Sierra Leone implementing ECOWAS counter-terrorism strategy- Parliamentarian

Mrs Mabinty Funna, parliamentarian representing Sierra Leone in the ECOWAS Parliament, says her country is currently pre-occupied with the implementation of the counter-terrorism strategy of the community.

She made the remark on Monday in Abuja while presenting a report on her country at the ongoing 2017 Fourth Legislature First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament.

Funna said her country had undertaken a number of measures to guarantee full implementation of the counter-terrorism strategy of the community.

She listed some of the measures to include, the development of communication strategy which included radio and television discussion programmes and press conferences to counter radicalisation.

She said that the government recently organized national workshop for religious leaders from across the country in its bid to strengthen collaboration between the government and inter-religious community.

“In support of government’s efforts, the religious leaders have also embarked on a nationwide tour delivering sermons on topics delinking Islam from terrorism and underscoring the Islamic precept of religious of peace.

“Counter terrorism training for security personnel are ongoing and anti-terrorism legislation has been drafted, validated and is currently with Law Officer`s Department for consideration ahead of its promulgation into law, “ she said.

The parliamentarian however, maintained that at the moment there was “no serious security threat to the national security of Sierra Leone.’’

Government, Funna said, had continued to put in place measures to address emerging security threats.

On management of refugees in the country, Funna said the return of about 2,713 Liberians refugees had been facilitated by the Sierra Leone government in conjunction with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

She said the government was exploring the possibility of concluding documentation of locally integrated Liberian refugees.

She added that out of the 2,713 Liberian refugees in her country, 1,324 had applied for the acquisition of Liberian passport as part of local integration package.

“Accordingly, the refugees have been granted the right to hold Liberian passports after proper vetting by the Liberian authorities, “ she said.

She told the session that her home government through the Ministry of Internal Affairs had offered resident permits to Liberian refugees who had been issued Liberian national passports on grant.

The parliamentarian added that the process of issuing work permit to the refugees was also underway.

She told the session that Sierra Leone was not an exception to the economic difficulties faced by most under developed countries, especially being one of the worst Ebola affected countries in West Africa.

Funna said that under the rationalised ECOWAS convergence criteria, her country`s performance on the Primary Convergence Criteria deteriorated as it satisfied only one of the four primary criteria as at December 2016.

“In terms of the secondary convergence criteria, the country met only one criterion namely the ratio of public debt to Gross Domestic Product,’’ she said.

She said that the average annual inflation rate during the period under review failed to meet the criteria of less than or equal to 10 per cent for average annual inflation rate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Guinea Bissau, Republic of Benin and Guinea among other member states, also presented reports on their countries at the session.

NAN further reports that the ECOWAS Parliament is a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for representatives of West African states with the aim of promoting integration.

It was established under Article 6 and 13 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty of 1993.

The Protocol relating to the Parliament was signed in Abuja on Aug. 6, 1994 and became effective on March 14, 2002.

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