Bridge to Lungi rubbish – Pass the FOI Bill now!

Minutes after President Koroma’s ascendancy of state governance, he was observed making promises to over expectant Sierra Leoneans that his government will surely and unfailingly separate the office of the Attorney General from that of the Minister of Justice, cause state officials declare assets and enhance the empowerment of absolute ‘freedom of speech;’ thus the passing into law ‘the Freedom of Information’ (FOI) Act and the expunging of the criminal libel in law books of Sierra Leone.

To this, came the submission of a draft ‘freedom of information bill’ some three years ago.

The bill was however drafted by the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP)  then in governance.

Of course, and virtually no iota of doubt, it was submitted in the well of Parliament by the present Information Minister Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo then President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ).

As at periods of submission of the draft FOI bill to Parliament, hopes of especially journalists seemed high and confident that indeed the present Information Minister will surely brings to reality the yearning for ‘access to information’ and ‘freedom of speech’ as has been in dreams of fellow compatriots.

Whoof… came also deadly and uncalled for slow motion of parliamentarians in the quick if not real time passing of the so needed FOI bill into law.

Be it known that holdups or hindrances to the passing of the said bill are believed to have been a fixed up plan by both the government and Parliament.

It was expected that the bill would have been passed long ago.

The delay has however ignited consciences of respective civil society organizations including the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to now compel Parliament to unconditionally approve the bill, which since 2009 (so to say) has been submitted to them.

Reflections must be drawn to the enactment of the mines and minerals bill.

Facts have it that the FOI bill has reached the well of Parliament almost two years earlier than the longed approved mines act.

Unconfirmed information revealed that Parliament’s hurried approval of the mines and mineral act came owing to pressures from government.

It could be recalled that as at time of the tabling of the mines and minerals act, Parliamentarians were on recess, but summoned to work under the certificate of urgency law.

Just recently, it was revealed by a Parliamentarian that journalists, on number a of occasions, have threatened to ‘deal with Parliamentarians’ when they shall have passed expected FOI bill.

By the above, it is apparent that the refusal by Parliamentarians to endorse the said bill is based on the fact that it will give extra powers to civil society organizations generally.

Unfortunate though is government’s recent announcement of building a bridge to Lungi, which to the rights and wrongs of Sierra Leoneans creates doubts in their minds.

“Bridge to Lungi – rubbish, pass the FOI bill now,” comment of a concerned public officer.

“It is no secret that access to information and freedom of information act has features that helps develop society.”

No doubt countries in Africa that have passed the FOI act continue to grow unrestrained.

It has reached this press that the ruling APC seems to be playing pranks over Parliament’s approvals of the FOI bill.

No wonder our underworld cartoonist has come out with illustrative pictography that explains the fishy and treacherous conducts of government on the issue the FOI bill.  Click on image to view!

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