October 11, 2021
By: MOHAMED M. SESAY
During the Concord Times Summit staged a the Bintumani Conference Center in Freetown, the former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has on the 8th of October 2021, lauded President Bio for his strides towards promoting good governance and the prevention of Gender Based Violence in the country.
The former President made particular reference to the amendment of the sexual Offences Act of 2019 which provides a minimum sentence of fifteen years imprisonment for offenders. The theme for the summit was “the people, good governance and post covid-19 recovery”.
“In this regard, I will like to commend my brother the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio and the people of Sierra Leone, for enacting the sexual offences Act of 2019 which stipulate a minimum sentence of fifteen years to offenders”, she applauded.
Addressing the key areas of the summit theme, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf noted that, good governance is always the best option for any nation’s development. She added that good governance requires the proper management of public assets and resources through the sense of transparency and accountability and the sharing of such national resources in an equitable manner. She said those who manage public space and enact public policies have the greatest responsibility in ensuring that those who work in the private sectors are equally ensured of a predictable and business friendly environment.
For good governance to be at work, Madam Sirleaf encouraged all to play their parts and create the enable environment for appropriate applicability good governance.
She however noted that national leaders have the greatest responsibility to serve as good examples to the people they serve in terms of promoting good governance.
She furthered that national leaders should have the courage to take forceful actions applied by law in public policies in order to produce result that can move the country forward. She reaffirmed that governance means leaving no one behind especially ensuring more women in the house of parliament, in business entities and at the high level of government institutions such as the cabinet.
Madam Sirleaf expressed that she felt elated to be part of the summit in order to participate and discuss the by-laws of democratic dividend of good governance to any nation and therefore, requested for a concerted efforts to invest and contribute in the promotion of democratic good governance. She acknowledged that the media, civil society organizations and religious bodies are very pivotal in the promotion of democratic governance in any country.
“Let me register my deep appreciation for the welcome and making me feel like home here in Freetown. I congratulate the Concord Times Newspaper on its 29th anniversary and for its history and reputation for independent reporting focusing on development journalism”, she said.
She also congratulated the participating journalists at the Concord Times Summit for attending such event adding that, the goal of such summit is to stimulate the direction of national governance, the overall challenges and the future of the Africa region.
Madam Sirleaf concluded by acknowledging that journalists are key stakeholders in national development. She said the work of journalists contributes immensely to the nation’s progress through setting the goal for implementing national agenda by state actors.
Speaking on behalf of government, the Minister of Information and Communications Mohamed Rado Swarray said, he was fortunate to have played a role in the first summit organized by Concord Times in 2008 which was chaired by late President Kabba. He added that Sierra Leone has a very strong reputation in terms of discussing very important issues over the past years of which Concord Times intends to rekindle.
As a government, he said they are very excited that the media and civil society organizations are taking advantage of the country’s democratic credentials. He reminded that the Bio Government has repealed a sixty-five year old criminal libel law which was a major obstacle for the free operation of the media.
Mohamed Rado Swarray continued that government has taken bold practical steps to ensure that other reforms regarding the promotion of good governance is felt and visible. He said President Bio during his campaign, committed to relinquishing the chancellorship of universities once elected president of which the president has done. He said the spirit of such move by the president was to depoliticize the universities so that the universities will be able to operate independently.
In his statement, the president of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalist Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, reflected in 2008 when he was also part of the Concord Times Summit keenly listening to former president of Liberia Professor Amos Sawyer delivering the keynote address. He added that it was also a blessing to see another Concord Times Summit being graced by the former President of Liberia Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as keynote speaker.
He encouraged the management of Concord Times to also involve other dignitaries of Liberia in subsequent events. He said Concord Times has been doing extremely well in terms of professional journalism in Sierra Leone. He concluded his statement by awarding the Chief Executive Officer of Concord Times Kingsley Leighton for his colossal contribution to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists and in the world of journalism in Sierra Leone by extension.
The Editor-In-Chief of the Concord Times Newspaper Alusine Sesay said one of the fundamental functions of the media is to set the agenda for national discuss of which Concord Times stands as a true reflection of that important role of the media.
He added that the Concord Times Summit which was dubbed as ‘fresh answers for the people post covid-19 recovery’ was a deliberate attempt by the Concord Times Communications management to bring people together in discussing such emerging issues.
He said the theme for the summit was carefully selected in order to enhance inclusive engagement and chart the way forward for national development and prosperity for all.