Sierra Leone passes landmark freedom of information law

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone’s parliament on Tuesday, October 29, passed a landmark Freedom of Information law in a move lauded as opening up democracy in the west African country.

Information and Communication Minister Alpha Kanu who piloted the bill said it was “in line with government’s reforms to promote and reinforce democracy and good governance as everybody has the right to access information when necessary.”

He said that “the procedures to follow or access information shall be done either in English or Krio (a widely used local language) to demand such information from government and other public officials.”

Certain information relating to state security would remain classified, he said.

The act also provides for an Information Commissioner “who should hold office for 3 years and be responsible for the monitoring and making recommendations”, Kanu said.

Opposition lawmaker Frank Kposowa welcomed the bill. “Sierra Leone has now joined 95 countries worldwide and (is) 11th in Africa to enact the law,” he said.

Emmanuel Saffa, director of the leading human rights NGO, Society for Democratic Initiative, told Agence France-Presse: “This is one of the happiest days of my life.”

“After 10 years of hard work and continuous struggle to push the agenda, we have finally succeeded,” he said. – Rappler.com