September 2, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
With support from the administrative wing of the Fifth Parliament of the second Republic of Parliament, the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery (SLPPG) yesterday the 31st of August, convened a fruitful one year six months strategic planning workshop. The essence of the strategic planning engagement is for the betterment and effective running of the Parliamentary press Gallery.
In his address at the New Administrative Building in Parliament, the Deputy Director of Communications of Parliament Sheku Turay informed that a Strategic Plan is being developed for the House of Parliament with a life span of five years (2021-2025) which will be implemented by the administration of Parliament.
He added that goal four of the strategic plan of Parliament speaks to Openness, transparency, accountability in the operations and workings of Parliament of Sierra Leone which falls under the purview of the Department of the Public Relations and by extension, the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery.
Mr. Turay encouraged members of the Press Gallery to align the Strategic Plan of the Parliamentary Press Gallery with that of the Strategic Plan of Parliament as openness, Transiency and accountability is boldly captured in the government’s architecture of the Parliament of Sierra Leone. He furthered that the European Union has supported the Parliament of Sierra Leone with the development of a communication strategy.
He added that the communication strategy has been discussed at various levels and that the very thrust of the communications strategy is to promote access to the parliament of Sierra Leone, promote openness, and also to leverage partnership with the media through the public relations unit in parliament.
“As partners in development, we need to work together by conveying appropriate and accurate information about the proceedings of Parliament of Sierra Leone for the consumption of the general public which is one of the thrust of the communication strategy that has been developed”, he assured.
On the aspect of media policy, the Deputy Director also intimated that they have developed a media policy regarding access of reporting on Parliament of Sierra Leone which he considered as part of global practice with particular reference to South Africa.
He stressed that if Parliament is to promote openness and access to the Parliament of Sierra Leone, then the media is an integral and an important partner in that regard.
He reiterated that the media policy developed by Parliament largely deals with access to community meetings relating to parliamentary proceedings and speaks around the issue of accreditation to all registered Parliamentary press Gallery with a view to achieving accuracy and quality reporting on the proceedings of parliament.
He concluded by encouraging Members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery to focuses the SLPPG Strategic Plan on three thematic areas regarding Parliamentary governance in terms of legislation, representation and oversight.
The Interim President of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery Rev. Vincent Jabbie Momoh, welcomed members of the SLPPG to the historic development of the one year six month strategic planning meeting funded by the House of Parliament.
He said the support to hold such workshop is part of the tireless commitment from the administrative wing of parliament in order to strengthen the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Galley (SLPPG) so that members can effectively and efficiently perform their independent and credible reportorial duties.
He reminded that during a capacity training organized by UNDP sometime this month, he made an appeal to the Leadership of Parliament to assist the SLPPG with more training opportunities, equipment, exchange programs, scholarship, funding for public education on the role of Parliament at constituency levels. He however noted that the aforementioned activities can never be achieved without a strategic plan which will help guide SLPPG and Parliament.
President Momoh continued that the strategic plan meeting has brought members of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery together to plan activities that will enhance members of the SLPPG in discharging their duties independently, effectively and efficiently. He added that the Strategic Plan will also focus on how PPG will accurately report around the core mandates of parliamentarians according to the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone including oversight, representation and legislation. He assured that the Strategic Plan will also capture the aspect of reconstitution of the SLPPG and the conduct of a free and fair elections in due course.