Concord Times (Freetown)
Kenday S. Kamara
27 January 2009
opinion
Freetown — To the majority of Sierra Leoneans who gave the All People's Congress (the party that encapsulated much of the character of the politics of fraction, penetration and contestation experienced under Siaka Stevens and Joseph Momoh from 1968 to 1992) a second chance following the presidential elections of September 2007, it was done in great anticipation and hope for change. Considering the history of Sierra Leone, the successful conduct of parliamentary and presidential elections in August and September 2007 was not a commonplace occurrence. Historically, transfer of authority as called for by the Constitution was not usually orderly. Sierra Leone democracy was known to change leaders with numerous challenges of rigging and violence. For the many Sierra Leoneans who stood up against the grossly incompetent incumbent (the Sierra Leone People's Party which for eleven years--from 1996 to 2007--hid under the shadow of the international community and remained a vehicle for corruption and injustice) that was determined to rig the elections; nothing less than a miracle happened.
Much was thus expected from President Koroma following this democratic victory in September 2007. But, over 480 days in power, Koroma has still to show an anxious nation that he is really committed to lead a political system which guarantees a fair and just society to a greater degree than any other. The business of the nation does not seem to be going as expected. What should have been a huge first step towards moving this country in the right direction is slipping away.
Inventory of Blunders
Today, just like the way things were in previous regimes, Sierra Leone is confronted with an economic affliction of great proportions. The government wants more and more money from international donors when it cannot harness and manage available resources and tax payers' contributions. The UNICEF representative in Sierra Leone, Geert Cappelaere, who is quite frustrated with the manner in which the health sector is managed and is cynical about the government's persistent calls for donor support explained in an IRIN report titled 'SIERRA LEONE: Children Dying But Hope Persists' that "more money is not a panacea. [What is amiss is that] Sierra Leone does not have enough people or systems in place to absorb and invest all the money allocated to healthcare. [The UNICEF health expert elaborated that,] in 2008 the government spent just half its health sector budget, partly because of not having basic financial systems in place. Systems,
infrastructure, the human resources are not always available to do what needs to be done. You may have lots of money but if you have no capacity to deliver it then you have a problem" (IRIN, 2009, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=82400).
Again, Koroma's concern to improve and develop the water supply systems has not gotten anywhere. The Guma Dam's capacity has not been increased and the distribution system to ensure adequate water supply to all areas of the city (Wilberforce, Gloucester, Leicester Road, Kissy, Cline Town, and Wellington, among other areas, as promised in his inaugural address of October 5, 2007) has not been achieved. "Sierra Leoneans have seen no new investments in the rehabilitation of water purification and distribution infrastructure although donors have committed $35 million dollars of funding to this sector" (The New People Newspaper, 2009, http://www.thenewpeople.com/090117water.htm).
The country continues to suffer from the worst forms of corruption which distorts the government's economic decisions, penalizes thrift, and crushes the struggling young and the elderly alike. The corruption in Koroma's government threatens to sustain conditions of extreme poverty for millions of Sierra Leoneans. Koroma's 'zero tolerance' against corruption has no substance to it. There is no commitment to create jobs. Human misery and personal indignity is seen everywhere. Those who do work are sustained by petty corruption which keeps the nation from maintaining full productivity. For decades Sierra Leoneans have been misled by politicians, mortgaging the nation's future and the future of the country's children for the temporary convenience of their greed. To continue this long trend is to guarantee tremendous social, cultural, political, and economic upheavals.
The administration seems to ignore as well the full extent of the gun crime epidemic sweeping the country, with official figures showing that gun-related killings and injuries have risen more than fourfold since the official end of the war in 2002. The main concern is that the deadly activities of armed robbers in the country and the growing number of 419ers and fraudsters are negatively impacting Sierra Leone's business environment. The country lacks good investigative policing and maintenance of law and order. The president should be embarrassed by public outcry over the corrupt practices of the command of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Within the past year, the media is awash with reports of the command of the CID using their offices to line their pockets while failing to investigate cases. The prosecution of cases is defined by the whim of the CID command whether a case is to be prosecuted or not. Therefore, police theft and
extortion, official impunity, arbitrary arrest and detention, and insufficient investigation of cases are commonplace occurrence (US Department of State, 2008, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2007/100503.htm); more over, the country lacks a functioning criminal justice system to respond to either the drug trafficking problem or official corruption.
Within the past year, allegations of corruption have enveloped the president's ministers and State executives. In August 2008, the Awareness Times Newspaper did an extensive story detailing the alleged corrupt practices of Attorney General Serry-Kamal. The report described the attorney general a "wheeler dealer" who literally mortgaged Sierra Leone by issuing an 'irrevocable security bond' for a pay out of $25 million to the Lebanese merchant Mohamed Wanza for very questionable claims (Awareness Times, 2008, http://www.news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_20059373.shtml). In spite of the weight of the allegations against the attorney general, no action is known to have been taken against him by the president. And despite Koroma's 'zero-tolerance' rhetoric, since taking office in September 2007 very few high-ranking officials have been brought before either the regular court or indicted for prosecution by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
Even more alarming are the flawed monthly "capacity and energy" charges of approximately Le2.5 billion being paid to Income Electrix "when the company is only generating 2MW power for the East end of Freetown, when it is supposed to generate 10MW. Notwithstanding the Anti Corruption Commission investigation which reported a verdict of "flawed contract and recommendations made public, it is not known why the commission has refused to adopt the necessary action to correct the wrong and fraudulent contract" (Standard Times Press News, 2008, http://www.africanpath.com/p_blogEntry.cfm?blogEntryID=6550).
Again, there is a conflict of interest when cabinet ministers and State executives are deeply engaged in gold and diamond mining. Vice President Sam Sumana, for instance, has been associated with the Mexivada Diamond Mining Company (SL) Limited ("MGD"), alluvial diamond mining deal in the Gbense Chiefdom where Mexivada is pursuing small scale rapid gold and diamond mining opportunities. When ministers and State executives who are the regulators are involved in private exploitation of gold and diamond, this conflict of interest will not guarantee optimal benefits to the people of Sierra Leone from the exploitation of the country's mineral resources. Standards of transparency and accountability are compromised. Not surprising "Sierra Leone's exports of [rough diamonds dropped from] 448,928 carats worth US$141.5 million in 2007 to 371,285 carats of diamonds in 2008 worth US$98 million, marking a fall of 31 percent, according to data from the country's
Ministry of Mineral Resources (MMR)" (Diamond Intelligence, 2009, https://www.diamondintelligence.com/magazine/magazine.aspx?id=7516). A clear separation of the roles of regulator and producer is necessary for the mining sector to guarantee optimal benefits.
Ministers and State executives, as individuals, can, by stealing public funds, live beyond their means, but for only a limited period of time (at the greater detriment of destroying a whole nation). Why, then, should they think that collectively, as a nation, they're not bound by that same limitation? People live in an illusion that the aim of life is to earn money by hook or crook. The aim of life should be not to make money but to bring about change. Constructing roads, building schools, hospitals and power plants, for instance, will bring about change. No matter how many millions public officials steal, one day they will all be gone leaving their millions behind. But the roads, the hospitals, the schools and the power plants and the change they bring about will stay on. And let there be no misunderstanding: Without the selfless commitment of political leaders and public servants to nation building, there is no hope for the nation of Sierra Leone.
The economic ills the country suffers have come upon the people of Sierra Leone over several decades. They will not go away when leadership is weak and not determined to deal with corruption head on. They will only be dealt with by a president with the capacity to lead, and assertive enough to do whatever needs to be done to change the political character of the nation for the greater good.
With the chronic conditions of bad governance, government is not the solution to Sierra Leone's problem; government is the problem. From time to time one is been tempted to believe that the Sierra Leonean society has become too complex to be managed by self-rule, that government by an elite group is superior to government for, by, and of the people. Well, if no one among Sierra Leoneans is capable of governing himself; then who among Sierra Leoneans has the capacity to govern someone else? All of Sierra Leoneans together, in and out of government, must bear the burden. The solutions the presidency seeks must be equitable, with no one group singled out to pay a higher price.
Much is talked about democracy. Well, the concern must be for a democracy in Sierra Leone with a form of government, where the Constitution guarantees basic personal and political rights, and independent courts of law. A democracy that knows no sectional boundaries and ethnic divisions, and that makes people know what the laws are and how they apply to everyone. A democracy made up with men and women who work honestly and hardly enough to feed themselves, faithfully maintain law and order in the country, earnestly manage the country's natural resources, teach the country's children, keep people in homes, and heal people when they are sick.
Koroma was voted into office with the objective that his administration would be a healthy, vigorous, growing democracy that provides equal opportunities for all Sierra Leoneans, with no inefficiencies born of greed or self aggrandizement. Putting Sierra Leone to work means putting all Sierra Leoneans to rebuild, construct roads, hospitals and clinics, schools and housing for all. Controlling inflation means freeing all Sierra Leoneans from the terror of runaway living costs. The reformed All People's Congress of Koroma has an opportunity to enable the country to share in the productive work of what should have been a "new beginning," and in the bounty of a revived economy. But the lack of idealism and fair play which should have been the core of the APC system and strength is again costing the country a great deal.
Looking at this inventory of blunders of the Koroma administration, one may be tempted to suggest that the nation has no government making Sierra Leone so 'not cool' among the nations of the earth. In a democracy, government has no power except that granted it by the people. If Koroma therefore really believes in the power granted him by the people, it is time for his administration to check and reverse the inefficiencies of his government, which show signs of having lost a great deal of the credibility of the governed. If people have put their faith in him, it is his responsibility to take decisions that are tough but right for them. And if Koroma is afraid that his rogue ministers and State executives will disapprove of these decisions then what kind of leader is he?
Doing what is Right for the Greater Good
If only it could be the resolve of Koroma to efficiently use his presidential powers to demand commitment and dedication to public service by cabinet ministers and public officials in departments of government. All public officials need to be reminded that the national government did not create the presidency; the people created the presidency and empowered it. Now, so there will be no misunderstanding, it's not the intention of this analysis to do away with government. It is rather to make it work. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.
If Sierra Leoneans could only answer as to why for so many years since independence the country is in chronic despair and underdeveloped as no other nation on earth, it was because here in this land the country's political leaders have failed to do what is right. Exploitation and the indignity of the individual are seen everywhere and assured in Sierra Leone than in any other place on earth. The cost in human suffering and infrastructural dilapidation has been high and leader after leader has not been quite willing to serve with a purpose.
It is no coincidence that the present troubles parallel and are proportionate to the intervention and intrusion in lives of Sierra Leoneans that result from unnecessary and excessive corruption of government. It is time for Sierra Leoneans to realize that Sierra Leone is too blessed a nation to limit themselves to small dreams. Sierra Leoneans are not, as some would have them believe, doomed to an inevitable degeneration. Sierra Leoneans should not believe in a fate that their country is cursed no matter the hopelessness of their leaders. They should rather believe in a fate that will fall on them if they do nothing. So, with all the creative energy at home and in the Diaspora, should demand to see an assertive president who is capable of weeding out undisciplined and nonperforming cabinet ministers and public servants.
Sierra Leoneans have every right to live in their nation as human beings. Those who say that the majority of Sierra Leoneans do not deserve to live with dignity they are making a mistake. These are the true heroes who are being deprived. They are the individuals and families whose taxes support the small elite group that calls itself "the
government"; and whose natural resources are being pillaged; and whose voluntary gifts support church, charity, and education. Their patriotism is quiet, but deep. Their values sustain the national life.
President Koroma should have the dreams, the hopes, and the goals of all well meaning Sierra Leoneans. He should reflect the compassion that is so much a part of the makeup of the champions of Sierra Leone's independence. If Koroma truly loves his country, he should love his countrymen as well. And loving his countrymen means he should reach out a hand when they fall, heal them when they are sick, and provide opportunity to make them self-sufficient so they will be equal in fact and not just in theory.
Can Koroma start solving the problems confronting Sierra Leoneans? Well, the answer is an unequivocal and emphatic "yes." Koroma did not just take the oath of office with the intention of presiding over the progressive demise of Sierra Leone. It's time Koroma gets to work to removing the roadblocks that have slowed Sierra Leone's economy and destroyed all productivity. Steps aimed at restoring the balance between the various levels of government need be taken at this point in time. Progress has been extremely slow, measured in inches, not even in feet. It is time for Sierra Leone to have a government that could confront the punitive burden of corruption. These should be the first priorities, and on these principles there should be no compromise.
Koroma is a charismatic leader. But Koroma's forbearance has been misunderstood especially by the corrupt and incompetent cabal of cabinet ministers and State executives he surrounds himself with. His reluctance to confront those who have been challenged to be corrupt has been judged as a failure of will.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth taking a back drop to the statement posted as title at the beginning of this analysis: 'Government is Not the Solution to Sierra Leone's Problems; Government is the Problem.' Paradoxically, the response to the above statement may be axiomatic, but what is certain is that throughout the history of Sierra Leone, governments have failed their people contributing largely to the dismal conditions that have plagued the country. Governments have also condoned systemic corruption and have not empowered citizens and maintained institutions that work. One could therefore satisfactorily conclude that the future for Sierra Leone lies in the hands of a strong leader, a leader who stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of Sierra Leoneans, or strikes out against injustice.
The Gambia with just a population of approximately 1.6 million people, whose economy is predominantly agricultural and tourism is today the beacon of development in West Africa all because of the mammoth development strides undertaken by President Yayah Jammeh in his 12 years of leadership. "Ms. Min-Whee Kang, the UNICEF Representative to the Gambia has described the Gambia as a shining example with regards to its drive towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because the Gambia is "on track" to meet most of the MDGs by 2015" (Daily Observer, 2008, http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/2008/1/28/gambia-is-a-shining-example-says-unicef-country-rep). The Gambia ranks 18th place above Sierra Leone on the Human Development Index rating of the United Nations. Therefore, for Koroma's dreams for Sierra Leone to come true; he must wake up, for as the adage goes: 'dreams don't come true unless you wake up'.
Kenday S. Kamara is a freelance development consultant in administration, policy development and capacity building. He can be reached at kenday
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As a child born in Sierra Leone, I felt pain,as a boy growing up in the Diamond area of Tongofield,I felt pain and as a man now I'm still feeling the pain of poverty that most of my Sierra Leonean people are surrounded with. I felt pain, not because it was the worst country to be born in,but due to the fact that the Leaders of the Country at that time caredless for the well-being of the citizens. They allowed corruption to take control of all the good things that could have saved Sierra Leoneans from that mess-brink of untold poverty. My first day in school was the most unpleasant part in my life, that I have today come to notice,imagining myself going to school bear-feeted.Eventhough,footwear,was not part of my Village-growing code of atire.But seeing my fellow students,whose Fathers corrupted the politics of Sierra Leone and helped to wreck the country,were all dressed neat, from head to toe. It was the bound duty of my Parents to provide all those encessentials for me.But,how could they? When ends could not meet.Instead, they were left between the alternatives,as to have a new shoe or I sleep hungry for the day. Ends could not meet because there wasn't any good Governance in the country that could direct the use of the country's resources for the benefit of the people.Every dirty Political Leader followed the stupid slogan"the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer" Also the ends of my parents could not meet because the crook company the British crooks and thieves brought into the country,calling it SLST, was making our people work hard and paying them less wages. This slogan, I'm not prepared to accept it from no political Leader in Sierra Leone,anymore. Koroma, the people put you in power you must listen to their cries day by day. It's not your party banners that put you in power,rather it was the Youths(majority)that put you to the presidency,with the hope that you will deliver the change. Truly, "Government is the problem". May God Bless Sierra Leone.