Are you still surprised that even with a lot of visible signs that quite a lot is happening that we may call development, we still have a large portion of our compatriots that strongly believe that our developmental priorities are yet to be put right? Well I am not surprised because it looks like in Sierra Leone it seems everything is a priority. Given that this is so then where do we start especially as we are running a donor- driven economy. Are you there? Look this is politics bla-bla – whatever government we get falls into the same dilemma, it does not matter which slogan it carries as its vision. This definitely is not a pessimistic view, I am just being stark realistic. Let me give you a small story which you may call a joke because we Sierra Leoneans were born with levity, a trade mark we still carry.
We had this workshop in Bo, I think in 2004 on human rights and justice. We had civil society organizations, politicians, civil servants and the security apparati. At the height of the discussions on corruption, the police had a sound bashing. And you know what, we had three police officers right in front of the hall who appeared reluctant to react. However some of us prevailed on one of them to react. He did! Appearing very confident he told the gathering that the reason why the corruption in the police was too pronounced was that because the corruption there is very transparent. That if a traffic police is taking a bribe, he does so openly and the amounts are small, but then in the civil service or the NGO world, a quiet single signature steals millions. I tell you that policeman really dropped a bombshell and you could see how uncomfortable many people got although they managed to laugh it off. That was the first time I heard of transparent corruption.
But you see this really is the microcosm of our development, it seams the problems or challenges have grown so big that a lot people feel it is illusive no matter what attempts to check it. Well of course the pessimist will definitely not agree here. Never mind the world is full of opposites, and controversies form the bulk of our very lives. Whether we have varying views or not it is but necessary for us as citizens to be engaging on issues that affect our lives. In any given situation stakeholders comprise both those who affect the situation and those who are affected by the situation, they are equally important. This is contrary to what many people feel that citizens of a nation are passive observers to the affairs of their government. No. Governments have the duty to protect the citizens to the best of their abilities. When they don’t do this, they have failed to live up to their obligations. This is not to say that citizens do not have to contribute to the success of their governments. We all need to ask ourselves how we can ensure that our country has a healthy, democratic government. We have a responsibility as citizens to help create and maintain governments that work for the good of the people.
In our case in Sierra Leone and perhaps elsewhere in poor Africa, we go sycophantically partisan and become blind to the realities even when they stare us right in our poverty screwed faces, and become mere fanatics. You see in this life only those who see the invisible will be able to do what appears the impossible. Those who hear the inaudible are the ones who will have the unimaginable. This is now going beyond mere mediocrity. You all were privy to the civil society’s outcry over the Health Budget reduction. What was quite surprising was the fact that government in its own report on the Progress of the Millennium Development Goals had included the upping of the Health budget to 15% of the national budget in line with the recommendation of the Abuja Accord. This slip is pointing to the fact that our top civil servants do not always follow-up action points and advice their political leaders.
Beyond this, you can also clearly see that either consultation with the people was absent or cosmetic at best. Well that was how we ended 2011. Now that 2012 is here, we better redouble our commitment to sharing with the people as much as possible. After all it is the people who live below the poverty line that feel the grinding brunt, not those who use micro waves and ride hummer jeeps… but foot citizens who even on Christmas day were our their trying to make some money and feed their families. Why don’t we change for once? Transformation is only valid when it is carried out with the people, not for them. You see if Sierra Leone has to progress, we have to be liberated first. Liberation is like a child birth, a painful one. The person, who emerges, is a new person, no longer oppressor or oppressed, but a person in the process of achieving freedom. Like Paolo Frère says, it is only the Oppressed, who by freeing themselves can free their oppressors. For long world events have amply demonstrated that decisions taken in one part of the world may affect people in other regions. It requires proactive actions to promote global conditions that support progress and benefits for all.
When you look at the government’s report on the progress made with the Millennium development goals (MDGs) you will find out that only one that is MDG 6 which refers to the halting and reversing of the spread of HIV and AIDS, Malaria and other diseases like TB. Do you know what? That 2010 report says that the MDGs 1(Poverty and hunger), 3 (Gender Equality) and 7 (Environment), will not be met. I really think it is a fair assessment looking at the fact that many people still go to bed hungry and one spoon of cooked rice is One thousand Leones! Do you read what I am reading? With even the lauded progress with the free Health Care, we are nowhere near achieving the Health MDGs. For MDG4 child Mortality and MDG 5 Maternal Mortality, the report says that they may be achieved with sustained effort. Although we have definitely seen a lot of progress scored by the government current trends do not point to progress by leaps and bounds that will change our current standing with the MDGs. The truth is that with so much money being poured into the road works in the west End of Freetown, there could hardly be a way to step up progress with the MDGs. Of course as a tripartite election year your guess is as good as mine.
If it were not the last year of the Government’s term one would have advised that the Agenda for Change is changed so that the commitments are reduced so that we chew the food that is already in our mouths before taking other mondors. I really hope nobody gets me wrong here. I am simply saying that we have too many capital expenditure projects undergone all at the same time hot on the heels of an election year. But of course you may tell me that the sin of omission is graver than that of commission. I agree with you and particularly admire the president’s pragmatism and daring heart. Without scratching my head, I can safely say that the government has perhaps demonstrated the best political will in the area of the Free Health care Initiative. This even the hardest critic cannot touch.
There is a problem we need to quickly now find out which MDG we can tackle and perhaps concentrate on as against 2015. I think we need to go back to the drawing book and closely study the MDG report and update it to include 2011. This really can’t wait given that this is our elections year and knowing the character and attitude of the Sierra Leonean. Like the black American film Maker once said, If you don’t draw your own face, you will not recognize it if somebody else does it for you.
By Ben Cambayma
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