By Simity Admire Nenneh Kamara
The call for proper accountability has become the utmost concern for media practitioners and civil society organizations, who are urged to become the whistleblowers in ensuring that the government and policymakers are transparent and accountable in debt management processes.
This call came after a 3-day training organized by the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) in collaboration with the Public Debt Management Division of the Ministry of Finance, sponsored by the African Development Bank under the grant-financed project – Enhancing Efficiency in Public Debt Management Institutional Support Project.
The training was held at the Leisure Lodge, Aberdeen in Freetown, with the goal of strengthening the capacity of CSOs and media practitioners to monitor, analyze, and report effectively on public debt in Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the training, BAN’s Coordinator, Abubakarr Kamara, stressed the importance of effective public debt management in ensuring economic stability and sustainable development. “When public debt is not managed properly, it can become a heavy burden on citizens and future generations. It is crucial that CSOs and media practitioners join hands to hold the government accountable in the borrowing process from a constructive and evidence-based perspective,” he stated.
He added that concerns raised by media practitioners and CSOs – ranging from access to comprehensive and timely simplified public debt information, to the interpretation of the debt situation in Sierra Leone – will be addressed as part of their commitment and collaboration. He also urged both sectors to set agendas that will delve into specific contracts and loan agreements in the country.
During his presentation, one of the facilitators, Santigie Charles Conteh, who is also the Deputy Director of the Public Debt Management Unit at the Ministry of Finance, pointed out key areas covered, including understanding public debt and its types, the debt situation in Sierra Leone, debt sustainability and risks, and the impact of debt on the economy and society.
Dr. Thulla from the same unit focused his discussions and presentation on CSOs advocating for responsible debt, their role in debt oversight, the media’s role in debt reporting, the international debt framework, and case studies. He also shared practical steps in tracking public debt.
A participant, Lawrence Williams, Editor of Fritong Post Newspaper and representative of the media, described the training as timely and insightful, stating, “This training has equipped us with the knowledge and tools to track government borrowing and ensure that loans are used for their intended purposes.”
A representative from the civil society organizations reiterated their commitment to fostering public financial accountability, further policy engagement, dialogue, and advocacy campaigns aimed at promoting debt sustainability and fiscal discipline in Sierra Leone.
The training concluded with a call to action for all stakeholders to remain proactive and vigilant in ensuring that public debt is managed responsibly for the benefit of all citizens in Sierra Leone.
