By Abu Bakarr Kanu
Fambul Tok international in collaborating with Civil Society Forum, Port Loko District has engaged stakeholders include youths and women’s representatives on the proportional representation system, voters education and non-violence elections in the District.
The engagement is to complement the effort of the Electoral Commission Sierra Leone and political parties in educating the masses of the PR system.
Mr. John Caulker, executive director of Fambul Tok International, said that his organisation funded the sensitization at Chiefdom level in a bid to educate the general population of Port Loko District on the importance of participation in the elections and to avoid void voters and maintain peace during and after the elections.
Mr. Caulker maintained that the sensitization targets 5000 people in Port Loko District. He promised to provide more resources to increase the sensitization at the community level.
Mr Ansu Bangura of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone in Port Loko District appreciated the effort of Fambul Tok international and CSO Port Loko District for the commitment to raise awareness about proportional representation and electoral processes. He admonished community participants at Songo , Bakeh Loko and Maforki chiefdoms that ECSL didn’t have enough resources to engage the whole of Port Loko District that’s why institutions like Fambul Tok international and CSO came with initiative to raise awareness about PR System.
Chairman of Civil Society Forum, Port Loko District Mr. Mohamed described the Fambul Tok international as key donor partners and further stated that the funds to address the challenges of the people of not adhere or know much about the proportional representation system.
Mr. Àbu Bakarr Kanu is the public Relations Officer of civil Society Forum, Port Loko District. He said that the initiative for the project came as a result of lack of information about the proportional representation system.
The section chief of Magbni section, Bakeh Loko Chiefdom, Pa Alimamy Àbu Bakarr Bangura praised Civil Society Forum and Fambul Tok international for their relentless effort to bring the sensitization to their doorstep. He said that before now most of the people in the chiefdom were in doubt about the proportional representation system.
Pa Bangura promised to transfer the knowledge gain to the people of his chiefdom.