By Ragan M. Conteh

ActionAid Sierra Leone, had Tuesday 11 March, 2025, unveiled an Open Information Presentation- 2025 at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoFED), at MoFED’s Conference Hall, Tower Hill, Freetown.

Executive Director of Action Aid Sierra Leone, Foday Bassie Swaray, applauded stakeholders for being part of at the Open Information Presentation (OIP) 2025, championed by Action Aid.

Foday Bassie Swaray says what Action Aid is doing is a clear testament that the organization is geared towards strengthen governance systems with the quest to ensure accountability and transparency at its fullest implementation.

He believes that the OIP is timely, and will ensure a free-flow of information be streamed in accessible languages. Adding that the form and format is essential to ensuring that accountability, learning, trust and good performance is always seen working.

He added that his organization believes in equitable distribution of resources, while working towards demonstrating accountability in their work.

Director Swaray traced their 17-years-ago’s experience with ActionAid known for  publicly sharing its budget plan with stakeholders.

He said they are aways open up to be questioned on transparency and accountability merit-based processes and procedures.

“As an organization, we have the obligation to be accountable to our partners and beneficiaries.That is why  we are sharing our plans and budgets openly to authorities concerned.” “We want to show how we plan to invest those resources given to us to to the donor partners,” he explained.

As an organization, he went on, they wished to inform the government that the resources Action Aid are having is to help government in its development priorities of the country.

“We are also accountable to our internal staff at our various structures quarterly. Our priority focus is inclusive education, strengthen school systems, ensure participatory governance, youth leading and among others,” he said.

Director Swaray further gave a clear detail on how Action Aid implementation of its various projects have influenced public service delivery, climate change, feed Salone agenda, and other thematic areas that align with government priorities.

Making her PowerPoint presentation on the OIP 2025, the Management and Evaluation Manager, Action Aid Valene N. Momoh, said Action Aid Sierra Leone maintains an open information policy, a policy that is guided by action with  international commitments to fulfilling transparency and accountability requirements.

She said the Action Aid accountability practice have helped empower the very poor  and marginalized communities in most districts in Sierra Leone.

Momoh praised Action Aid for working in all regions as they are currently present in about nine districts in Sierra Leone, and which means the organization is representing more than 50% of all the districts.

She spoke on the myriad of achievements in 2024 by the organization.

She counted successful projects being implemented and how they have positively impacted education, farmers, and individuals who are excluded from work and those in hard to reach communities.

The Member of Parliament representing the Committee on NaCSA and NGOs in Parliament, Hon Papay Aruna Solomon Larkoh, expressed gratitude to Action Aid for inviting the Committee as they showcased their activities and budgets of 2025 fiscal year.

He said this is the first time he had witnessed such a display of transparency and accountability by Action Aid, adding that the organization has set standards for other organizations to emulate.

MP, Papay Lark oh was happy with such an NGO like Action Aid to lessen the work of parliament, citing that the level at which the organization has showed accountability just resonates with the requirements of the laws and policies of the country.

“This new model set by Action Aid is a testament of the fact that the company is always prepared to deliver for the marginalized communities thereby complementing  government efforts on development,” he said.

He said accountability is key in service delivery.

Delivering a keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rev Dr Jonathan Titus Williams, said this is the third time he had been involved in such a transparent process.

To him, the open information has provided a shared responsibility to promote accountability with the NGO community, adding that NGO accountability has been a prerequisite for development to happen in any country.

He said accountability requires transparency, stating that information is a source of power.

The deputy minister commended Action Aid to be constantly sharing their information with government yearly.

Williams stated that the government of President Bio plays a crucial role in fulfilling  transparency and accountability governance requirements.

Adding that and what Action Aid has done is geared towards complementing government’s commitments to improve transparency and accountability issues with the NGO community.

He lauded Action aid to have contributed to promoting national priorities of the government, adding that other NGOs must publish their financial reports to portray the deep trust of transparency and accountability in their operations.

Other various speakers including UNICEF, SLANGO, EU representatives expressed gratitude to Action Aid for displaying their work and budget plans that many NGOs were unable to do.

They expressed their commitment to work with Action Aid in oder  to help the needy in Sierra Leone.

Questions and concerns were also posed while many representatives from MDAs lauded the drive by Action Aid and pleaded for collaboration for service delivery.

ActionAid Public Relation Officer, Juliet Ivan Ajibola, who delivered the vote of thanks, expressed gratitude to all those who witnessed the event and assured of ActionAid’s commitment to meet standards of accountability as always.