They are corrupt, they are SLPP, where is the evidence?

The media can serve as a catalyst for socio-economic and political change. You only would need to read extensively about Al Jezeera news network, based in Qatar in the Middle East, especially on how it has helped in shaping public opinion in the Arab world, changing deep-seated perception about Arabs in the West, and helping to dramatically burnish Arab countries in the Middle East.  For Sierra Leonean, Richard Tamba M’Bayor’s  book on the Press and Politics in Africa also accentuates the vital role that the Press has played in Africa – during periods of peace, and in helping to kindle and sustain wars in Africa. (Photo: Pa John Baimba Sesay)

Desmond Davies is Editor of the African Prospects Magazine, based in the United Kingdom. He is a fine Sierra Leonean writer who now writes occasionally in our local AWOKO newspaper. Presenting a paper on ‘The Media and Development’ at the recently held Sierra Leone Association of Journalist (SLAJ) Annual General Meeting  (AGM) in Makeni, Bombali District in the Northern Province,  Davies  stressed that in weighing the credence of information they receive, journalists must scrutinize the source of information

Desmond Davies argued quite often that journalists depend too much on leaks from especially public institutions to blaze their lead stories with.  Quite often, such leaks would come from aggrieved persons within such institutions, those who have their own personal agendas against others within the same institutions, and thus are inclined to use the press as their weapons.  Sadly, too many of the press in Sierra Leone have been too willingly to be used almost as press thugs, as attack dogs, ready to attack whoever they are ordered to attack. Too many of the press too easily throw away the reputation of their newspapers for a few thousand Leones. . This could be happening right now as regards the National Revenue Authority (NRA), which is hitting the headlines for alleged corruption in one specific area of its operations.   What is shocking is that such a report has come from the official newspaper of the governing APC, We Yone.

On page 5 of the 24th February, 2010 edition of We Yone newspaper, there is a story titled, “NRA: Startling Revelation of In-house Corruption”.  The writer, one Idriss Balogun Tejan, wrote that “A.O. Kamara is further alleged to have budgeted the colossal sum of three hundred and seventy eight million Leones for a four day retreat for Board members….” Questions that should arise in the mind of the reader are: Is the said writer working in We Yone as a staff?  Is the said writer a columnist who contributes articles in We Yone?

I assume that the Editor of We Yone must have read everything that is published in its pages, especially because this newspaper is the official newspaper of the governing APC.  All what appears in this newspaper is certain to be read to reflect the policy, or, the thinking of the governing APC.  If the Editor read the above assertion on A.O. Kamara, wouldn’t it have been ethical for the Editor to telephone, or, better, walk over to the NRA to cross-check the information…?”   Or, have the editors of We Yone newspaper forgotten that the APC is no longer in opposition, but is now the governing party?  The NRA is an agency of a government being headed by the APC President, H.E. Ernest Bai Koroma.

The media should help, not undermine Koroma’s Agenda for Change

Now, if the We Yone newspaper had come to the NRA they would have gotten basic information on the matter mentioned in the article above.  There is NOTHING like a “Board Retreat” in the NRA.  There is an annual Board-Management Retreat, which has been held annually since the NRA’s inception in 2003.  The Budget for this annual event is integrated in the annual Budget of the NRA. This Annual Budget passes through the scrutiny of all Management, and the Board of Directors before it is approved.  It is gross misinformation, and simply mischievous, for the writer to assert above that A. O. Kamara has “budgeted a colossal sum. for this “Board Retreat”.  As Deputy Director for Administration in the NRA, A.O. Kamara simply does not come close to having that authority on his own to budget anything beyond one million Leones. For such as event as was mentioned, there are layers of Committees to handle every little aspect of the matter.

On whether the board would need to approve such money before they are utilized, let me help educate us here again, there is what the accountants or economists would call  a ‘ceiling’ of a quantum of money to be expended which may require the NRA’s Board’s approval.  If the sum that a department or unit in the NRA wants to spend is below what requires Board’s approval, then the Commissioner-General gives his/her approval. 

In the same article, this is published as regards medical forms: “Working in concert with Sahr Tenneh foh, non NRA staff members are also given medical forms to access medical treatment in the name of the institution”.  Again, the We Yone editors should have easily called to get accurate information on this matter. This is it. 

An employee of the NRA is entitled to submit names of four dependants who are entitled to medical treatment under the NRA. These dependants may include the child(ren) and spouse who are not necessarily workers of the NRA. This is not a novel thing to the NRA but one that operates in other institutions. So, it is unfortunate to say that, the Deputy Director of Administration is issuing medical forms to non NRA staff.   If the writer has information other than what I have written here which shows abuse of this privilege to NRA staff, he is challenged to take it to the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) to come and do investigation on the matter. 

The article aforementioned tries to politicize the NRA by mentioning the political color of senior staffs of the NRA – as if by itself, if some NRA staff are  members of the SLPP, it is a bad thing. The NRA came into being through the NRA Act of 2002, and started functioning as a legal entity in 2003.  This was when the SLPP was governing the country.  It is only normal that some of the staff in the NRA would belong (or, belonged) to the SLPP. If the APC were to start any new institution today, like the pending Youth Commission, it would be normal that some of those employed in that public institutions would be APC partisans. .

I think it is not proper and against the politics of inclusion of President for the writer to state that most employees at the NRA are SLPP and are working towards “amassing wealth in readiness to support the SLPP come 2012”.  Again, the writer is challenged to come up with the evidence – to name names.  Very few people working in the NRA are in any position to ‘amass wealth’.  Most, absolutely only depend on their salaries.  The NRA staffs mentioned in the writer’s article are NOT in the position to ‘amass wealth’.  A. O. Kamara, and another NRA director mentioned, Bilal Kargbo, largely deal with ‘paper….paper’…, and are far removed from any area with the potential for them to amass wealth. Both A.O. Kamara and Bilal Kargbo are Northerners, and they hail from a region, and districts, that have traditionally being fanatically APC.  The idea of using ‘SLPP tar’ to dab on them is completely misinformation.  And, importantly, it is against the spirit of national cohesion of President Koroma.

Finally, the writer should know that there are reputable international organizations doing ‘forensic auditing’ of the NRA systems presently.  The Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) has only recently completed a complete audit report on the internal systems of the NRA.  As the newspaper of the governing APC, We Yone can easily get access to such documents.  As the APC’s print media mouthpiece, I humbly invite the APC to make contact, and stay in regular contact, with the National Revenue Authority’s Public Affairs office so that We Yone can help disseminate accurate information of a vital institution of this APC government.  

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