Sierra Leone needs trade, not aid
- Monday 29 December 2008.
By Mohamed C. BahPresident -Sierra Leone community Association-Atlanta, GA.
The political climate in Sierra Leone today as it has been in many generation before is that reform or the new agenda for change means borrowing more money from the World Bank and other International financial institutions to pay for nation building projects and public services.I am generally, not faulting or blaming our present government for requesting donor assistance at this challenging times, because they are finacially cash strapped and have no choice.The underlining problem is that Sierra Leone fundamentally needs a new direction when it comes to our dependency on donor money or foreign Aid.
Many Sierra Leoneans share a greater understanding that our emerging democracy, like other developing countries,do not have the resources, financial structures and expertise to radically depart from our addiction to foreign Aid.It is also true that a decade of instability, poor governance and the lack of strategic alternative to foreign aid have kept the prospect of a donor-free Sierra Leone far from possible. That government institutions which brings in revenues needs a serious overhaul, broader transparency with an effective accountability before potential revenues can be properly streamlined to internally support public projects.
How about doing business differently where our economy is not driven by donor dollars but rather by an export oriented market, a robust manufacturing industries link to our very natural resources with a modernized and transparent financial infrastructure.I believe, we as a country and people, can do miracles, if we seek to build a future where economic prosperity transcend poverty and where progress overcome corruption and ineptitude.
TRADE NOT AIDThe issue of donor/foreign Aid are classified into two categories:one is how effective has our government managed these resources for the overall good of its citizens and secondly what plans do we have to gradually wean ourselves from the dependency of the so-called donor money?As true as it has been that international financial support have helped us some how in the past, the horrible monster of AID money have caused a major devastation to our political landscape due to mismanagemts and where economically our government function or work only through the infusion of donor money.The perception we inherently get over the past three decades is that we are reduced to a "beggar nation" and more importantly our democratic decisions as a nations are tied down or influence by how these donors/financial institutions wants us to operates our government institutions.
Indeed, no nation have grown their economies through Aid.Donor money have caused more death to the future of Africa than the epidemic disease of AIDS.Sierra Leone, like other African nations, have many times,poorly managed these resources, raised the debt to the ceiling and weakened our international credibility.Aid has brought misery, enriched corrupt public servants and eroded trust in government.It is time to do away with donor money and introduce a TRADE system.I am describing trade with our neighboring countries and the developed world not the photo-opt trade conferences that produce just hand shakes, but trade that establish the movement of goods and services which economically benefits participating nations.I mean a demand and supply system where trading countries maximize their potential earnings and double their national revenues.
NO QUICK FIXI am advocating for a greater reliance on trade and a market oriented economy as oppose to the old tricks of the Western World’s false pretense of finding solutions to Africa’s failing economy in the name of making profit for investors and shareholders of their financial institutions (World Bank).This brings me me to the center piece of my analysis: Sierra Leone needs Trade not Aid.First, as a country, let us agree that Aid is a quick-fix that comes with a lot of challenges and obligations.It has failed to work because it does not address long term solutions.We must replaced it with a common sense solution.If we change our mind set and move to new political height with a strategic planning of accumulating foreign reserves like the Chinese,Indians,Botswanans,Ghanaians and other nations.If we seek to create an account surplus with the revenues we get from our natural minerals/resources and move forward to purchasing treasury bonds,equity and other investment assets at international level,we can certainly replaced AID with Trade.If we make our existing or soon-to-be trading partners a more vital source of revenue creations, millions of our people will benefit form such profitable ventures.
THE CHINE AND INDIAN TRENDIndeed, those who share a do-nothing approach and think we are not ready to throw our dependency on donor money should ask Sir Milton Margai of Sierra Leone, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Shekou Toure of Guinea how and why were they successful in gaining independence form British and French colonial rule.The road to economic independence lies through the gate way of a strong TRADE and financial investments on the international market.Government workshops and blue print plans that describes the guide line to poverty reductions or the UN Millennium goal are just as good as the implementation effort and our ability to accomplished them.What Sierra Leone, predominantly, lack from a constructive stand point, is a strategy for change, the management capacity and the structural discipline to follow through on our national development agendas.As Liberian President Sir Leaf Johnson puts it: "the problem in Africa is not the lack of resources, but a poorly managed systems."
Today, China and India constitute an unprecedented stories of economic development.They are quickly reaching the heavy weight status in the global economy.Two factors that are helping them-Manufacturing and TRADE.They do not rely on Aid but global trade.Europe, Japan, India, U.K. Brazil, Mexico, Turkey and Argentina are among the top 15 nations that have the world highest GDP.
While China and India are both large economies, the parallel i want to make is that they too have poverty, some political turmoil and even an under performing economy in the past.However, the reforming of their financial systems, growth in the agricultural, manufacturing and service sectors, their huge trade surplus and the accumulation of foreign reserves have made them the "new emerging economic powers".It is a wide illusion to believe that we can develop our nation through AID and not using our human capitals and reform policies to follow the economic trend of an advanced market economy.
On the other hand, it is true that we are partly to be blame, because we do ask for these donor supports and used them for the wrong reasons.Sierra Leone, Like other African governments, care less to read the "fine prints", terms. conditions and particularly the high interest rates these loans carries.Apparently, due to lack of financial planning and the lack of proper oversight in managing these loans, the ability of the government to repay becomes daunting and systematically we wind up owing the world financial community.Indeed, widespread corruption and poverty have become a stumbling block to implementing loan guaranteed programs let alone AID money.That is why, i think our new leadership and government should gradually and sensibly eliminate donor money and begins to create a market economy where TRADE is the new guiding star to our nation’s future.
SOURCE OF ECONOMIC GROWTHSierra Leone is a small economy that can be developed if we focus on two elements:Human capital and Trade.How about identifying the following sectors:Agriculture,Mining, Marine resources, Timber and Foresty.These are good trading categories.Like Botswana, we can make mining 55% of our national revenue, Agriculture 25% Marine resources 10%, Timber and Foresty 10%.The question is where can we have the capital and ingenuity to build a manufacturing nation.If we managed our mining revenues properly with a corruption-free practice and sound fiscal discipline, we can easily fund or pay for public projects and services without relying on Loans, Aid or Donor dollars.
Government focus must be on revenue creation and accumulation of surplus for national savings.These new economic behaviors, if implemented will significantly reduce the need for "out side donors".We just cannot become consumers alone expecting to create jobs and economic growth for our people.Rather, we must create income through trade and other commercial opportunities.
Indeed,what we lack is not the ideas to find a solution to our economic problems.The problem is when and how can we build a financial system, like other developed nations,that would bring prosperity and break away the cycle of poverty and deprivation we have witnessed for so long.We are never eager to take a new approach in a alleviating our human suffering,but many of us are always interested about what opportunities are available for me and my family.We must begin to realize that access to new possibilities and the attitude of doing things differently(change) can open the door to many good things for our beloved nation.
I am sure our present goverrnment is seeking opprotunties to replace the neo-colonialization of donor money with a market and trading economy.First,we must agree together with one voice that Sierra Leone needs trade and not Aid. If political independence came with a struggle and pragmatic leadership, economic independence must take a similar course, this time, fought with "idealism, innovation and 21st century fresh thinking".
If you wish to send a comment about this article e-mail MC Bah @ mcbah4440@yahoo.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Is Sierra Leone an Ethno-Centric Nation?
Guest Writer - Mohamed C Bah, Atlanta, USA 12 March, 2009Mohamed C. Bah, USA
Is Sierra Leone an Ethno-Centric Nation?
"High we exalt thee, realm of the free; Great is the love we have for thee": From these exalting words of our national anthem, being a Sierra Leonean is a precious gift. It is as Dr. Brian Stanley described: "the consciousness of being part of a nation and subscribing to its cherished values, aspires the best that is in human nature- a generous service and astounding self-sacrifice for your country." The ideology that each nation constitutes a natural political community whose members should all live together under the authority of "their own" independent, gives us an opportunity to cherish our country and "so may we serve thee ever alone." Nationalism is a belief that one's nation and its interests are of primary importance which supersedes everything.
Frankly, as Sierra Leoneans, do we really "raise up our hearts and our voices on high." where the "hills and the valleys echo our cry," for the love of our country or do we just see Sierra Leone as a backyard of our childhood memories. Without a sense of belonging to a particular people, we feel rootless, unsure of who we are, and would never be able to give back to our country. Many of us today, increasingly, are not passing the citizenship test when its comes to how we feel about our country; what contributions are we making and how much are we proud of who we are as citizens of a land that "Ever we seek to honor thy name" and a future where "we pray that no harm on thy children may fall."
Good Citizenship
Instead of fulfilling the promises of the "knowledge and truth of our forefathers" and "mighty the nation whom they led" we have been pathologically an ethno-centric nation, generally devoid of the spirit of nationalism. For decades, we have being polarized by the disturbing legacy of ethno-centrism. Many of our fellow citizens have not been able, as they perform their public and private duties to "show forth the good that is ever in thee" because we as a nation are not "firmly united and ever we stand" when it comes to putting on our majestic national crown over our tribal hats. A lot of our good citizens have been victimized and discriminated by the balkanization of a tribal system that have denied them the right to serving their people and country.
Common Destiny
We have generally witnessed an entrenched lack of nationalistic instinct when it comes to our co-existence as the same people, who share a similar geography, culture, history and common destiny. An ugly chapter of a repetitive pattern of tribal and regional dominance on the machinery of our socio-political landscape have not shown the moral imperative of the "mighty they made thee, so too may we"'s expectation threshold. We have not made any considerable progress, since independence, when it comes to how much we have overcome the institutionalized problem of the T-word. That what unites us as Sierra Leoneans are far greater than what divides us. That the strength of our diversity has been used in opposite directions to diminish the need to come together and see each other as Sierra Leoneans first. We have failed to look at what makes us the same- one people (Sierra Leoneans) and have exploited our differences in an attempt to create a false sense of personal and political security.
Nationalism
Our decade old conflicts have been traced and rooted to the marginalization of the voice of the majority by the kind of "Hutu-Tutsi" syndrome. Like racism, we have not confronted and dealt with "tribalism" in all aspect of our national lives, nor do we see it as a threat to national unity. If, we are to be a nation, who believed in the credence and symbol of our national principles-"unity, freedom and justice" a call to nationalism must be a new weapon against the biggest obstacles that impedes progress in Sierra Leone -the twin evils of: TRIBALISM and CORRUPTION.
Indeed, we can shoved nationalism aside, play the usual game by recycling one government after another and build a fortress of cronies and tribal giants in our political empire, but we can be rest assured that we cannot solve nothing that way. We can hide by the constitutional pretense that every President have the "prerogative" to choose whomsoever to his cabinet/government structures, but unless we become true to the cradle of our national values, our public hall ways or offices will always be filled with one faces of our fellow citizens. Unavoidably, this will lead to a dangerous path, where the peace and blessing of our nation would not flourish to every corner of our society.
We must re-dedicate our allegiances to nation building not affiliation to groups, regions, tribes or religion. Our attitude to solving our national problems must be broad, pragmatic and inclusive with the constructive participation of every ethnicity, working professionals and the abandoned youths of today. Our overriding loyalty as Dr. King rightly said: "must become ecumenical rather than sectional". We should no longer allow the demography of our political structure to be dominated by one group or comprises of one tribal echelon of Sierra Leoneans. Rather, we must have the nameless faces of our fellow citizens, who are qualified and competent to represents our nation's interest without regards to their geographical and ethnic backgrounds.
Too bad to say, that our history is cluttered with the same old self-defeating path of tribal patronage. The consciousness of being part of a nation and subscribing to its cherished values must always be characterized by our passion and love for Sierra Leone. Thus, we must not be guilty of becoming a nation less tolerant to our diversity and more comfortable to the ever rising tide of tribalism and nepotism. Rather, we must "pledge our devotion, our strength and our might" to "thy cause to defend and to stand for thy right."- Sierra Leone.
Self-Pride
Consciously enough, how many of us, today carry our national flag in our place of residence, automobiles or proudly wear our national colors (green, white and blue) during our historic Independence Day celebrations or national events. Are we proud to tell non-Sierra Leoneans who we are or do some of us hide our national identity for personal reasons? Many of our fellow citizens at home are far less nationalistic because of the failure of government to deliver the essential human services and exalt the importance of citizenship. They have been defeated by the heavy burden of poverty and have been made to believe that their country offers them no hope. How can they love Sierra Leone when, at no-fault of their own, cannot lift themselves out of the economic misery they find themselves. No better and affordable school systems, struggling families trying to eat, few good and accessible hospital to care for them, poor sanitation and water supply system, inadequate housing and rationed electricity.
Conclusion
However, even in the face of despair and the looming economic challenges that confronts our government and people, I still see a promising and more hopeful future for Sierra Leone. When conscious efforts are made to control our socio-political nightmares through bold and courageous leadership, educational advancements and good nationalistic behaviors, we can faithfully serve our country with great loyalty and distinction. And the only way we can work for unity, freedom and justice is to have a shared value where nationalism transcends our common problems, where real hope filled the voided hearts of our struggling citizens, and where true human principles overcomes our deep seated fears for one another. Only then can we replace the poverty that have fostered a culture of blame instead of taking personal responsibility, a culture of hate instead of harmony and the culture of dependency instead of self-sufficiency-these serious problems that have destroyed so many generations for so long. Only then can we become a nation ready to sing loud and clear the national song of the: "Land that we love, our Sierra Leone."
Mohamed C. Bah Guest Writer and Ex-President, Sierra Leone Community, Atlanta-USA
Guest Writer - Mohamed C Bah, Atlanta, USA 12 March, 2009Mohamed C. Bah, USA
Is Sierra Leone an Ethno-Centric Nation?
"High we exalt thee, realm of the free; Great is the love we have for thee": From these exalting words of our national anthem, being a Sierra Leonean is a precious gift. It is as Dr. Brian Stanley described: "the consciousness of being part of a nation and subscribing to its cherished values, aspires the best that is in human nature- a generous service and astounding self-sacrifice for your country." The ideology that each nation constitutes a natural political community whose members should all live together under the authority of "their own" independent, gives us an opportunity to cherish our country and "so may we serve thee ever alone." Nationalism is a belief that one's nation and its interests are of primary importance which supersedes everything.
Frankly, as Sierra Leoneans, do we really "raise up our hearts and our voices on high." where the "hills and the valleys echo our cry," for the love of our country or do we just see Sierra Leone as a backyard of our childhood memories. Without a sense of belonging to a particular people, we feel rootless, unsure of who we are, and would never be able to give back to our country. Many of us today, increasingly, are not passing the citizenship test when its comes to how we feel about our country; what contributions are we making and how much are we proud of who we are as citizens of a land that "Ever we seek to honor thy name" and a future where "we pray that no harm on thy children may fall."
Good Citizenship
Instead of fulfilling the promises of the "knowledge and truth of our forefathers" and "mighty the nation whom they led" we have been pathologically an ethno-centric nation, generally devoid of the spirit of nationalism. For decades, we have being polarized by the disturbing legacy of ethno-centrism. Many of our fellow citizens have not been able, as they perform their public and private duties to "show forth the good that is ever in thee" because we as a nation are not "firmly united and ever we stand" when it comes to putting on our majestic national crown over our tribal hats. A lot of our good citizens have been victimized and discriminated by the balkanization of a tribal system that have denied them the right to serving their people and country.
Common Destiny
We have generally witnessed an entrenched lack of nationalistic instinct when it comes to our co-existence as the same people, who share a similar geography, culture, history and common destiny. An ugly chapter of a repetitive pattern of tribal and regional dominance on the machinery of our socio-political landscape have not shown the moral imperative of the "mighty they made thee, so too may we"'s expectation threshold. We have not made any considerable progress, since independence, when it comes to how much we have overcome the institutionalized problem of the T-word. That what unites us as Sierra Leoneans are far greater than what divides us. That the strength of our diversity has been used in opposite directions to diminish the need to come together and see each other as Sierra Leoneans first. We have failed to look at what makes us the same- one people (Sierra Leoneans) and have exploited our differences in an attempt to create a false sense of personal and political security.
Nationalism
Our decade old conflicts have been traced and rooted to the marginalization of the voice of the majority by the kind of "Hutu-Tutsi" syndrome. Like racism, we have not confronted and dealt with "tribalism" in all aspect of our national lives, nor do we see it as a threat to national unity. If, we are to be a nation, who believed in the credence and symbol of our national principles-"unity, freedom and justice" a call to nationalism must be a new weapon against the biggest obstacles that impedes progress in Sierra Leone -the twin evils of: TRIBALISM and CORRUPTION.
Indeed, we can shoved nationalism aside, play the usual game by recycling one government after another and build a fortress of cronies and tribal giants in our political empire, but we can be rest assured that we cannot solve nothing that way. We can hide by the constitutional pretense that every President have the "prerogative" to choose whomsoever to his cabinet/government structures, but unless we become true to the cradle of our national values, our public hall ways or offices will always be filled with one faces of our fellow citizens. Unavoidably, this will lead to a dangerous path, where the peace and blessing of our nation would not flourish to every corner of our society.
We must re-dedicate our allegiances to nation building not affiliation to groups, regions, tribes or religion. Our attitude to solving our national problems must be broad, pragmatic and inclusive with the constructive participation of every ethnicity, working professionals and the abandoned youths of today. Our overriding loyalty as Dr. King rightly said: "must become ecumenical rather than sectional". We should no longer allow the demography of our political structure to be dominated by one group or comprises of one tribal echelon of Sierra Leoneans. Rather, we must have the nameless faces of our fellow citizens, who are qualified and competent to represents our nation's interest without regards to their geographical and ethnic backgrounds.
Too bad to say, that our history is cluttered with the same old self-defeating path of tribal patronage. The consciousness of being part of a nation and subscribing to its cherished values must always be characterized by our passion and love for Sierra Leone. Thus, we must not be guilty of becoming a nation less tolerant to our diversity and more comfortable to the ever rising tide of tribalism and nepotism. Rather, we must "pledge our devotion, our strength and our might" to "thy cause to defend and to stand for thy right."- Sierra Leone.
Self-Pride
Consciously enough, how many of us, today carry our national flag in our place of residence, automobiles or proudly wear our national colors (green, white and blue) during our historic Independence Day celebrations or national events. Are we proud to tell non-Sierra Leoneans who we are or do some of us hide our national identity for personal reasons? Many of our fellow citizens at home are far less nationalistic because of the failure of government to deliver the essential human services and exalt the importance of citizenship. They have been defeated by the heavy burden of poverty and have been made to believe that their country offers them no hope. How can they love Sierra Leone when, at no-fault of their own, cannot lift themselves out of the economic misery they find themselves. No better and affordable school systems, struggling families trying to eat, few good and accessible hospital to care for them, poor sanitation and water supply system, inadequate housing and rationed electricity.
Conclusion
However, even in the face of despair and the looming economic challenges that confronts our government and people, I still see a promising and more hopeful future for Sierra Leone. When conscious efforts are made to control our socio-political nightmares through bold and courageous leadership, educational advancements and good nationalistic behaviors, we can faithfully serve our country with great loyalty and distinction. And the only way we can work for unity, freedom and justice is to have a shared value where nationalism transcends our common problems, where real hope filled the voided hearts of our struggling citizens, and where true human principles overcomes our deep seated fears for one another. Only then can we replace the poverty that have fostered a culture of blame instead of taking personal responsibility, a culture of hate instead of harmony and the culture of dependency instead of self-sufficiency-these serious problems that have destroyed so many generations for so long. Only then can we become a nation ready to sing loud and clear the national song of the: "Land that we love, our Sierra Leone."
Mohamed C. Bah Guest Writer and Ex-President, Sierra Leone Community, Atlanta-USA
IS Sierra Leone winning or losing the war on corruption?
Is Sierra Leone Winning or Losing the War on Corruption?
Guest Writer: Mohamed C. Bah10 April, 2009Mohamed C. Bah, Guest Writer,Ex-President Sierra Leone Community, Atlanta, USA
Is Sierra Leone Winning or Losing the War on Corruption?
As our nation prepares to celebrate it 48th independence anniversary, the most daunting challenges confronting Sierra Leone today is how can we define a new independent thinking of fighting poverty and diseases, improving the basic livelihood of our fellow citizens and forming peaceful alliances within our society to promote national progress. For more than four decades, we have not comprehensively sought the path to sustainable economic growth that is akin to the kind of political independence we fought for and have so rightfully earned in the community of nations. Sierra Leone, as a young nation, needs more visionary and gifted leaders from all professional and political circles, where the social and moral evils that impedes progress are distanced from our desire to pursue a cohesive politics that brings diverse views and people together, teach Sierra Leoneans to love one another instead of fear and isolation. Furthermore, our anniversary of freedom must be celebrated by promoting a culture driven mentality of fighting a new political war against one of the oldest anti-social behavior, (corruption) which have ruined so many lives and stagnated a promising nation from moving forward into the shores of prosperity.
If political independence is to be realized, corruption should be reclassified as a very serious threat that continues to weaken the economic and human developments of our country. This problem really threatens the stability of our national survival. We must fight corruption, both morally and politically, with a grounded thinking and serious anti-corruption effort through ambitious goals: such as new economic independent strategies and legal legislation to regulate such anti-political behavior. Together, with a no-nonsense leadership, we can redraw the war zone and unleash our grounded offensives to defeat the enemy commonly known as "CORRUPTION." If we do not have an anti-poverty agenda with a track record of progress equally doing the role of investigating areas of inadequacy and poverty-stricken cities, towns, villages and preventing diseases ,infant mortality, low educational standards, poor infrastructures, and other human services, the celebration of our independence would be just a window dressing, an abstract thinking and believing that we are free but actually more dependent on the very nations we sought our freedom and liberty from.
The Evil Face of Corruption
Indeed, the potential of a little girl or boy in Sierra Leone may never be realized if corruption takes a front seat on our government structure. If public servants deplete government revenues by "misusing" or "misappropriating" funds/resources, our national income will continue to be significantly reduced, foreign investments discouraged, sustainable national development and infrastructural projects will seriously be compromised with no completion. If we do not combat corruption as a common threat, our independence from Britain will be a mental hallucination rather than a true definition of self-rule or self determination. Thus, we must see corruption not as a political party problem or a regional problem, but as a national problem that needs a collective solution from every Sierra Leonean. I think, we must reorganize and take a new independent approach to confronting this complex problem.
Realistically, the Anti-corruption Act, 2008 is a very compelling corruption-fighting tool that has the legal hallmarks and political merits in addressing an aging national problem. Retrospectively, it was deliberately enacted to "plug a hole in the Anti-Corruption Act, of 2000." That the previous act did not go far enough in its provisions, especially when viewed on the United National Convention Against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption both of which Sierra Leone have ratified. That this new legislation gives broader powers to the commission to arrest, prosecute and convict corrupt public officers. I commend the Attorney General and his legal staff for crafting a fine piece of legislation with the blessing and approval of Parliament.
Corrupt Acquisition of Wealth
However, the anti-corruption Act, 2008, if properly implemented without prejudice will profoundly close the door to a shameful chapter in our nation's history. Nonetheless, this giant legislative effort is only one leg on the stool and cannot by itself solve this widespread epidemic that has destroyed the moral foundation of our nation. If we do not learn to work together in good faith and practice the principles of "integrity in public life", let us be rest assured that we have a darker and dangerous future ahead. That in our self-serving human failures we will have nothing to pass on to the next generation but a nation suffering from the reality of "moral bankruptcy". If we glorify the "corrupt acquisition of wealth" or the "misappropriation of public funds or property" as a reason to serve in government, we are predicting and creating a a future that is devoid of compassion and human progress Whatever the political equation we belongs to, corruption is a national problem and it is time to end it as we know it. We must go further in targeting the root causes of why it exists in our society. Until poverty, greed and the lack of patriotism are dismantle and defeated, this 800 pound gorilla will continue to be an unwanted guest in our midst.
The legal instruments of the anti-corruption Act, 2008, indeed, are not the only prerequisite to a corruption-fighting solutions, corruption is a symptom of a socio-political malaise that have slowly permeated our society for generations. Unless, we balance the goal of preventing corruption by addressing the primary causes, we will never be able to enforce the consequences of such political nightmare. If we fight against the agents that breeds this anti-social practices by disinfecting the cesspool of our political structure with the strong philosophy of "no-matter- what,-just-do-the-right-thing" kind of attitude, then millions of our fellow citizens today would not go to bed hungry or lack the basic opportunity to live their dreams.
The Solution
For Sierra Leone as a case study, poverty and human greed are the enablers to this growing complex problem. There must be a two-prong approach to improving human capitals, providing essential services, increasing pay rate to reflect global inflations to our public servants and correspondingly implementing Part IV and Part V of the Anti-corruption Act, 2008 whenever there are infringed upon or grossly violated. It is not either one or the other, it is both: Poverty Prevention and Corruption Fighting Mechanism. Indeed, Sierra Leone ranked 150 out of the 180 countries listed on the corruption perception index by Transparency International (an international global advocacy group that fight against corruption). According to an ongoing research at the Word Bank, more than USD 1 trillion is paid in bribes each year; a comprehensive estimate of worldwide corruption would well exceed USD 1.5 trillion annually. The research also revealed that "the countries that tackle corruption and improve their rule of law can increase their national incomes by as much as four times in the long run and child mortality can fall by as much as 75 percent." Another research by IMF showed decreased investment patterns by almost 5 percent in countries infested by corruption.
I firmly believe that one of the most fitting ways we can celebrate our independence anniversary is to reaffirm a new commitment to fighting corruption with an ambitious mind set that this monstrous enemy will not have the oxygen to breathe and survive in our nation. Thus, the government of Sierra Leone should focus on the following corruption fighting-solutions:
• Promotion of good governance at all levels of government• Political will from those who govern to discourage corrupt practices• Criminalization of corrupt officers through prosecution and conviction• Comprehensive legislation to expand the power of the anti-corruption when legally needed.• Promote leadership like Zero-tolerance and setting examples through asset declaration• Review and strengthening of the judiciary system to dispense impartial justice• Review and reform of government procurement system to control theft/misappropriations of funds• Strengthen public financial management system to track potential fraud/theft• Code of conducts and ethics to govern the performance of pubic officers• Educational strategy to bring awareness to the problem• Partnership with stakeholders as a national anti-corruption strategy• Civil society and the public role of reporting corrupt behaviors• Broader management and implementation authority for a national anti-corruption strategy
Conclusion
As we continue to give our public leaders the trust and privilege of serving our great nation, we hold them to a higher standard of Integrity in Public Life to fully comply with Part VIII section 119 that: "(1) Every public officer shall within three months of becoming a public officer deposit with the Commission a sworn declaration of his income, assets and liabilities and thereafter not later than 31st March in each succeeding year that he is a public officer, he shall deposit further declarations of his income, assets and liabilities and also while leaving office."
Thus, it is most patriotic to rightfully ask the question as we celebrate our 48th independent anniversary: Is Sierra Leone winning or losing the war on Corruption?
Guest Writer: Mohamed C. Bah10 April, 2009Mohamed C. Bah, Guest Writer,Ex-President Sierra Leone Community, Atlanta, USA
Is Sierra Leone Winning or Losing the War on Corruption?
As our nation prepares to celebrate it 48th independence anniversary, the most daunting challenges confronting Sierra Leone today is how can we define a new independent thinking of fighting poverty and diseases, improving the basic livelihood of our fellow citizens and forming peaceful alliances within our society to promote national progress. For more than four decades, we have not comprehensively sought the path to sustainable economic growth that is akin to the kind of political independence we fought for and have so rightfully earned in the community of nations. Sierra Leone, as a young nation, needs more visionary and gifted leaders from all professional and political circles, where the social and moral evils that impedes progress are distanced from our desire to pursue a cohesive politics that brings diverse views and people together, teach Sierra Leoneans to love one another instead of fear and isolation. Furthermore, our anniversary of freedom must be celebrated by promoting a culture driven mentality of fighting a new political war against one of the oldest anti-social behavior, (corruption) which have ruined so many lives and stagnated a promising nation from moving forward into the shores of prosperity.
If political independence is to be realized, corruption should be reclassified as a very serious threat that continues to weaken the economic and human developments of our country. This problem really threatens the stability of our national survival. We must fight corruption, both morally and politically, with a grounded thinking and serious anti-corruption effort through ambitious goals: such as new economic independent strategies and legal legislation to regulate such anti-political behavior. Together, with a no-nonsense leadership, we can redraw the war zone and unleash our grounded offensives to defeat the enemy commonly known as "CORRUPTION." If we do not have an anti-poverty agenda with a track record of progress equally doing the role of investigating areas of inadequacy and poverty-stricken cities, towns, villages and preventing diseases ,infant mortality, low educational standards, poor infrastructures, and other human services, the celebration of our independence would be just a window dressing, an abstract thinking and believing that we are free but actually more dependent on the very nations we sought our freedom and liberty from.
The Evil Face of Corruption
Indeed, the potential of a little girl or boy in Sierra Leone may never be realized if corruption takes a front seat on our government structure. If public servants deplete government revenues by "misusing" or "misappropriating" funds/resources, our national income will continue to be significantly reduced, foreign investments discouraged, sustainable national development and infrastructural projects will seriously be compromised with no completion. If we do not combat corruption as a common threat, our independence from Britain will be a mental hallucination rather than a true definition of self-rule or self determination. Thus, we must see corruption not as a political party problem or a regional problem, but as a national problem that needs a collective solution from every Sierra Leonean. I think, we must reorganize and take a new independent approach to confronting this complex problem.
Realistically, the Anti-corruption Act, 2008 is a very compelling corruption-fighting tool that has the legal hallmarks and political merits in addressing an aging national problem. Retrospectively, it was deliberately enacted to "plug a hole in the Anti-Corruption Act, of 2000." That the previous act did not go far enough in its provisions, especially when viewed on the United National Convention Against Corruption and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption both of which Sierra Leone have ratified. That this new legislation gives broader powers to the commission to arrest, prosecute and convict corrupt public officers. I commend the Attorney General and his legal staff for crafting a fine piece of legislation with the blessing and approval of Parliament.
Corrupt Acquisition of Wealth
However, the anti-corruption Act, 2008, if properly implemented without prejudice will profoundly close the door to a shameful chapter in our nation's history. Nonetheless, this giant legislative effort is only one leg on the stool and cannot by itself solve this widespread epidemic that has destroyed the moral foundation of our nation. If we do not learn to work together in good faith and practice the principles of "integrity in public life", let us be rest assured that we have a darker and dangerous future ahead. That in our self-serving human failures we will have nothing to pass on to the next generation but a nation suffering from the reality of "moral bankruptcy". If we glorify the "corrupt acquisition of wealth" or the "misappropriation of public funds or property" as a reason to serve in government, we are predicting and creating a a future that is devoid of compassion and human progress Whatever the political equation we belongs to, corruption is a national problem and it is time to end it as we know it. We must go further in targeting the root causes of why it exists in our society. Until poverty, greed and the lack of patriotism are dismantle and defeated, this 800 pound gorilla will continue to be an unwanted guest in our midst.
The legal instruments of the anti-corruption Act, 2008, indeed, are not the only prerequisite to a corruption-fighting solutions, corruption is a symptom of a socio-political malaise that have slowly permeated our society for generations. Unless, we balance the goal of preventing corruption by addressing the primary causes, we will never be able to enforce the consequences of such political nightmare. If we fight against the agents that breeds this anti-social practices by disinfecting the cesspool of our political structure with the strong philosophy of "no-matter- what,-just-do-the-right-thing" kind of attitude, then millions of our fellow citizens today would not go to bed hungry or lack the basic opportunity to live their dreams.
The Solution
For Sierra Leone as a case study, poverty and human greed are the enablers to this growing complex problem. There must be a two-prong approach to improving human capitals, providing essential services, increasing pay rate to reflect global inflations to our public servants and correspondingly implementing Part IV and Part V of the Anti-corruption Act, 2008 whenever there are infringed upon or grossly violated. It is not either one or the other, it is both: Poverty Prevention and Corruption Fighting Mechanism. Indeed, Sierra Leone ranked 150 out of the 180 countries listed on the corruption perception index by Transparency International (an international global advocacy group that fight against corruption). According to an ongoing research at the Word Bank, more than USD 1 trillion is paid in bribes each year; a comprehensive estimate of worldwide corruption would well exceed USD 1.5 trillion annually. The research also revealed that "the countries that tackle corruption and improve their rule of law can increase their national incomes by as much as four times in the long run and child mortality can fall by as much as 75 percent." Another research by IMF showed decreased investment patterns by almost 5 percent in countries infested by corruption.
I firmly believe that one of the most fitting ways we can celebrate our independence anniversary is to reaffirm a new commitment to fighting corruption with an ambitious mind set that this monstrous enemy will not have the oxygen to breathe and survive in our nation. Thus, the government of Sierra Leone should focus on the following corruption fighting-solutions:
• Promotion of good governance at all levels of government• Political will from those who govern to discourage corrupt practices• Criminalization of corrupt officers through prosecution and conviction• Comprehensive legislation to expand the power of the anti-corruption when legally needed.• Promote leadership like Zero-tolerance and setting examples through asset declaration• Review and strengthening of the judiciary system to dispense impartial justice• Review and reform of government procurement system to control theft/misappropriations of funds• Strengthen public financial management system to track potential fraud/theft• Code of conducts and ethics to govern the performance of pubic officers• Educational strategy to bring awareness to the problem• Partnership with stakeholders as a national anti-corruption strategy• Civil society and the public role of reporting corrupt behaviors• Broader management and implementation authority for a national anti-corruption strategy
Conclusion
As we continue to give our public leaders the trust and privilege of serving our great nation, we hold them to a higher standard of Integrity in Public Life to fully comply with Part VIII section 119 that: "(1) Every public officer shall within three months of becoming a public officer deposit with the Commission a sworn declaration of his income, assets and liabilities and thereafter not later than 31st March in each succeeding year that he is a public officer, he shall deposit further declarations of his income, assets and liabilities and also while leaving office."
Thus, it is most patriotic to rightfully ask the question as we celebrate our 48th independent anniversary: Is Sierra Leone winning or losing the war on Corruption?
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