Concord Times (Freetown)
Bryna Hallam
20 November 2008
Freetown — Four years after the reintroduction of local councils, a new study has found that councils are often not accountable to the people they serve.
ActionAid international Sierra Leone commissioned the study, titled: 'Decentralization in Sierra Leone: Spaces for the Poor', to learn about the perception and success of the first councils. It found that most people are not involved with their local councils, leading to a lack of confidence in their ability to serve them.
ActionAid country director Tennyson Williams said: "Those who councils serve have not been involved. We feel we need to take action now. People have articulated their views. I do not believe in my council."
The decentralization process was meant to move power away from the central government and allow local people to make decisions about issues that affect them. However, the study found that the central government still controls local council finances, decision making, and organization.
While it is easy for councils to report to central government about what they are doing, reporting to local residents has not been done well.
"Local communities see councils as the leaders in local development," said Abdul Rahman Sesay, a community representative from the Western Area. People want councillors they have chosen, who will be transparent and accountable, and will serve the people and not themselves, he said.
He called on councillors to be people-centred and "work with all people, regardless of their political lines."
Part of the problem was a lack of communication between the councils and the citizens, the study found. People often don't know what councils are doing, and councils often don't involve citizens.
Patrick Zombo, the consultant who worked on the study, suggests building the capacity of the public, so they are able to take part in local decision making.
"The voice of the poor and marginalized" - mainly women and youth - "remains weak," he said. "This constitutes a serious gap for the proper functioning of local councils."
Among the report's other recommendations are public information strategies that will reach the people, including those who can't read, the development of revenue sources for local councils, and less involvement of central government in local councils.
Emmanuel Gaima, director of decentralization secretariat agreed with much of what was said, saying the report would enhance and reform the secretariat's work.
And while he acknowledges the report's findings - that capacity, resources and attitude are all issues - he doesn't believe it means decentralization isn't working, just that it isn't finished yet.
"It's not going to happen overnight. It's a process," he said, adding, "I still want to have faith that decentralization will work."
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