Greetings…..
I am happy to be here at this important one-day workshop as part of our collective efforts to strengthen democratic governance, promote transparency, and ensure that the voices of citizens remain at the center of national development processes.
The focus of this workshop is timely and necessary. As we all know, the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee speak directly to the future of our democracy, strengthening our institutions, and the deepening good governance practices in our country.
These recommendations are not abstract ideas confined to policy documents but about real change, accountability, fairness, and ultimately delivering better outcomes for the citizens of this country.
But, for these recommendations to succeed, they must be understood, owned, and supported by the general public.
Citizens must not only be aware of what is being done in their name; they must be given space to participate, to question, contribute, and shape the reforms through informed dialogue and meaningful engagement.
This is exactly where the role and power of radio come into play. Despite the increasing popularity of social media, radio remains the most accessible and trusted medium in Sierra Leone, especially for ordinary citizens. Radio holds immense potential to inform, educate, inspire dialogue, and bridge the gap between government and citizens.
Today’s workshop seeks to harness that potential. Together, let us design a radio program that goes beyond mere reporting. A program that speaks in the language of the people, fosters critical conversations, explains the complex in ways that are simple and relatable, and champions inclusivity: giving space to women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized voices.
I encourage all of us to bring our ideas, creativity, and our experiences to bear on this process. Let us be bold in our thinking, collaborative in our approach, and purposeful in our intent.
Remember, the program we design today should not only inform but also inspire action, accountability, and hope.
I look forward to the rich discussions and the innovative ideas that will emerge from this workshop.
Together, we can help ensure that governance reform is not something done to the people but with the people and for the people.
Let me take this opportunity to thank the European Union for supporting this initiative through International IDEA.
Let me also thank the Talking Drum Studio for providing leadership in our Consortium of three- Talking Drum, IRN, and SLAJ, working on this project.
As I speak, our team, including the former president Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, is in Kono and will be in Makeni tomorrow, training senior journalists on conflict sensitive reporting on the implementation of the Tripartite recommendations. That is our own responsibility in the project, to ensure journalists are knowledgeable about the Tripartite recommendations to be able to inform and educate the public; interrogate the processes, and report and analyse professionally and ethically, amplifying the voices of every sector and party to prevent conflict.
I thank you for listening.
-SLAJ Secretariat
