News Story

UK: DYLAN SOGIE-THOMAS - sogiethomas@yahoo.com: What is attitude and what does it mean to ‘change our attitude? Attitude is a manner of thought, reflections of our beliefs and feeling. Our attitude allows us to respond consistently favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given objects, person or idea. In Sierra Leone we look at politicians and other senior government officials as models. Our politicians and other government officials are paid between Le 500,000 –Le 3,000,000 but we have seen those politicians acquiring houses all over the country and abroad. Our president, ministers and other senior government officials have a significant influence on our attitude. We imitate the attitudes of people we admire and respect.

Attitude like perceptions can change with new knowledge, changing beliefs and changing feelings. Some of the officials President Ernest Koroma is using to influence Sierra Leoneans to change their attitude from negative to positive or from positive to negative are Sanpha Koroma ( National Development Bank and Bank of Sierra Leone), Victor Foh(voucher gate scandal) and David Carew (KPMG). Among all the names listed I think David Carew should be given more powers and control as he has the experience and knowledge to move Sierra Leone from its present state. If David Carew is given more powers he will strengthen control which is the key to attitude change in all departments.

Our ministers and other government officials have served the country with negative attitude and junior officials have learned to imitate the attitude of their senior .Every government officials are trying to imitate Sanpha koroma attitude to get rich whilst serving the public.

In order for President Ernest Koroma to get Sierra Leoneans to practice positive attitudes the following questions need to be answered:

-what are President Ernest Koroma strategic plans?

-what direction is President Koroma going?

-what is the expense or effect of President Ernest Koroma policies?

-how best is President Koroma assessing the risks of pursuing his strategies

-Is President Koroma lost?

Strategic Plans: A strategy is a technique specifying the resources(financial and non financial) required to achieve an objective. The objective will be set by the government and making use of resources available within a changing environment. A strategy will be about achieving goals and objectives.

Strategic planning should be used by President Ernest Koroma as an effective tool for dealing with change. He should use positive tactics in order to achieve his goals and objectives. Positive tactics or attitude will be achieved by trying to fulfill the promises he made to the people of Sierra when he was in opposition.

In Sierra Leone our politicians are using the illiteracy and unemployment rate as a tool to manipulate the people.President Ernest Koroma should not break the trust reposed in him .We have noticed that most of his friends now are politicians that have failed the people in the past, people who have failed in their private lives and people using politics as a means to expand their business empire.

I have noticed journalist and political writers preaching attitude change in Sierra Leone.We have heard and see commitment by President Koroma to preach attitude change by establishing a secretariat. I would like to tell the president that it is waste of tax payers fund as this money should be used on other development projects’ president there is negative attitude in the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government and local government. President Koroma should target these senior officials who the general public see as model and get them to change their belief and policies. Change will become apparent by devotion and positive policies of these senior officials .Change is a top-down approach, not down top approach by minister of Information is using.

APC are using the following tactics whenever a story about unethical behavior is raised by the media.

1- Get Shekito Tarawalley to issue a Press Release and warned media houses as to the Public Order Act.

2-Organize a press conference and “Blame the problem on the predecessor” saying that they have only been on the job for 7 months now and had not had sufficient time to implement their own management controls. (Use the knowledge of David Carew to strengthen Internal Controls in the public sector).

3-“Tell the press they are reorganizing, and need more time before the effect will be apparent”

4-Prepare envelopes for media practitioners or offer them public appointment. (Bribery leads to lack of objectivity)

When the issue of NEC Chief Commissioner Dr. Christina Thorpe trying to use Mrs. Daphne Olu-Williams signature on a document that she does not approve. Mrs. Hannah Kawalley was sworn in as new commissioner even though it was unconstitutional. I found it very unbelievable that Anti-Corruption was unable to advice President Koroma as to the effect of trying to forged signature. Trying to forged signature is a serious element of fraud. Dr. Thorpe should be asked to resign her position as her integrity is questionable. Mrs. Olu-Williams was asked to submit receipts for all expenses since she was appointed commissioner. It shows that NEC should be investigated as they had no proper internal control of how the funds are spent. The Finance Director should resign as Commissioner Expenses is very material and he had failed to keep proper record and ACC should investigate how much money is been laundered at NEC.

Our President should try and declare his asset and use money meant for development on developmental issues. The money now used on secretariat should be used to sensitize the people about corrupt practice, dangers and ways to report corrupt practice. These sensitization programmes should be done by the Ombudsman office and Anti-Corruption Commission. President Koroma and his team should be aware that public office should not be used to enrich them, public office should not be used to intimidate, victimize but serving the people to the required standard or quality.

Sierra Leoneans voted APC because they were preaching about their dislike of corruption when they were in opposition and we do hope you will not try to explore the benefit of corruption and practice what they use to criticize.

I am looking forward to receive any comment or feedback via email: sogiethomas@yahoo.com