Hope-Sierra Leone

Formation of the National Accountability Group (NAG)

1.1 Introduction

On the 18th of January 2002, the ten-year rebel war in Sierra Leone was symbolically declared over by the burning of weapons. The President, Dr. Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah has on numerous occasions stated that as soon as the war in Sierra Leone ended, the next big war should be that of fighting poverty, and the social ills that create poverty like unequal access to resources and Corruption.

All over the world, it is becoming increasingly obvious that if civil society does not claim their stake in the issues of State that affect them directly, then they have no one to blame when things go wrong. With this in mind, a group of like-minded individuals/organisations has decided to form the National Accountability Group (NAG) so as to collaborate with all other interested parties and government organs that are working to combat corruption in Sierra Leone.

1.2  General Background and Problem Statement

The political and military crisis of Sierra Leone over the past three decades can be traced to the highly centralized president-dominated political order during the All People’s Congress (APC) regime and its accompanying institutionalised Corruption. By the end of the 1970’s power became highly centralized in the hands of the President and Freetown. All resources were distributed within Freetown and all decisions were taken in Freetown. In the end, Sierra Leone became 2 countries with Freetown as one part, and the rest of the country as another. With no resources being provided to the rest of the country, their educational systems, health systems, infrastructure etc. collapsed. The over-centralisation of political authority had the consequence of stifling local initiatives and alienating state from society. It also had the further consequence of making the presidency the target of all struggles for power.

This gave an opportunity and excuse for the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) to emerge. Originally intended to forcefully remove the repressive All People’s Congress (APC) regime, the RUF degenerated into the most barbaric and brutal insurgent movement worldwide, responsible for unimaginable atrocities, including brutal slayings, rapes and abductions. The groups most targeted by the fighting forces were women and children. Eventually, in February 1996 general elections were held ushering in the first democratically elected government in over thirty years. By the end of 1996 a Peace Accord was signed in Cote d’Ivoire between the government of Sierra Leone and the RUF. Hope for national reconciliation was rekindled by this but was rudely snuffed out when on May 25, 1997, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) overthrew the democratically elected government.

For almost nine months Sierra Leone was engulfed by the most repressive and destructive regime in its history. Repression under the AFRC took on a new meaning. Murder, torture and unlawful detention became the predominant instruments of governance. It was not enough to kill political opponents; they had to be tortured and dismembered. The special hallmark of both the RUF and the AFRC was the vicious practice of deliberate mutilation, whereby parts of the body inter alias, arms, lips, noses, hands, breasts and legs were amputated and eyes gouged out. Double arm and leg amputations were also carried out.

Although there is absolutely no excuse for such activities, the perpetrators will tell you that they were fighting to change the existing systems and structures of government, which institutionalized bad Governance in general, and Corruption in particular. Corruption is endemic at all levels of government, in private institutions and in fact, in the everyday life of people living in Sierra Leone. It is so embedded in the society that children do not even know what corruption is. To them what they see happening around them is all they know. Corruption has had the most damaging effect on the development of Sierra Leone, second only to the ten years devastating civil war. Within the last thirty years it has permeated all sectors and levels of society.

Corruption must therefore be confronted as a matter of urgency, and its eradication seen as a pre-condition to economic growth. Corruption, among others, raises the cost of goods and services, it increases the debts of Sierra Leone (and carries with it recurring debt-servicing costs in the future) and it leads to lowering of standards including livelihood standards.

There must be a concerted effort by civil society and government to address corruption. NAG will harness the energies of the civil society to ensure that the government creates a mechanism involving public accountability and transparency. This would include ensuring congruence between public policy and actual implementation, and the efficient allocation and use of public resources.

NAG proposes to concentrate solely on the fight against Corruption as a governance issue and has the following aims and objectives:

• To create public awareness about the damaging effects of corruption, impropriety and injustice, and to make government institutions and functionaries accountable to the people of Sierra Leone.
• To advocate for the elimination of the factors that lead to corruption and assist existing structures functioning for the same purpose.

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY

2.1 Background

At present, the Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) is the local contact organisation for Transparency International, which is the largest global entity dealing with Corruption. In Sierra Leone it is very obvious that if the issue of corruption is not seriously tackled with single-minded determination then not only will she never achieve development, but another rebel war may breakout. It has also now been categorically stated by both the government entity established to work on this issue i.e. the Anti Corruption Commission, and various bilateral and multi-lateral donors that they need to work collaboratively with civil society organisations in order to combat corruption effectively in the country. CGG therefore believed that an autonomous civil society body should be formed to work solely on the issue of corruption, which would, in time, become the local chapter of Transparency International.

Bearing all this in mind, CGG raised funds to enable six members of civil society, including two journalists, an accountant and a lawyer to attend Transparency International’s 10th Annual Anti-Corruption Conference and AGM, which was held in Prague, Czech Republic in October 2001. On their return, these members have now formed the core of the National Accountability Group. The group now has a membership of ten and is growing every week. The aim is to have an initial membership of twenty individuals of integrity who would steer NAG towards achieving its initial goals. Four meetings have been held so far, on a weekly basis and the Constitution is presently being worked on. NAG is expected to be registered and then launched this March. An official letter has also been written to the Anti-Corruption Commission to apprise them of the existence of NAG and the ACC has expressed its utmost willingness to work with the group.

Mission Statement

“To closely watch the conduct of public functionaries and to strive towards the elimination of corruption, fiscal impropriety and injustice in Sierra Leone.”

NAG therefore intends to do the following over the next six months:

• The development of a partnership between itself and government based on dialogue, consultation and collaboration.
• The promotion of dialogue, consultation and networking amongst other civil society bodies working on corruption.
• The sensitisation of the Sierra Leonean public on the issue of corruption and all related topics.
• The facilitation of broad-based discussion amongst Sierra Leone in public fora, radio discussions, public lectures, seminars and consultations about corruption.
• The dissemination of Material from Transparency International to the Anti-Corruption Commission and Parliamentarians

Output 1

Development of partnerships between NAG, other civil society groups working on Corruption and Government based on dialogue, consultation and collaboration.

As mentioned earlier, an official letter has been written to the Anti-Corruption Commission apprising them of the existence of NAG and so initial contact has been made. It is of the utmost importance that a relationship be instituted between NAG and not only the ACC but also other government bodies whose work borders on the issue of corruption for example the Auditor-General’s Office and the Ministry of Finance. The message that needs to be channeled is one of working in partnership as opposed to being at loggerheads with each other.

Similarly, bridges need to be built between NAG and other civil society organisations so a strong and impenetrable coalition of civil society working on corruption issues can be formed. It is well known that this is hard to achieve but this is the only sure way of tackling corruption in a long term and sustained manner.

Activities

1. Official meeting of the National Accountability Group and the Anti-Corruption Commission.
2. Official Letter followed by Official meeting of members of the Auditor-General’s office and any other government institutions that are deemed necessary.
3. Attendance of the bi-monthly network meetings held by the ACC
4. Regular meetings with other civil society organizations/NGO’s working on Corruption.

Output 2

Sensitization of the Sierra Leonean public on the issue of corruption and all related topics.

In its drive to combat corruption, NAG would collaborate with civil society groups and the Anti-Corruption Commission to develop and implement sensitization programmes. Information material from Transparency International would be made available to collaborative partners for use in the publicity campaign. Manuals, posters, jingles and handbills will also be developed with the help of professionals and distributed nationwide.

Educational Institutions will be specifically targeted so as to inculcate the concepts of integrity, transparency and accountability into children at a young and impressionable age. The energies of unemployed youth would also be tapped into so as to give them both a sense of being useful, as well as getting at least some of them of the streets.

Innovative and unique means will be used to catch the attention of the target audience for example the introduction of an Anti-Corruption Week wherein a sustained publicity campaign would be launched.

Activities

1. Develop themes around Corruption that would be made into posters etc for distribution nationwide.

2. Collaborate with the ACC in its current scheme of opening Integrity Clubs in Secondary Schools, but extend this to Primary Schools and Tertiary Institutions.

3. Issue Press releases when necessary about topical issues happening in the country relating to corruption.

4. Collaborate with popular drama groups to produce Skits and Plays for Radio, Television and live performances on corruption.

5. Introduce Anti-Corruption Week and collaborate with the ACC and all other organizations working on corruption to organize a blitz of activities all geared towards educating people about what corruption is as well as collectively finding the best “Sierra Leonean Way” of combating it.

OUTPUT 3

Facilitation of broad-based discussion amongst Sierra Leone in public fora, radio discussions, public lectures, seminars and consultations.

NAG would endeavor to have regular platforms from which discussion on corruption would emanate. The more the issues of corruption are aired and hammered home, it is hoped that more and more people would come to realize just how harmful and evil corruption is on the nation as a whole.

NAG would chair such fora, bringing in the ACC and all other relevant bodies, as well as local and external expertise.

Activities

1. Regular radio discussions on various aspects of Corruption, both in Freetown and in the provinces, in areas that have access to radio stations.
2. Public Lectures/Consultations outside of Freetown, on issues of Corruption.
3. Organize a public Forum where Presidential Candidates can debate the issues of Corruption.

Output 4

Dissemination of Material from Transparency International on Corruption to the Anti-Corruption Commission and Parliamentarians

As NAG takes over the duties of local contact organization for TI International, it would regularly disseminate information on corruption to the Anti-Corruption Commission and Parliamentarians. This measure would educate MPs on the detrimental effects on corruption, raise awareness on the widespread practice and spur them to initiate legislative action in curbing it. Once sensitized it is hoped that members in the House engaged in corruptive practices would stop or be exposed by fellow members.

For the ACC to be more effective not only must the capacities of its commissioners be built, they must be immune to political manipulations. Materials from TI would therefore serve as a resource center for initiatives on tackling corruption and cases brought against alleged suspects must be genuine and not politically grounded.

Materials would either be distributed or photocopied in sufficient numbers for all Parliamentarians and the ACC.

 - An Agenda for Reconciliation