the media to examine government activities and report to the citizens.
He emphasized the need for the media to hold government to account, adding that the environment is media friendly and the media should play its role in promoting democratic good governance.
He called on journalists to maintain professionalism in order to attract international investment.
He further called on the media and government to address the imbalance in order to promote gender balance in the media, noting that media institutions should outline tools to operationalize the process. He reiterated that local communities should be allow access to credible and accurate information to enhance sound decision making.
The Executive Director of Institute of Governance Reform (IGR) Andrew Lavalie called on Sierra Leoneans to embrace peace in consolidating our democracy.
He said the civil society is not government and government is not civil society.
He said that civil society has faced challenges over the years adding that civil societies are sometimes accused of supporting the government when they praise development programs and the government also accused them of supporting the opposition when they become critical of government issues.
He added that these allegations are baseless and assured Sierra Leoneans that civil society organizations will continue their good work in holding the government to account adding that he is impressed with the partnership between the government and civil society organizations.
He concluded that everyone should play his or her role because it their collective, shared and patriotic responsibility in consolidating democracy.
