The Executive Director of Campaign for Good Governance (CGG) and the Chairperson of National Elections Watch (NEW), Marcella Samba Sesay, has said that the revised decentralization policy must be in consonance with the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
She emphasized the policy would prompt the need for the review of the 1991 Constitution.
She made this statement on Monday during a radio discussion show held to dilate on the decentralization policy.
She said that the current constitution undermines a lot of progressive strides which had been taken. She opined that there is a need for the nation to review its constitution, adding that the constitution in its entirety does not have specific provision on decentralization and local government in the country.
“The entire constitutional review process would be very robust but there are a lot of good things in it to fast track the decentralization move despite the challenges,” she said.
Samba cited that one of the causes of the civil conflict which commenced in 1991 in the country was that a lot of people felt excluded from mainstream governance. She insisted that back then all development strides were concentrated in Freetown, neglecting other regions of the country which needed to be developed. He noted that those that were excluded took up arms which devastated the country.
She noted that it is incumbent on the government to think fairly when introducing policy on how governance and democracy should operate to ensure integrity of any democratic society.
“We must ensure that the decentralization policy is viable and introduce a decent policy, looking at democracy for development in the country,” she said.
Responding to issues raised by Samba, the Consultant hired by the Government of Sierra Leone, Forde Davies said that the Local Government Act of 2004 was established after the Civil War to bring government closer to the People.
He cited that the new policy has successfully been evaluated by cabinet, wherein cabinet has authorized the Ministry of Local Government to ensure that they tabled the Bill in Parliament for it to be enacted as the Decentralization Policy of 2020.
He added that the new policy provides that all future Local Government elections should be non-partisan, and that being literate with a West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is the only qualification under the policy for one to become a Councillor, and at least a University Degree for one to become a Mayor/chairperson.
He further outlined that the policy proposes that Paramount Chiefs at different localities should be members of their various Local Council; and in Freetown three Tribal Headmen would be represented in the Freetown City Council and the same applies to the Western Area Rural District.
He furthered that the policy made provision for local economic development because the Decentralization Secretariat has realized that most District Councils are unable to generate enough economic potential. He commented that because there is a need to redraw the map based on data and not political consideration, they have decided to withdraw the local boundaries of Local Governments. He added that Local Council elections will now be conducted every five years instead of four.
By George M.O. Williams
4/12/2020. ISSUE NO: 7962