“EITI Campaign Gives Sierra Leone New Development Face” – Says State House’s Chief of Staff
The Chief of Staff at State Avenue, Kelfala Marrah has explained the main aims and objectives of the Extractives Initiative Transparency and Accountability (EITI) saying it has a lot to offer the extractive sectors in Sierra Leone as it would enable the government to be able to publish facts and information data of the mining companies.
He said in the year 2000, Sierra Leone Became a member of EITI to among other things ensure that the extractive industry in the country becomes transparent and accountable to the government and the people of Sierra Leone.
He said it will help reconcile taxes paid by mining companies and that which the government receives in order to enhance transparency and accountability in the industry.
He said development partners in consonance with the World Bank are teaming with Sierra Leone to put in place proactive measures that would lure the Extractive industry into being transparent and accountable in a manner the country would have a new face of development.
Dr. Kelfala Marrah said due to certain indicators the country was not able to reach the compliance requirement stage even though it made several efforts to achieve that.
Dr. Kelfala Marrah speaking in the capacity as focal contact person for the EITI campaign in Sierra Leone calls on all to contribute efforts so that the process will come to fruition.
He said the government is committed to the process and have put mechanisms in place to ensure that taxes from the extractive industry are accounted for and that, they have key development partners like GTZ, World Bank, ADB and another stakeholders that are hell bent in supporting the process to achieve its goal.
Dr. Marrah said the government has plans to draft a bill that will guide the process to enable stakeholders understand their roles and responsibilities in the process. He said all stakeholders such as paramount chief, G.D.D.O and government ministries and agencies should ensure that, the importance of the process is put into focus.
By Adebayo Johnson
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