By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
232news
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio has said that his government is committed to sustaining the enduring legacy of free and pluralistic media – supporting media institutions to achieve efficiency and protecting the civil rights of journalists.
President Bio made this commitment last Wednesday 7th December, 2022 at Country Lodge in Freetown during his annual Presidential Media Dinner – an engagement that serves as a rejuvenating experience, as well as a moment of stocktaking.
He went on to say independent and rigorous media is the cornerstone of a thriving democratic society, without which citizens and partners may doubt their sincerity of purpose and commitment to building a stable country.
“Under my leadership in Sierra Leone, access to information has become the norm and not the exception because my government believes that access to accurate information is crucial to the health of every democracy.”
He went on to say “With the correct information, citizens can hold leaders accountable & make informed personal choices. That’s why I‘m particularly proud that my government have repealed repressive press laws, & since assuming office, no journalist has been in prison for practicing journalism.”
The President cited the 2022 report published by Reporters Without Borders which recognizes that Sierra Leone’s media sector is pluralist and generally independent, and freedom of the press is guaranteed by law.
“As we match towards the June 24, 2023 multi-tier elections, journalists will play an essential role in eschewing divisive rhetoric capable of derailing our hard-won peace in Sierra Leone. I implore all journalists to embrace facts & reject alternative facts and half-truths.”
He said in any democratic nation, elections are not just about voting. Elections also largely depend on the information available to voters, the public’s knowledge of those seeking their votes and the programmes candidates or political parties are proposing.
“As journalists, your rights to freedom of expression and to provide information bring with them the duty to give citizens objective, instructive and constructive information.”
He encouraged members of the Fourth Estate to be professional by ensuring that their work is accurate, verified, balanced, neutral and respectful of human dignity in the months ahead and during the elections.
“As citizens, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the elections are not only fair and transparent but also reaffirm our faith in our nation’s democratic consolidation.”
He thanked the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), the Independent Media Commission and Friends of the Fourth Estate, for honouring his invitation for the fifth consecutive year.
