Ombudsman received 96 complaints in 3 months

The office of the Ombudsman has confirmed receiving 96 complaints from the public within three months. Eighty six per cent of the complaints were from men while 16% were from women. Most of the complaints received fall under various types of categories including non-payment of salaries and benefits, wrongful dismissal, harassment and unfair treatment.
This was disclosed by the Ombudsman Justice Edmond Cowan at a press conference held at the Santana House in Freetown yesterday. He said 77 matters are under investigations and four have already been transferred to the appropriate institutions.
He said the office has also concluded about 15 complaints and 14 were in favour of the complainants while 1 was in favour of the institution complained about adding that most ministries, departments and Agencies respond to queries at slow pace which he said lengthens the investigation process.
The Ombudsman said “some institutions are deliberately refusing to reply to any of our correspondences and others see us as an intruder in their domain”.
He said these were some of the reasons responsible for 77 complaints under investigations and also making it impossible to conclude more cases.
He further explained that raising awareness of the Ombudsman’s office is among the key priorities developed in the five year strategic plan to effectively carryout its mandate in order to promote administrative fairness as part of the ongoing reform of the justice system in Sierra Leone.
The Ombudsman expressed gratitude to the Justice Sector Development Project (JSDP) for the support given to his office by funding the press conferences, and the recent three weeks study tour which he said has enabled the office in Freetown to replicate the best practices of the countries visited.
On the area of staffing he said they have recruited investigators, an Admin/ Finance Officer, Secretaries, Information Technology Officer and a Public Relations Officer adding that a Nigerian expatriate is expected in the country soon to train officers at his office.
The Executive Secretary Charles Wyse also formed part of the delegation that took part in the three weeks study tour to South Africa, Malawi, and Namibia. He also made meaningful contributions at the press conference on the way forward for the office of the Ombudsman on the 5 years strategic plan. 
By Saidu Bah