Transparency International on Monitoring Mechanism
Transparency International is responsible for ensuring the prevalence of transparency and accountability in the activities of states, communities, institutions and other political entities to enhance smooth running. On the 26th February, 2013 the organization engaged councilors, the civil society and other stakeholders in a workshop held at the Grass Root Gender Empowerment Building at 58 John Street in Freetown.
The two-days training attracted councilors from the Western Rural, Western Urban and Koinadugu Districts. Addressing attendees, the Senior Programs Officer of Transparency International, Edward Koroma, noted that his organization considers councilors and civil society activists as stakeholders in national development, adding that the consideration urged them to conduct the workshop to teach them how to do monitoring at their local levels so as to empower them to deliver effective service to their various communities. He stressed that it is always difficult to proper monitoring when one is not equipped with the methodology of approach.
Mr. Koroma revealed that the workshop was funded by the National Endowment for Democracy based in the United States of America, furthering that the training will prepare the councilors, especially, to judiciously utilize the meager allocations they will be receiving for the benefit of their communities, promising to take similar training sessions to other parts of the country.
In his presentation, Abdulai Taylor spoke on the characteristics of a good leader, pointing out that a good leader must have integrity, clearly focused, outspoken and capable of delivering proper information and must be a good listener.
The Statistical Monitoring and Evaluation Officer from the Freetown City Council, Abdul Karim Kanu, talked on the significance and purpose of Monitoring and Evaluation, defining it as a sincere judgment done independently through proper collection of data from the scene and reported to appropriate authorities for prompt action.
Councilor Aminata Gibril Sesay of ward 389 in constituency 110 and Councilor John Kalawa of ward 359 in constituency 100 both described the training as highly educative as it gave them a wealth of knowledge on the skills and importance of monitoring. They admitted that the training taught them their duties and responsibilities as local monitors and also taught them that monitoring is a long term process that starts from the day the project commences to the end of its implementation.
By Mohamed Y. Turay
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