IMC Cries Foul … Chairman Claims
The Chairman, Independent Media Commission, (IMC) Alieu I Kanu has attributed the unfortunate situation of the IMC to under budgeting. He made the statement during the fiscal year 2016-2017 bilateral budget discussion program held by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MOFED) at Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown past Friday 14th October 2016. (Photo: IMC chairman, Mr. Alieu I Kanu)
He also highlighted the lack of sufficient vehicles to carry out effective and efficiently job and the absent of modern furniture’s in the Commission’s headquarters office. He said there is no need to prepare guidelines for reporting the national election because guidelines for reporting public health emergencies and other national disasters have already been developed by the commission and its partners with support from UNESCO.
He also recalled the previous ruling against the commission by the High Court of Sierra Leone that IMC that have no power to suspend or closed the popular monologue radio program presented by Dr. David Tambayoh.
The Chairman further noted that the commission is yet to receive their second quarter budget allocation stating that, there is nothing to write home about their working environment and noting that the IMC can only boast of old furniture’s that have existed for the past sixteen (16) years.
He also expressed concern about the lack of sufficient vehicles which he said is impeding the work of the commission stressing that there are only three (3) vehicles which have been in use for over twenty (25) years underscoring that the commission generated income for itself to manage the affairs of its staff.
Cross section of audience
Rev. Terrence Knox Goba buttressed that the commission generate revenue internally to keep it performing its duty and emphasized the need for members of the civil society and Journalists to understand the constraint the Institution faced to carry out its district training.
Goba disclosed that, the commission is faced with numerous challenges particularly that of enforcement mechanism that would enable it raise revenue revealing that defaulters hold accountable by the commission most often reject to pay fines levied against them.
An executive of the Civil Society Movement Sierra Leone, Kalokoh described the IMC Commissioners as professionals and admonished them to checkout thoroughly before banning a media outlet that disseminating information to the public, suggesting that IMC should established legal mechanism with regards the IMC Act provision for legal entity.
He concluded by observing that, IMC has done a good job for the country over the years but yet still there are instances that makes the commission not recognized.
By Abdulai M. Kamara
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