CSO CONDEMNS PARLCSONAT SIX MAN COMMITTEE
By Mohamed Konneh
One of the leading civil society and human rights organisations in Sierra Leone, Citizen's Rights Network Sierra Leone has raised concerns over the Parlcsonat launching in the Sierra Leone parliament. The Executive Director of CRN-SL, Ibrahim Bai Koroma told journalists at a press conference held at their head office at 34 Goderich Street in Freetown that he was not happy with the decision of some members to set up a steering committee without consulting the entire civil society membership for their views or opinions.
Mr. Koroma totally condemned the decision, noting that due process was not followed.
The Executive Director noted that he was raising the concern because the formation of Parlcsonat which comprises different civil society and human rights organizations is primarily to speak for the vulnerable citizens in the country and to check mate the excesses of the government in a constructive and responsible manner.
Mr. Bai Koroma said that the committee was setup by only six members who deliberately failed to follow the due process, charging that the executive wants to monopolize the organisation from this very moment.
“We are not going to sit by and allow few people to take such a decision that will affect the organisation in future. It’s unacceptable and we will not recognized them. Our partnership with Parliament is not a bad idea but equally doesn’t mean that civil society can't check Members when it comes to service delivery and accountability,” he said.
Mr. Bai Koroma also stated that Parlcsonat Committee also failed to name members of civil society organisations that formed the 52 member coalition and for the sake of transparency and accountability there is every need for other members.
The Director emphasized that their organization will only be a member of Parlcsonat if they allow them to operate freely by including them in vital decision making, otherwise they will criticize any bad decision.
He stressed that people must be seeing doing the correct thing for the benefit of the country and those they represent.
Mr. Koroma called on interim Executive to do the right thing by following due process, while pointing out that even the six Executive Members were only introduce just after the lunching of the Consortium.
“The group whatsap group has been setup for Parlcsonat for over years now but the executive never came up with this idea of setting up a body or committee of this nature. The only way we could be part of this group is for the right thing to be done by following due process so that Transparency and accountability will prevail, Mr. Koroma noted.
The Executive Director of Citizen Rights Network Sierra Leone said that this interim body needs to step aside as there are doubt in the process of electing them.
“We don’t want to cause a division in the civil society but if this situation continue civil society will continue to be divided. Let the right thing be done,” he said.
