The president of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has made statement at NPDC Women’s debate 2022.
He said “today is an exciting day for the National Political Debates Committee (NPDC for short) and for all registered political parties in Sierra Leone”.
“The NPDC is a group of 11 diverse organizations including the:
1. Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC)
2. Campaign for Good Governance (CGG)
3. Centre for the Coordination of Youth Affairs (CCYA)
4. Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC)
5. African young Voices AYV (TV)
6. Independent Radio Network (IRN)
7. National Literary and Debating Association (NaLDA)
8. Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDI)
9. Institute for Governance Reform (IGR)
10. 50/50 Group and
11. Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ).
• We are non-partisan and non-profit organization.
• Our goal is to deepen our democratic culture in Sierra Leone through the organisation of political debates at all levels of our governance structure, if possible.
• We believe that debates will help our politicians to engage one another in a respectful and responsible manner, and also keep fellow citizens informed and focused on the development agenda of political parties and political actors”.
“ By organizing debates on policy issues, we aim to influence shifts in the mindsets of citizens from divisive factors such as tribal, ethnic and regional considerations to more substantive issues that could grow our national economy, improve essential national service delivery in the areas of healthcare, education, infrastructure, and food security, among other needs.
• Today’s debate gives us hope that through our mutual cooperation, we shall achieve our goal of promoting a culture of debate in our body politic, and increase citizens’ participation in the governance process
• Today’s debate gives us hope that through the cooperation of all political parties and political actors, we shall work together and deliver on this important aspect of our democracy as a team.
• Let me assure you that the NPDC will continue to remain non-partisan, unbiased, independent, and respectful of our ethnic, tribal and political diversity as Sierra Leoneans.
• Today’s debate gives us hope! With the support of our development partners, corporate bodies and well-wishers, the NPDC will deliver immense output on our mandate.
• We thank NDI for their support thus far in formalising our existence as a committee and for orgainsing these first two debates.
• The NPDC’s current funding, which we received in sub-grant from NDI, ends this January 2022.
• To development partners, corporate organizations and well-wishers, I encourage you to please look our way so that we continue on this path of deepening our democracy and developing an enlightened citizenry through political debates.
• My sincere gratitude goes to all the political parties, and the member organisations! NPDC is here to work with you, to give you the platform to market your institutions and ideologies to the populace”.
Dead Trap for Sanda Magbolontor Residents
A short and old bridge between Kamateh and Masana Villages at Sanda Magbolonthon Chief in Karena District, Northern Sierra Leone had collapsed and limited vehicular of people’s movement to link other villages within the District.
The bridge under review located at a highway leading from Port Loko District to Kamakwie and Guinea Conakry.
The ugly incident of the collapsed bridge had sent fear in the minds of residents and travellers along the said delapidated bridge especially during the height of the raining season when water flooded and took possession of a whole area.
The frustrated Indegenes of the said interior said they want government to know about the problem they are currently facing and that they would be in position to look in to the matter and put it in their notice for action.
The painful aspect in this whole episode is that; vehicles couldn’t cross, but passengers will be managed to pass through the broken bridge.
The Central Base Journalists (CBJ-SL) and Sanda Magbolontor Youth Development Union (SMYDU) had joined the advocacy to rebuild the broken bridge and draw the attention of government and concerned stakeholders together with the Ministry of Works.
