Sierra Leone’s Information Minister says: ‘country is making progress’

Information Minister I B Kargbo

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo has said that as a government they have been working hard to ensure that they continue to provide the enabling environment for the operation of political tolerance, pluralistic press and the observance of human rights issues. He is convinced also that the country has been making progress since the new government was elected. With barely two years in government, he said ‘the government has scored big political marks’. He made these remarks when Newstime Africa met him for an interview at his 8^th Floor Youyi Building Office in Freetown on Monday 31^st of August 2009.

Alhaji Ben Kargbo has been a key Minister in the current political administration led by President Ernest Bai Koroma. Most often, he is referred to as the best spin doctor this country has ever had. He is seen as a major player in the efforts undertaken by government to rebrand the image of the country, following an end to a decade long civil carnage.  Before his appointment to the current ministerial position, I.B. Kargbo was Managing Editor of a local newspaper, the The New Citizen, and also served as President of the Journalists Association in Sierra Leone

When Newstime Africa asked him to comment on what has been happening within the last 24 months since their election into office, he said ‘on assuming office, the President, Ernest Bai Koroma insisted that the transition period must be smooth and that the government must endeavor to promote the culture of democratic tolerance and that the need to recognize human rights issues must be taken into consideration’, and all of these, he said, have been maintained.

He noted that as a government, they have continued to support the Human Right Commission, ensure press freedom and that when they took over power, they had a retreat at Bumbuna and it was at that retreat that they  came up with ‘the agenda for change’, where it was agreed that the entire economic and infrastructural development of Sierra Leone must take a new look  He disclosed that they were able to identify areas of priorities which include but not limited to the provision of electricity, energy, agriculture, infrastructural development  and that ‘electricity has dramatically improved in the city of Freetown’

The Information Minister also stated that they placed a lot of concern on the completion of the Bumbuna Hydro Project and that from all indications it will soon be completed and commissioning will occur in October of this year.

Political tolerance and the enabling political environment are paramount in the promotion of democracy and good governance. In recent times, the government has been accused by the main opposition Sierra Leone People’ Party as not providing the enabling environment for the smooth operation of other political parties. There was a fracas between the two leading parties, the APC and SLPP, sometime in March this year which eventually led to the destruction of the radio station of the SLPP. Later the radio stations of both parties were banned from operation by the media regulating body, the Independent Media Commission.

But the Minister could not succumb to allegation that his government has not been tolerant.  When asked about government’s response to that allegation, he said ‘more than ever before, participation of opposition parties in the country’s political process remains intact to the extent that the opposition uses various platforms to criticize the government’. The tolerance of the President, I.B. Kargbo said, is a fact that he is always ready to receive members of the opposition to discuss national issues and that ‘there are five members in government who are not members of the ruling party’

‘Whether this government is a northern-based one can always be contested  by the fact that apart from government ministers, non-northerners hold key positions in public services and they include the army, the Public Service Commission, the leadership of the University and Permanent Secretaries in key government ministries’

Asked to comment on government’s commitment to the fight against corruption, he said, they have ensured that the body, charged with the responsibility of fighting corruption, the Anti Corruption Commission is independent, and now has prosecutorial powers to charge matters of corruption to court. He however cautioned that as a government, they are not relying on the ACC alone but other institutions like Audit Service and the oversight committee in Parliament that could help to address the issues of corruption in government.

The government is also confronted with resolving the Yenga border dispute with its neighboring sister country Guinea. This territory which once belonged to Sierra Leone was forcefully occupied by Guinean troops who had helped restore peace in Sierra Leone. The issue became topical and was a political tool used to campaign during the last Presidential elections. Asked to tell what the latest development is concerning Yenga, IB Kargbo said, as a government, they are treating Yenga with the greatest concern and that several meetings had been held and soon, the matter would be resolved diplomatically.

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