Sierra Leone Police host Attitudinal and Behavioural Change Secretariat
Senior members of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) on Wednesday 14th September, 2011 hosted staff of the Attitudinal and Behavioural Change (ABC) Secretariat at the Police Headquarters, George Street in Freetown.
The purpose of the meeting was to sensitize senior police officers about the need for Sierra Leoneans to change their attitudes.
Dr. Ivan A. Thomas, the Executive Director of ABC emphasized the need for Sierra Leoneans to change their attitudes. “…if we do not change our attitudes as citizens it will adversely deter the development of the nation…” he said
He disclosed that it is for this reason President Ernest Koroma established the Secretariat to help Government in achieving the Agenda for Change. He informed officers that the ABC is making effort to rebrand the image of the Secretariat that was dented by the erstwhile Executive. The Executive Director said the ABC has set up an Advisory Group which he said, will guide the operations of the ABC.
He also told the officers that in a bid to fight against negative attitudes and behavior, a work plan has been drawn which focuses on the activities of the Sierra Leone Police, the Military, Government institutions, religious organizations, opinion leaders, educational institutions, and the like as all are useful in the fight against negative attitudes.
The Executive Director said the police as a very important institution in the country needs to change its image because institutional image is very important to enhance a positive change “there are some police officers who are not ready to change and have the tendency to destroy the image of the Sierra Leone Police,” he observed.
He said the police should show this by abiding to the codes and conducts that govern their institution. Dr. Thomas pointed out that senior police officers can influence change by being role models to junior officers. He disclosed that the ABC Secretariat has a plan to establish ABC Club within the SLP.
In her presentation, the National Coordinator and Second-In-Command Nanette Thomas, described change as the power that drives someone to success. She called on the police to put on positive attitudes in performing their functions, adding that their personal problems should not affect their working life.
The National Coordinator reiterated that the SLP is the right institution to protect citizens of Sierra Leone. Nanette Thomas pleaded with the police to learn what attitude, behaviour and change mean. She used the quotation from John Lily “Our only security is our ability to change.” She ended her presentation by appealing to the officers and reminded them that without attitudinal change, socio-economic development will be difficult to achieve.
Deputy Inspector General Richard Moigbe, informed staff of the ABC that the SLP has been working with the past Executive, noting that there is a need for the police to work with the secretariat to enhance the dream of the ABC. He added that the success of the ABC is also the success for the police.
Mr. Moigbe praised the new Executive for the good work they are doing stressing on the need for all institutions to work with the ABC, saying that it is the only way that institutions will comply to their codes and conducts. Mr. Moigbe said that the Community Affairs Department of the police would work with the ABC in order to help inject positive change within the police.
He further expressed the need for the ABC campaign to start from the police training school to senior management level so that everyone would see the need for a positive change.
BY JOHN SORSOR SAMURA (INTERN), ABC, Freetown
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