By: Lemuella Tarawallie
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Defence has partnered with the Africa Center for Strategic Studies to host a three-day Defence Oversight Capacity Building workshop at the Office of National Security in Freetown.
Opening the session, Hon. Alex Mattia Rogers, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Defence, described the initiative as the result of two years of planning and engagement. “The Office of National Security, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Commission on Arms and Ammunition are all part of this process,” he said. “I have been working on this project for the past two years, and I am proud to see it come to fruition. This is a programme that will be embraced.”
Hon. Rogers recalled attending a similar capacity-building programme at the War College in Washington, which demonstrated the concept not only for parliamentarians but also for associated national defence agencies. For the current workshop, two participants were selected from each associated agency, including representatives from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, following nominations by the Minister of Defence. “It is a composition of expertise from the MDAs. The goal is experience and knowledge sharing. By the end of this exercise, justice will be done to the conduct of this programme,” he added.
Dr. Catherine Lena Kelly, Director of Engagement at the Africa Center and co-developer of the programme, explained that the workshop had been years in the making and was developed with input from the entire Defence Committee, supported by experts from legislative and security institutions across Africa. “It is comprehensive, covering topics critical to the effective oversight of defence and security institutions,” she said. “It is practical, with two exercises incorporated as part of the week’s programme.”
Dr. Kelly noted that the training aims to strengthen ties between defence legislators and staff in Sierra Leone and their counterparts in administrative departments and agencies overseen by the committee. Strengthening executive-legislative relationships will improve national security strategy implementation, defence sector budgeting, and information sharing. The programme consists of four plenary sessions and two guided exercises delivered by African security sector experts. A strict non-attribution policy ensures participants can speak candidly on sensitive issues.
Objectives include analyzing the Defence Committee’s oversight function, applying the “3As” framework of Ability, Authority, and Attitude to assess parliamentary oversight quality, and examining the role of MDA officials in supporting oversight functions.
Dr. Joel Amegboh, Assistant Professor for African Security Studies at the Africa Center, emphasized the importance of parliamentary oversight in the defence and security sector. “Defence and security institutions are not ordinary public agencies. They manage classified information, command disciplined forces, and absorb significant national resources. Such authority demands serious oversight,” he said. He warned that weak oversight can lead to limited understanding of security threats, overreliance on executive briefings, and unclear institutional mandates.
Providing local context, Mr. Francis Keili, Chief of Staff at the Office of National Security, outlined the structure and functions of the four MDAs under the committee’s oversight: the Ministry of Defence, ONSA, the Arms and Ammunition Commission, and CISA. He noted that strengthened oversight would improve accountability, public trust, and governance mechanisms.
Mr. Francis Esimit, a procurement professional from Kenya, addressed the need to balance transparency with security in defence procurement. He highlighted that concealment of budgets, contracts, and supplier information undermines parliamentary oversight and public accountability.
Former Pan-African Parliament member Ms. Annelize Van Wyk shared lessons from South Africa, emphasizing secure briefings, whistleblower protection, and parliamentary resource allocation for committee site visits. She warned that systemic corruption in classified budgets persists unless oversight is robust.
The workshop will conclude with group presentations from representatives of the four MDAs, outlining practical steps to strengthen cooperation and improve oversight in Sierra Leone’s defence and security sector.