By Joseph Johnson
Member of Parliament of constituency 132 in the Western Area Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh will be representing Sierra Leone as a panel speaker at a Virtual Global Panel on “The Role of Parliament in Advancing Anti-Corruption commitments”. The event is organised by Transparency International U.S. Office and National Democratic Institute.
The critical Government bench MP was invited to join a virtual global panel with anti-corruption legislators, government officials and experts to discuss challenges and opportunities for parliaments in advancing anti-corruption agendas and provide lessons relevant for the design and implementation of the Summit for Democracy commitments. The event which is virtual is slated for Tuesday, September 14, from 10:00am-11:00am ET.
It is organized by Transparency International U.S. office and National Democratic Institute and will feature other speakers like Hon. Kara McDonald, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Hon. Anastasia Radina, Head of the Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy, Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
This means Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh will be representing Sierra Leone to speak on Sierra Leone’s parliament role in pushing the ACC’s commitments.
The MP recently resigned his position as chairman of the Transparency and Accountability Committee in parliament after an intense probing on a government Ministry on accountability issues; accusing the Leadership of parliament of arm-twisting him in doing his job mandated by the constitution and the standing orders. This led to the immediate suspension of the MP for investigation by the Ethics and Privilege committee of Sierra Leone’s parliament. The MP’s seating position changed to backbench and was not allowed to take parts in any committee or plenary activities until the committee finishes it findings, but they are yet to lay such report on the table of parliament even though the Leadership said it was an internal party issue and they have settled it their own way.
Well-wishers see this as great opportunity for the MP while his critics might be afraid he may bring out all issues of transparency and accountability of the Sierra Leone’s parliament that he has been speaking out on which led to an embattlement between his party and him in the past. Whatever is the case, the MP is representing the country, and much is now required of him especially when they consider him as a symbol of truth, leading the fight to engender Transparency and Accountability in the general Governance Structure.
