A recent government announcement revealed three officials on the Hajj Committee were dismissed for embezzling scholarships meant for trips to Mecca and selling them to foreign nationals. The three officials, including the Minister of State in the Vice President’s office, were ordered to return from Saudi Arabia immediately supposedly to face the repercussions of their alleged corruption.
These scholarships are meant for Muslims in Sierra Leone who can’t afford a trip to Mecca the opportunity to partake in the transformative spiritual journey so central to their faith. Countries like Saudi Arabia donate funds meant for poor Muslims, which is then distributed by the government Hajj Committee under the direct supervision of the Vice President. Instead, committee officials allegedly sold scholarships to foreigners from Guinea and Mali, robbing deserving Muslims in this country the once-in-a-lifetime chance to pray at Mecca. This level of depraved corruption begs the question: is nothing sacred?
This isn’t meant to be facetious; I’m seriously asking to what depths corrupt officials in the government won’t sink. Sierra Leone is a very pious country, leading me to believe even the most corrupt individuals might stop short of stealing money earmarked for religious pilgrimage, but I was wrong. None of my colleagues were surprised by the news. How could they be after reporting on the embezzlement and misuse of Ebola donations? Millions of dollars went missing; money that was meant to treat the sick, protect the healthy, and stop the spread of Ebola.
I commend the President for dismissing them and investigating their crimes, but firing them isn’t enough. Embezzlement and misuse of foreign aid has happened before and it will happen again if the management system isn’t changed. This latest public example of corruption highlights the need for an independent donation processing system. I believe examples like the Hajj Committee and Ebola aid show the President and Vice President’s offices are not capable of responsibly managing the millions of dollars of foreign donations that come into this country during times of crisis.
In fact, right now could be called a time of crisis. Over ten million dollars has been donated to the government of Sierra Leone for those effected by the mudslide, but the Vice President’s office hasn’t been very transparent with how that money is being spent. There is no budget or public declaration of the donation’s they’ve received. I’m not saying that President or Vice President is complicit in past corruption scandals – there is no published evidence I could find saying so – I just believe the past misdeeds of officials working in their administration warrants a new system. The most qualified organization to design this independent system of foreign aid management and disbursement might be the Anti-Corruption Commission.
People I’ve talked to around the city don’t have confidence that the money pouring into the country following this disaster is trickling down to the people who really need it. They see what’s coming out about the Hajj Committee and they saw what happened during Ebola, so it’s not surprising they’re skeptical. Some foreign donors feel the same way. These agencies saw their donations misused or downright stolen by unknown government officials. Why would they want to donate through the President’s office again when they know that maybe only a small fraction will actually make it to those in need? The government needs a new system of aid disbursement, not only to reaffirm the trust of the people, but to rebuild trust with the international community of donors.
I’m not sure I can answer the question printed in this headline. I thought religion was sacred, but corrupt officials stole from religious coffers all the same. I thought the deaths of their countrymen and women from a manageable, treatable disease was sacred, but they stole the medical supplies anyway. It’s unclear if these unscrupulous officials hold anything in high enough regard not to turn a profit from it. Now is the time for President Koroma to restore the government’s reputation, both domestically and abroad.
Timothy’s Take
Thursday August 24, 2017.
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