By: Kadijatu Bangura, Reporter D.S.
Alphonsus Gbanie, Executive Secretary of the Human Rights Defenders Network Sierra Leone, has expressed significant concern regarding poor accountability practices within parliamentary governance, particularly in light of recent actions taken by Parliament and the Office of the President.
In an exclusive interview, Gbanie emphasized the vital role of Parliament in safeguarding citizens’ rights, especially when access to justice is compromised or the executive branch becomes oppressive. He cited the removal of the Auditor General as a glaring example of the country’s accountability crisis.
“If Parliament can vote out the Auditor General and her deputy, it tells you where we are as a country,” Gbanie remarked. He further explained that in any office, if the President needs to make a payment, he does not personally handle it; rather, designated officials manage those transactions on his behalf.
According to Gbanie, dismissing the Auditor General without addressing the underlying issues is not a viable solution. He stated that if the Auditor identifies malpractices involving the President’s office, the focus should be on those responsible for the misconduct, not the Auditor.
“Nobody has been held accountable for creating that international embarrassment for us. If the President is not embarrassed, for us as a nation, it’s an embarrassment. This was an international embarrassment, and yet no one has been held accountable,” he asserted.
Gbanie is urging that all public officials implicated in mismanagement be subjected to due process.
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