The Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, under the astute and results-driven leadership of the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, has achieved a commendable overall score of 72.40% in the Africa Open Parliament Index (OPI), placing the country 5th among African nations.
The Index assessed parliaments across three core dimensions including transparency 53.64%, civic participation 48.64% and public accountability 38.64%. Sierra Leone’s overall score positioned it ahead of countries such as Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda. The top four positions were secured by South Africa 79.69%, Ghana 77.60%, Kenya 73.96% and Zambia 73.44%.
The Africa Open Parliament Index is a flagship initiative of the Africa Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations Network (APMON) a coalition of civil society organizations that monitor and engage with legislative bodies across national, sub-national, and regional levels throughout the continent.
The primary objective of the Index is to strengthen parliamentary institutions by promoting openness, enhancing comparative learning, encouraging civil society collaboration, and supporting evidence-based reforms. It evaluates parliaments using 48 carefully selected indicators across the three key dimensions and is updated biennially to track progress and benchmark improvements.
APMON expressed optimism that the findings will empower citizens, civil society organizations, the media, and decision-makers to engage in advocacy, initiate reforms, and promote transparency and accountability in governance through open parliamentary practices.