By George M.O. Williams
The Archbishop of Freetown, Most Rev. Edward Tamba Charles on Monday, January 6, 2025, put out a public disclaimer to a statement posted on the Ministry of Information Website indicating that the proposed modifications to the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill have accommodated religious sensibilities.
The Archbishop added that such a statement is false because he has not made any public statement on the proposed modifications of the Bill.
Archbishop Charles explained he supported the suggestion made by the religious leaders to have access to the proposed modifications to the Bill in a meeting chaired by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Legislative Text Committee and representatives of religious leaders and the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah and the Deputy Minister Il of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Jalikatu Mustapha on Thursday, January 2, 2025, held at the Committee Room of Parliament. He mentioned that the document was sent to him on Friday, January 3, 2025, which he immediately posted to all executive members of the Interreligious Council Sierra Leone and other religious leaders.
“We are presently studying it. We shall meet soon to prepare our response to the proposed modifications. Until that is done, it would be improper for me to declare, as
claimed by the statement on the website of the Ministry of Information, that the Government has accommodated religious sensibilities,” Archbishop said.
He advised those who are participating in or are interested in the ongoing dialogue between religious leaders and the Government representatives on the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill, to dismiss as false the statement posted on the website of the Ministry of Information.
“It does not represent my position as Chairman of the Catholic Bishops in Sierra Leone or as President of the Interreligious Council Sierra Leone,” the Archbishop said.