By: Aminata Sesay
The Parliament of Sierra Leone has enacted the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Centre Act 2025, a landmark piece of legislation designed to enhance the country’s ability to anticipate and respond to threats to peace, security, and human well-being.
The Act establishes a fully operational National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Centre, which will be responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating early warnings related to disasters, health crises, governance challenges, security risks, and environmental hazards.
The bill, which underwent rigorous debate and amendments, was introduced by Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Barlay, who underscored its importance in crisis prevention.
“This mechanism will provide a comprehensive platform for problem-solving and generate data to proactively address disasters and security threats,” she said.
She further explained that the legislation would strengthen the country’s technical management systems, enhance early warning capabilities, and formalize legal frameworks for national resilience.
Hon. Musa Fofanah, Chairman of the Committee on Planning and Economic Development, lauded the Ministry’s initiative and called for the bill’s swift passage:
“This Centre will help mitigate disasters before they escalate. I urge this House to pass the bill swiftly.”
Deputy Opposition Whip 1, Hon. Catherine Zainab Tarawalie, supported the bill while urging thorough scrutiny of specific clauses for clarity and national benefit.
“This is not a political bill; it’s a national one that benefits every Sierra Leonean.”
Hon. Joseph Williams Lamin from Bo District encouraged perseverance and accountability within the Centre’s leadership. Hon. Mariama Bangura of Western Urban voiced concerns about institutional overlap, emphasizing the need to strengthen existing agencies like the Office of National Security and the National Disaster Management Agency.
Acting Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Daniel Brima Koroma, expressed support for the bill but recommended revisions to the governing board’s composition, including increased female representation.
“We must avoid ‘copy and paste’ legislation that doesn’t reflect our local context.”
Concluding the debate, Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma, stressed the bill’s relevance, referencing past failures to act on early warnings.
“If institutions had responded to previous alerts, we might have prevented crises like the Mpox outbreak or the Yenga situation.”
Speaking after the bill’s passage, Frances Nyuma, Executive Director of the Centre, welcomed the legal mandate, noting that the Centre had previously operated under an executive order. “This Act reinforces our authority with legal backing from Parliament,” she said.
Nyuma highlighted that the Centre had already issued early warnings, including about the Mpox outbreak in West Africa as early as 2022. While institutional response was limited at the time, she emphasized that such alerts had helped reduce disaster severity.
She explained that the Centre takes a multi-sectoral approach, addressing health, environmental, governance, and security issues through verified data analysis.
“Whether it’s illegal dumping, floods, or public health threats, our goal is to mitigate harm before it escalates,” Nyuma stated. The Act also introduces accountability mechanisms, including a system to track institutional responses to warnings.