Members and administrative staff of the Parliamentary Committees on Defence and National Security and Internal Affairs have begun a three-day capacity-building workshop in Bo.
The workshop, on the theme “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of the Defence, Security and Internal Affairs Sectors in Sierra Leone” is being held at Dohas Hotel, Bo, from 6th to 8th October, 2026.
It is organized by the Parliament of Sierra Leone in collaboration with the African Union Commission and the GIZ-implemented EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance Project (EPSG), with co-funding from the European Union, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
Declaring the workshop open, the National Security Coordinator, Office of National Security (ONS), Dr. Ahmed Sannoh, said national security is not the responsibility of security institutions alone, but a shared national responsibility.
He said Parliament occupies a vital place in the national security architecture through legislation, budget scrutiny and accountability, noting that effective oversight does not compete with national security but strengthens it.
Representing the EU Delegation, the Governance Policy Manager, Dr. Enrico Sborgi, said at a time when the security environment in West Africa continues to evolve, the role of democratic institutions in ensuring accountable and rights-based security governance is more important than ever.
He said the EU is pleased to support the initiative because effective security and democratic accountability must go hand in hand.
The ECOWAS Resident Representative, Ambassador John Azumah, in his statement, said effective oversight must be rigorous without being reckless, critical without being partisan and firm without compromising national interest.
He warned that national security must not become an extension of party competition because security threats do not know party lines.
Delivering the statement on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Solomon Segepoh Thomas, the Deputy Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Gilbert Bosco N’habay, said parliamentary oversight should not be regarded as an impediment to national security but as one of the safeguards for legitimate and sustainable security.
He said the ultimate beneficiary of oversight is not Parliament itself but the citizen who expects to live in safety and expects public resources to be used responsibly.
Representative of the African Union Commission, Mr. Osei Baffour Frimpong, said the workshop is a follow-up to the regional workshop held in Dakar, Senegal in June 2026, and aligns with the AU Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform adopted in 2013.
A Representative of the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Abdul Sulaiman Marray-Conteh, said strong parliamentary oversight does not mean undermining operational independence but creating a framework where security institutions operate within the law and respect human rights.
Representing the Opposition, Hon. Rose Marie Bangura said effective oversight must rise above party politics and ensure security institutions serve all Sierra Leoneans without fear or favour, while protecting human rights and public funds.
The workshop brings together MPs, committee staff, security sector representatives and development partners to enhance skills in policy scrutiny, budget oversight, human rights, gender-responsive oversight and evidence-based engagement.