Narrative
Report
1. Brief Summary of Project
The National Accountability Group (NAG) is organising a training workshop
on the title, “Anti-corruption education and training
for Religious Leaders in the Mano River Basin countries
of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia” in Freetown
in May 2005. During the training, participants will
explore the effects of corruption and the need for
transparency and accountability in government, and
be encouraged to join in the fight against corruption.
Fifty-two religious leaders; six Muslim and Christian leaders from
Guinea, six from Liberia, and forty from Sierra
Leone have already been selected for a one-week
focus group meeting that was held in each of the
three countries. References from the Bible and Koran
were selected for development into training materials,
and Task Force Groups were also created for the
effective promotion of the campaign. NAG will broadcast
radio programs featuring religious leaders, and
produce and distribute posters for the promotion
of accountability and transparency.
An evaluation will be done to follow up with religious leaders on their
sermons against corruption.
Background
The
three Mano River Basin countries of Liberia, Guinea
and Sierra Leone share more than common borders;
their similar resources, politics and histories
mean that conflict in any one country ripples into
the others. One-party rule and military dictatorship
have plagued all the three countries and the pervasive
corruption and inept politicians have left the citizens
of the Mano River Basin in abject poverty. As Liberia
and Sierra Leone emerge from over a decade of brutal
conflicts and Guinea recovers from the resulting
large numbers of Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees,
the focus of each of the three countries’ governments
has been disarmament, rebuilding infrastructure,
and restoring state institutions. Little attention
has been paid to the root causes of the conflicts,
such as the lack of accountability and transparency.
Endemic corruption and related deficiencies in the
quality of governance helped fuel and sustain these
prolonged and destabilizing conflicts.
Widespread
corruption continues to plague the three Mano River
Basin countries. This must be addressed in a collective
way to protect the fragile peace of Sierra Leone
and Liberia and the tenuous stability of Guinea.
This training programme will move the anti-corruption
fight from the political to the moral ground by
reaching out to religious leaders in order to encourage
their membership to join the fight against corruption
in the Mano River Basin.
Purpose
·
To build and improve
the leadership skills of a core of religious leaders
in the fight against corruption and encourage them
to take the leadership role and move the corruption
debate from a political platform to a moral platform
·
To create a core
of well-informed religious leaders on the causes
of corruption, its impact and damaging effect on
the governance of the three countries
Methodology
This
Public Awareness Campaign directed toward anti-corruption
education and training for religious leaders in
the Mano River Union countries will be conducted
in four phases covering the period beginning from
February 2005 to January 2006.
2. Project Activities
Phase One: Focus Group Meetings
The
first phase entailed a series of focus group meetings
in the three countries comprising the Mano River
Union: Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The first
of these meetings was held in Freetown on the 30th
March 2005, for religious leaders living in Sierra
Leone. The following focus group meetings were held
in Monrovia, Liberia and Conakry, Guinea in April
2005.
Activities
were also carried out in the 12 Districts of Sierra
Leone in April, on sensitization of religious leaders
in that part of the country, and the selection of
religious leaders for the training in May. This
report details the activities of Phase One.
Focus
Group Meeting 1: Freetown, Sierra Leone
This
section details the activities included in the focus
group meeting conducted for ten senior religious
leaders in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
A
total of 14 people participated in the one-day focus
group meeting held at the British Council in Freetown
on Wednesday, 30th March 2005. Participants
included:
Five
senior pastors;
·
Rev. Tom Demby –
Senior Pastor and Overseer, Methodist Church, Ebenezer,
Murray Town
·
Rev. Samuel S. Kamara
– Bible Teacher, Assistant District Overseer, and
Pastor, New Evangelical Ministries, 81Wellington
Street, Freetown.
·
Pastor Alfred S.
Missalie – Pastor and Public Relations Evangelist,
of Faith Healing Bible Church, 21B Main Motor Road,
Freetown.
·
Rev. Ayo Elizabeth
Macauley – Senior Pastor, Bible Teacher and Women’s
Leader, Buxton Methodist Church, 59, Robert Street,
Freetown
·
Rev. Thorpe – School
Chaplain and Pastor, Anglican Church, Aberdeen/Cockle
Bay
Five
senior imams:
·
Alhaji Sheikh Abu
Bakarr Kamara – Chief Imam, Bombay Mosque and head
of Imams United Council of Imams – 49 Fourah Bay
Road
·
Sheikh Issa Ghalie
Sesay – Chief Imam, Calaba Town Mosque and member
United Council of Imams – 9d Main Road Calaba Town
·
Alhaji S.W.D. Swarray
– Chief Imam, Jamieu Sheriff Mosque– 25 Off Kingharman
Road
·
Sheikh Ibrahim Kanu
– Chief Imam, Numeh Islam Mosque – 19 Upper Tailor
Street
·
Sheikh A. B. Conteh
– Chief Imam, Sierra Leone Muslim Union Missionary
Mosque – 8D Adesanyah Street, Brookfields
The
religious leaders were all from Freetown who represented
various Christian and Muslim denominations. Also
present were:
·
The Anti-Corruption
Commissioner, Mr. Valentine Collier,
·
The National Accountability
Group organization - NAG Board Chairman, Mr. Emile
Carr and staff of the National Accountability Group.
Opening Ceremony and Introductory Remarks
The
Program Assistant opened the ceremony by explaining
the need to educate and train religious leaders
on corruption in the three countries of the Mano
River Union Basin on issues of corruption and accountability.
She stressed the fact that the main theme of the
focus group meeting was to shift the fight against
corruption from political to moral grounds, and
thus it was felt necessary to enlist the aid and
commitment of prominent religious leaders as the
custodians of society’s moral values.
In
his introductory remarks Mr. Valentine Collier,
the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission
of Sierra Leone, commented that corruption has been
and remains widespread in Sierra Leone, affecting
every aspect of life.
The
Commissioner appealed to the religious leaders to
adapt their sermons by addressing such pertinent
issues as corruption. They, as guardians of morality,
must use their positions of integrity to expound
the need to minimize corruption in the country.
Brainstormig
A
series of topics were the subject of a brainstorming
session and discussed in depth with references taken
both from the Bible and Koran and points noted on
flip chart. At certain times participants went into
groups according to their faith for a deeper search
into their books of faith. The brainstorming was
directed toward soliciting factual information that
would contribute toward the development of training
manuals and training materials for the program.
Root
Causes of Corruption
a)
Muslims
·
Lack of Trust
Q4:
58 – Allah commanded “You should render trust to
whom it is due, and that when you judge between
men, you judge with justice.” When those in authority
refuse to listen to the cry of the people they govern
because of corruption, the people will cease to
trust them. The people on the other hand will also
resort to corruption as a solution to their problems.
.” Our Judges all over the sub-region do not judge
cases fairly. This has led to the frequent adjournment
of cases in courts, and unfair treatment of the
poor.
·
Self-Centeredness:
Q:
100 - “And verily he is violent for the love of
wealth.” Because man is self-centred and greedy
he can be violent for want of wealth.
·
Love of Money:
Q2:
188 - “…and eat up not another’s property unjustly
nor give bribery to rulers before presenting your
case that you may knowingly eat up a part of property
of another sinfully’ This refers to illegal dealings
such as stealing, deceit, and cheating.
b.
Christians
·
The Fallen Nature
of Man:
Genesis
3 - Man has the nature of Satan and the fallen man
because of sin in the Garden of Eden. Man is corrupt
because of this corrupt nature. Those who refuse
to listen to the word of God and obey are sons of
the devil and are corrupt.
The
religious leaders explained the need to fight corruption
collectively. “There is no force on earth that is
as powerful as a vibrant, united body of people
who are willing to free their countries from the
plague of corruption and evil. They therefore, warned
against working in division and compromise, which
of itself is corruption. The religious leaders continued
by saying that, they should for now forget about
all different denominations and fight a common cause,
that of the problem of corruption.
Romans
8: 5-7 - All those who are corrupt are following
the nature of Satan and the fallen man. Those who
are corrupt have therefore no peace and are enemies
of God. The people of Sierra Leone do not seem to
have peace, the religious leaders said, because
they have deceived one another, afflicted and lied
to each other. God says in Amos 5:12-14 “For I know
your manifold transgressions and mighty sins: “they
afflict the just, they take bribe, and they turn
aside the poor in the gate from their right” In
Sierra Leone, the poor is always turned aside in
the court from their right. The religious leaders
therefore, stressed that now is the time to preach
sound messages to the hearing of all in authority.
According
to the religious leaders, the people of Sierra Leone
think that there is nothing wrong with what they
are doing, especially when majority of those in
power and authorities seem to be corrupt. They see
anyone trying to stop corruption as an enemy. The
religious leaders believed however that they are
the right persons to lead the campaign against corruption.
Nature
and Extent of Corruption
a.
Muslims
·
Cheating and Embezzlement
Q3:
161 “It is not for any prophet to take illegally
a part of the booty, and whosoever deceives his
companion as regards the booty, he shall bring forth
on the day of resurrection that which he took illegally.
Then every person shall be paid in full what he
has earned and they shall not be dealt with lightly.”
Q2:
11-12 “and it is said to them make not mischief
(corruption) on the earth…verily they are the ones
who make mischief on the earth they perceive not.”
The wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia have been said
to happen due to the corruption.
b.
Christians
The
Christian group came up with the fact that the Bible
is replete with references to God’s view about corruption
and corrupt people.
·
The Individual and
Corruption
Jeremiah
17:9 - The heart, which is the inner being of an
individual, includes one’s desires, feelings, and
thoughts. The heart is said to be desperately corrupt;
as a result, the people turn to selfishness and
corruption rather than to God’s way of righteousness.
Corruption is seen to be prevalent every where in
Sierra Leone because there is no fear of God. Romans
3:23, 5:12 – “For all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God” Corruption, the spiritual leaders
said, is a spiritual thing, but can be erased from
a person’s life by God’s grace. This is where the
religious leaders believed they can come in, to
preach that man should repent, ask for forgiveness
and start a new page. Repentance according to 1
John 1:9, brings assurance of cleansing – “If we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
·
The Leaders and Corruption
In
Amos 5: 12-14, God’s word speaks about the transgression
of the leaders. “The poor are turned aside” from
getting justice, and those who are just are afflicted.
In Isaiah 1:23 those in authority are referred to
as companions of thieves “for they love to take
bribes and are unjust judges.” The situation in
Sierra Leone was compared to Israel in the days
of Prophet Isaiah. The religious leaders explained
their need to preach the message of compassion and
humility. They quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14 – “When
those who are called by my name humble themselves
and pray then I will hear them and heal the land”
·
Bribery:
Exodus
23:8 – “And thou shall take no gift: for the gift
blindeth the wise, and perverted the words of the
righteous. Proverbs 17:8. The giving and collection
of bribes is seen as normal life in Sierra Leone,
the religious leaders said. Bribery to public and/or
private officials to influence decision-making,
is the most prevalent manifestation in Sierra Leone,
the spiritual leaders continued. Proverbs 17:8 –
“A gift is a precious stone in the eyes of him that
hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.”
·
Perversion of Justice
Deuteronomy
16:18-20, 27:25 – God warns that the judges judge
the people with just judgment “Thou shall not respect
persons neither take a gift” “Cursed be he that
taketh reward to slay an innocent person”. To slay
here does not only mean to kill, the religious leaders
said, but to give unfair trial to the poor or innocent
person.
·
To Hate Evil and
Corruption
Amos
5:15 “Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish
judgment in the gate.” The gate according to the
religious leaders refers to the court.
·
Dishonesty
Proverbs
11:1 speaks against false balances and weights,
business people cheat their customers by using wrong
measurements. Proverbs The religious leaders therefore
explained that one of the reasons for the poor economy
in Sierra Leone and the sub-region, is because of
this kind of sin (corruption) Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness
exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any
people.
·
Responsibility to
the State
Luke
20:25 - Congregation is said to evade taxes, but
pay huge tithes and dues in church. Christians should
obey the law of God as well as that of the land,
hence Jesus teaches to “give unto Caesar the things
that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are
God’s”
Group Discussions
Session
1: The role of religious leaders in the advocacy
against corruption
a.
Muslims:
·
To be role models
at home and communities – Q2: 44
They should practice
the word of God and also be free from corruption.
·
To conduct proper
sensitization in mosques
Q16: 125 – Invite
to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching
·
To sensitize in all
religious functions, seminars, child naming ceremonies,
funerals, and weddings on the need to obey God’s
word and flee from all evil (corrupt practices)
·
To advocate with
the help of NAG and the Anti-Corruption Commission
for the enforcement of law and to see that the government
is accountable to the people
·
To hold national
sermons on issues of corruption in mosques, especially
on 9th December, International Anti-Corruption
Day
·
To maintain cordial
relations among religious leaders so as to promote
the transparency, accountability, and integrity
amongst religious leaders.
b.
Christians:
·
To set apart a theme
to preach on corruption once every month in all
churches.
·
To engage stakeholders
in meaningful dialogue in order to push the campaign
forward
·
To make all efforts
to eliminate corruption in the church
·
To hold radio and
panel discussions on issues pertaining to corruption
·
To maintain a partnership
between the Inter-Religious Council, the Anti-Corruption
Commission and the National Accountability Group
·
To disseminate anti-corruption
messages through the Christian media and radio,
such as FM 93
·
To encourage national
fasting and prayers against corruption (James 5:16)”
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one
for another.”
·
To establish an Inter-Religious
Task Force for the coordination of information between
NAG and the churches and mosques
Session
2: Soliciting solutions to the problem of corruption
·
To preach on the
area of public servants becoming family servants
– tribalism, nepotism should be preached against.
– Romans 12:9-11” Let love be without dissimulation.
Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly
love; in honour preferring one another”
·
Occultism
For
spiritual leaders to disassociate from secret societies
like Lodge, Hunting, etc. According to the religious
leaders, these societies will make members to fear
to preach against the truth.–1 Corinthians 10:21
“Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup
of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord ’s
Table, and of the table of devils”
·
Child Training
Teaching
(child training) in the homes, church, schools –Parents,
teachers, religious leaders, and all in authority
should be role models. Children are quick to copy
bad examples, therefore, we must be careful in what
we say and do before our kids. Proverbs 22:6 “Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he
is old, he will not depart from it” Our youths would
not have been roaming the streets today, if sound
messages on the fear of God were preached, and the
parents be the role models they should be. The religious
leaders explained that the war in Sierra Leone should
be a warning to all parents and leaders to bring
up their children in the fear of God.
·
Sensitization
To
sensitize the business sector about the danger of
using false balances weights and measures. Market
women, meat sellers, rice dealers, etc. might well
be members of churches. Preaching on the dangers
of false weights would minimize corrupt practices
in the business sector.
·
Electoral process
Religious
leaders should preach against misuse of electoral
processes. Before the start of every election in
the country, religious leaders should direct their
campaign to preaching against electoral fraud, use
of drugs, and cheating. The use of government vehicles,
and resources should be monitored to avoid misuse
by the incumbent government. Most times these win
the elections because they have resources and facilities
which the oppositions do not have.
To
check the use of government vehicles, resources
etc. by the incumbent government during campaign
time
·
Censure of films
An
additional set of 5 religious leaders were selected
by those present to be included in the training
session in Freetown in May.
Muslims:
·
Sheikh Ahmed Tejan
Sillah – Chief Imam - Freetown Central Mosque
·
Dr. Ibrahim Saidu
Kamara – Lecturer and Chief Imam Milton Margai College
of Education and Technology (MMCET)
·
Sheikh Ahmed Bah
– Chief Imam - Wilberforce Street Mosque
Christians:
·
Rev. Solomon E. Campbell
– Senior Pastor, Secretary and General overseer
– Baptist Convention – Baptist Church
·
Rev. Christian R.B.
Kweku Hagan – Senior Pastor and Bible Teacher –
Anglican Church – 54 Upper Waterloo Street
Focus
Group Meeting 2: Monrovia, Liberia
Introduction
The foundation of the
Liberian nation is alluded to strong religious and
divine providence as it is attested by the controversial
statement that Liberia was founded on Christian
principles. However, religious leaders in Liberia
have been easygoing about the corrupt attitudes
of successive Liberian political leaders.
Considering
the Liberian scenario, because of the strong ties
between religion and the state, religious leaders
are impassive in their fight to sanitize the nation
from the claws of corruption and other vices. The
need for religious leaders, the torchbearers of
morality, to purify the nation from the deadly claws
of corruption cannot be overemphasized
Under
the direction of the National Accountability Group
Organization (NAG) of Sierra Leone, a one day focus
group meeting was held with Liberian religious leaders
under the subject “Anti-Corruption Education and
Training for Religious Leaders in Liberia” on Saturday
April 16 2005, at the Corina Hotel and Reality Corporation
in Liberia.
A
total of 17 persons participated in the one-day
focus group meeting. Amongst these were eight pastors
from the Christian faith, and four Imams from the
Muslim religion.
·
Mrs. Saffie Koroma
– Representative of the National Accountability
Group organization – Sierra Leone
·
Mr. Thomas Nah -
Executive Director, Center for Accountability and
Transparency (CENTAL), Monrovia, Liberia
·
Mr. Junior Davies
- Program Manager - CENTAL
·
Ernest S. Maximore
– Vanguard Newspaper, Union Press, Monrovia, Liberia
·
George Gabbidon –
(Facilitator) Union Press, Monrovia, Liberia
·
Rev. Jerry P. Kullah
– Senior Pastor and Director, Evangelism and Missions
– United Methodist Church, Monrovia
·
Rev. William K. Kofa
– Senior Pastor and Overseer, First Baptist Church,
Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia
·
Rev. Precious J.
L. Dagadu – Resident Pastor, Christian Evangelistic
Pentecostal Church, 19th Street, Monrovia
·
Rev. Jones L. Morris
– District Overseer and Pastor – Bethel World Outreach
Ministries, Liberia District Paynesville, Monrovia
·
Fr. Mike Seator –
Roman Catholic Church, Gaye Town, Monrovia
·
Rev. Fr. Victor King
– Senior Pastor, Episcopal Cathedral Church, Broad
Street, Monrovia
·
Sister Pauline N.
Roberts – Community Evangelist – United Methodist
Church, UMC Compound, 12th Street, Monrovia
·
Rev. Lahai Sesay
– Pastor – Bethel Church, Gbanga, Monrovia
·
Sheikh Habib A. Sheriff
– Chief Imam, Bassa Town Mosque – Jamaica Road,
Monrovia
·
Imam Mohmoud M. Fofana
– Chief Imam, Bilal Mosque, New Georgia, Monrovia
·
Sheikh Saidu M. Kromah
– Chief Imam, Amagashie/Double Bridge, Monrovia
·
Sheikh G. Mansaray
– Chief Imam, Famima, Clara Town, Monrovia
The
religious leaders were all selected with the assistance
of the General Secretary, Mr. Toe of the Inter Religious
Council Liberia, Mrs. Medina Wesseh, Senior Project
Development Officer – Liberia Transition Initiative,
and Sheikh Fomba Konneh, a well-respected Muslim
head in Liberia.
Each
of the religious leaders selected are either Senior
Pastors or Overseers of various branch churches
who give sermons on the National Christian Radio
or Chief Imams with various mosques under their
control and who preach in different mosques every
Friday.
Opening
Statements
The
Program Assistant appealed to religious leaders
in Liberia to join the effort of NAG in its campaign
to remove the fight against corruption from the
political ground to the moral ground by using their
pulpits to preach about the effects of corruption
on the society and on national development. She
concluded that corruption continues to be an outbreak
in the countries of the Mano River Union Basin,
and addressing it collectively will be of great
benefit to the three countries. She however, cautioned
religious leaders to be mindful because God will
hold them accountable when they remain speechless
on condemning that which they know is evil.
Mr. Thomas Nah, Executive Director of Center for Accountability and
Transparency in Liberia (CENTAL), in his introductory
remarks commended the effort of NAG in its quest
to reach out to Liberia with its campaign against
corruption. He referred to the campaign as a demonstration
that “corruption has no borders.” CENTAL, he said,
will be fully engaged in any effort being made by
NAG to bring sanity in the sub-region by removing
the fight against corruption from the political
ground to the moral ground. Making reference to
USAID analysis of corruption, the Director said
that corruption poses a serious development challenge.
In the political realm, he continued, corruption
undermines democracy and good governance by reducing
accountability and representation in policymaking
in the elections and legislative bodies. More generally,
corruption has weakened government institutions
in Liberia by disregarding official procedures,
siphoning off the resources needed for development,
and selecting and promoting officials without regard
to performance or merit.
Mr. Nah alluded to the fact that corruption in the religious sector
in Liberia undermines the state. The interaction
of religious leaders with corrupt public officials
in their churches and mosques, he said, is one of
the largest impediments to the fight against corruption
in Liberia. Religion in Liberia, as in any other
country, he continued, influences the state. He
therefore admonished the religious leaders to go
beyond the preaching of sugarcoated sermons and
become more pro-active in including in their messages
corruption issues. Religious leaders, he stressed,
should disallow themselves being corrupted by those
corrupt officials who make huge generous financial
donations in the churches and mosques in order to
gain support from religious leaders.
Because of the unique role religion plays in the state, religious leaders
can have positive impact on the actions of public
officials, who might also be members of their congregations.
The Director therefore suggested that religious
leaders adhere to “self-cleansing,” quoting the
words of Jesus in Matthew 7:4 – “How can you say
to your brother, let me take the speck out of your
eye when all the time there is a plank in your own
eye?”
The Director cautioned religious leaders to teach and preach continuously
on the consequence of corruption and stop the idea
of dignifying corrupt officials by calling or honoring
them ‘mother,’ ‘father’ or renowned personalities
of the year. For too long the church, the Director
concluded, has been complacent either advertently
or inadvertently in the issues that led to the destruction
of the state. Scriptures, he said, are clear that
one sins in two ways: By commission – doing what
is wrong and by omission - failing to do what is
right. The church and mosque, he said, must not
shrink in their functions, they must avoid compromise
or else the society is hopeless and doomed.
Discussions and Brainstorming
This session chronicles various topics brainstormed by both the Muslim
and Christian groups. At times in the deliberation,
a Christian or Muslim leader gestures to raise a
point or pose a question. At another time, the
two groups converged in separate group discussions
with resolutions emanating thereafter. Besides the
resolutions, a Task Force Group was also established
amongst the religious leaders as a united and consolidated
force to begin the fight of corruption in Liberia
and in the countries of the Manor River Basin in
general
1. Perception of Corruption as Prevalent in Liberia
a.
Imam Habib A.
Sheriff:
He got the ball rolling when he narrated that corruption became deeply
entrenched in Liberia when the ex-slaves returned
in the 1800s. According to the Imam, the natives
had lived uncorrupted in what later became known
as Liberia. However, when the ex-slaves arrived
they brought foreign names, culture and a new religion
and excluded the indigenes in governing the settlements.
Having suffered the pain of slavery from the cruel
hands of their former slave masters, the settlers,
according to Imam Sheriff, transposed their emotional
aggression against the natives. The settlers, he
further explained, incorporated and imposed their
foreign ways of lives on the natives by changing
their traditional names to western names. He explained
that in the passage of time, the natives became
educated and they too started to follow the precept
of the ex-slaves. They then felt that they were
no longer natives, but descendants of the settlers
or Americo-Liberians.
According to the Imam, the minds of the natives became corrupted as
they began to experience an identity crisis. It
was only during the 1990s that Liberians got to
regard themselves as Liberians. He commended Bishop
Kula, Shiekh Kafuma Konneh and others who later
began to enlighten Liberians about the need of oneness.
He holds the government of Liberia responsible for
not adhering to the organic law of Liberia. The
Liberian Constitution, he said, does not allow any
single religious dominance. He contended that Christians
have all the holidays in Liberia. This, he said,
is violation of the Liberian constitution and is
an embodiment of corruption.
b.
Rev. Jerry Kulah:
He refuted the idea propounded by Imam Sheriff that corruption in Liberia
germinated with the arrival of the settlers. He
emphasized that before the settlers came to Liberia,
there were practices of witchcraft, worship of idols
and tribal wars. He maintained that corruption is
not an issue of color, tribe, or the country of
origin of a person, but it is the sinful nature
of man that makes him to be corrupt. He quoted Roman
3:23, NIV, which reads, “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God”. He therefore explained
that man needs to recognize his sin and repents
of them through Jesus Christ who is the only one
that can take away the corrupt nature in man. Preaching
the fear of God therefore in the churches and mosques,
the Reverend said, will help minimize corruption,
and also remind the people about their role in building
the nation and society.
c.
Rev. William Kofa:
He responded by saying that corruption in Liberia originated from hatred
for one another. Jesus, the Pastor continued, preaches
forgiveness, love, mercy, and peace making– Matthew
5: 6,9; 6: 12, “Blessed are the merciful: for they
shall obtain mercy, Blessed are the peacemakers:
for they shall be called the children of God.”
“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”
The history of Liberia, the Reverend said, is flooded
with events or happenings of hatred. He highlighted
that Liberians always seek personal interests rather
than the interest of the state. Government officials,
he said, buy expensive cars and build expensive
houses whilst civil servants cannot get paid. Because
of greed, the wealth of the nation, he said, is
not equally distributed or properly utilized.
d.
Rev. Precious
Dagadu:
Corruption starts from the home. Parents who gamble, lie, and steal
to the knowledge of their children, only teach their
kids to do the same when they grow up. Drinking
alcohol and living promiscuous lives are all fulcrums
of building corruption. She quoted Exodus 20:15
;( NIV), “You shall not steal”. She also admonished
religious leaders to preach the truth. The Reverend
explained that the rich man would always want to
get richer whilst the poor wants to emulate the
footstep of the richer ones. Only the true word
of God can deliver man from corruption. Rev. Precious
further held that she is yet to understand the rationale
of the employee who always complain of not getting
salaries at the end of work, but who comes home
everyday with parcels, money envelops, and valuable
items. Those who get money illegally she cautioned,
will bear the brunt of God, quoting Proverbs 1:18(NIV),
“Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten
gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it”.
e.
Imam Mohmoud M.
Fofana:
He stressed that though Liberia is rich, greedy and self-centered political
leaders are not making use of its riches to the
benefit of the masses. This according to the Imam
has been the main cause of the long war in Liberia.
He therefore quoted Q: 100 “And verily he is violent
for the love of wealth.” Every successive Liberian
government, therefore, has the seed of corruption
the Imam concluded.
2. Root Causes of Corruption
a. Muslims
Imam Saidu M. Kromah highlighted five causes of corruption as,
poverty, lack of patriotism, illiteracy, bad governance
and lack of the fear of God. When a government fails
to utilize the wealth of its country in the interest
of the citizenry, those citizens who wallow in abject
poverty will start to steal. The Imam explained
that in Liberia, business people evade taxes, and
there is bribery at all level of the society such
as it is in schools, government ministries, business
centers, hospitals, etc.
An illiterate person, he maintained, lacks the knowledge to understand
the negative impact of corruption on the society.
Patriotism, the Imam explained, is the fulcrum of
ensuring accountability and transparency in any
government. However, the Imam lamented that Liberians
are not patriotic, in that they have failed to show
love for their country and fellow man. He therefore
admonished all religious leaders to fear God, for
this he said is the surest way of minimizing corruption
- Sura: 4:29.
b. Christians
Rev Kullah explained that man by nature is sinful and as such
is endowed with the seed of corruption. Sin he said
is the principal root of corruption. He quoted Romans
3: 23, (NIV) which reads, “For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God.” Corruption according
to the Reverend, originated from Satan. Corruption
is sin - Taking and giving bribes, stealing, lying,
embezzling, etc. In God’s eyes sin is sin whether
big or small. The Rev. therefore warns against considering
only those in leadership authority as corrupt, and
leaving those at the bottom. Corruption is unrighteousness,
which means not being in right standing with God.
The church, the Pastor explained, has a vital role
in this. The corrupt person needs to admit that
he is corrupt and then seek God’s help in fighting
it, for whatsoever a man sows that he shall reap.
“He that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption.” – Galatians 6:7-8
Outcome of Group Discussion
Session 1 - The Role of Religious Leaders in Combating Corruption in
Liberia
a) Christians:
Religious leaders should disseminate information on the campaign against
corruption in Liberia to other Muslim leaders, church
heads, civil society groups, and youth organizations.
Religious leaders should preach sermons that can
apply to every sector in society:
- The business community to avoid dishonest skills-Proverbs 11:1-“A
false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but
a just weight is a delight”
- Greed and personal aggrandizement, Christians should not be like
the greedy prodigal son in Luke 16: 19-31 who
wanted his share of wealth because of self-centeredness
and greed.
- All over the sub-region, the courts are filled with unjust judges
who make unfair trials. In Deuteronomy 25: God
warns that justice be given to those who deserve
justice, and punishment to the wicked.
- The government officials are to equally and fairly utilize the
nation’s resources to benefit the nation. 1 Samuel
25: 11, Nabal refused to give bread, meat, and
water to David and his men because he said, “Who
is David? Shall I then take my bread, and water,
and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers,
and give unto men, whom I know not whence they
be?” Precious minerals like diamonds in the sub-region
have been sold out to strangers to the detriment
of the people in that region. Like Nabal, leaders
of these countries should have sought the interest
of their people and not sell out that which God
has given for those people to live on. The most
disheartening thing is that, on many occasions
those same diamonds have been sold in exchange
for arms, which helped fuel the wars in the region.
- The Judiciary to be warned not to deny justice to the poor – Exodus
23: 2, 6; to the authorities, to pay the wages
of those that earnestly work – Leviticus 19: 13
- Everyone to be warned not to steal, lie or deceive another -
Leviticus 19: 11-13.
- That people should love one another and live at peace with all
- Leviticus 19: 17.
- Matthew 22: 37-39, that man should love his neighbor as himself.
Religious
leaders should also, apart from preaching, create
public awareness amongst religious settings, mobilize
civic groups such as the Center for Democratic Empowerment
(CEDE), and the youths in their congregations to
join the campaign. These will be carried out through
public forums, meetings, discussions, wedding and
naming ceremonies, and the likes on the effects
of bribery and corruption – Exodus 23: 8 – “And
thou shall take no gift: for the gift blindeth the
wise, and perverted the words of the righteous.”
The religious leaders present at the focus group meeting should be
able to provide training for other religious leaders
in the country, which will enable them effectively,
develop strategies to combat corruption, and preach
to their various congregants about the effect of
corruption on national development.
They should all seek to promote awareness on anti-corruption issues
through Outreach/Ministry activities, Radio Programs,
Workshops, Conferences, Crusades, Prison ministry,
Bible schools, Sunday schools, Bible studies, and
Prayer meetings.
Religious leaders should create partnership and network amongst religious
institutions for the fight against corruption in
Liberia, and ensure good network and partnership
amongst member states of the MRU.
b) Muslims
Muslim
leaders should preach God fearing messages in mosques
without compromise - Q4: 31. Anything done illegally
is corruption, robbery, deception and justice delayed
is all corruption - Q2: 188. They should preach
that the earth belongs to God and that those who
reside in it should live in harmony obeying the
principles of God – Q83: 1-3.
Religious
leaders should portray good examples to their congregation.
Q61: 2, encourage family heads to avoid corrupt
practices at all times especially in the home, which
is the nucleus of society; whatsoever affects the
home affects the society. The practice of justice
and the rule of law in the courts must be sounded
in all churches and mosques.
The people must be encouraged to do hard work and inculcate the attitude
of honesty in the society. They should be made to
know that they must not ‘eat up one another’s property,
but only through mutual understanding. Any one who
cheats another will be cast in the lake of fire
on the day of judgement’-Q4: 29-30.
Session 2: Finding Solutions to Corrupt Practices in Liberia
Good Governance and Network/Partnership/Advocacy
- Religious leaders should pray for God fearing leadership and for
morally, academically, and spiritually upright
people to be in authority.
- Christians must proclaim and practice the truth. The church as
the watchdog must sound the gong and quicken the
people for the battle against corruption or else
the state, the environment, in which the church
exists, will soon be consumed.
- The church, to be able to prove worthy of the trust of the people,
it must be an epitome of sound morality.
- Religious leaders must work in harmony with other civil organizations
like CENTEL that share similar interest in combating
corruption.
- The religious community must not only seek to address the issue
of corruption after it had occurred, but it must
be in the vanguard of the battle against the scourge
of corruption.
- Partnership must be sought amongst countries of the Manor River
Basin – Sierra Leone, and Guinea, for the purpose
of creating awareness for the minimization of
corrupt practices and the eradication of poverty
in the Basin.
- Corruption must be avoided at home. The home is the nucleus of
society; whatsoever occurs in the homes greatly
affects the society at large.
- Equality and justice must be the hallmark of government
- Citizens must work diligently to earn their living earnestly.
Session 3: Joint Resolution of Both the Christian and Muslim Groups
Both religious groups consented about the need to work in partnership
with the National Accountability Group (NAG) of
Sierra Leone in forging a common front to fight
corruption that has devoured the socio-political
and economic fabric of the Manor River Basin. The
following six-man team comprising two Imams and
four Pastors was selected to represent religious
leaders in the education and training seminar in
Sierra Leone under the sponsorship of NAG in May:
Imam Abdullah G. Mansaray-Imam Famima Mosque Claratown Monravia:
- Missionary, Imam, teacher, and founder Famima Islamic School Claratown.
- Also executive member Inter-religious Council, Deputy Secretary
League of Islamic Scholars and Missionaries
Imam Saidu M. Kromah:
·
Imam, organizer of
religious seminars and community Islamic adviser
of Paynesville, Monrovia Liberia
Rev. Jerry P. Kullah:
- Head of the religious team selected.
- Senior Pastor and leader of the Christian Community in Liberia.
- Director, Evangelism and Missions of the United Methodist Church
of Liberia Annual Conference
- Responsible for the conduction of Seminars, Workshops, and Conferences
for Pastors, Church leaders and Youths across
the country.
Rev. Jones L. Morris:
- District Overseer and Pastor, Bethel World Outreach Church-Monrovia
Liberia
Rev. Precious J.L. Dagadu:
- President Pastor, Christian Evangelistic Pentecostal Headquarter.
- Vice President for Operations- Christian Evangelistic Ministries.
Fr. Mike Seator:
- Reverend Father and Head of the Catholic Chourch – Gaye Town,
Monrovia
The Task Force Group agreed on conducting meetings amongst themselves
on a date to be announced in subsequent meetings.
The first meeting was scheduled for the last Wednesday
of April 2005. The purpose of this first meeting
they said would be to give the functions of the
Task Force. They assented to using the media as
the effective paradigm for getting the corruption
messages to the audience of Liberia. Members of
the press present at the focus meeting volunteered
to include in their next newspaper the issues discussed
at the focus meeting.
Closing Remarks
The Program Manager for the Centre for Transparency and Accountability
in Liberia closed the seminar. He started by explaining
the policies, programs, and laws being put in place
to combat corruption in the country. The Manager
explained that one cannot measure with any degree
the hidden practice of corruption, but rather, one
can measure the opposite of corruption, namely,
the systems that expose corruption. The Manager
continued by explaining that though CENTAL’s effort
in the fight against corruption is in its infancy
state, the organization he said, is aggressively
growing, as its effort to battle corruption in all
nook and cranny of Liberia society is unrelenting.
CENTAL, the Manager explained, has started focusing on the existence
and effectiveness of the mechanisms to prevent the
abuse of power, promote public integrity, and citizens’
access to information from the government. There
is great usurpation of the Civil Service Agency’s
functions in Liberia the Manager said. Their organization,
he explained, will monitor civil service Agency
to know how one enters the Civil Service, and the
structures being put in place to address issues
like salary scale. The organization, will also monitor
the Public Integrity Index-the media, and see what
legal right is there to access public information.
The manager ended his remarks by thanking all the
religious leaders present and appealed to them all
to join the rest of civil society organizations
to pressure the government for the signing of the
UN anti-corruption convention. The representative
for the National Accountability Group organization
gave the vote of thanks.
Focus
Group Meeting 3: Conakry, Guinea
Introduction
In
preparation for the training to be held in Freetown,
a one-day focus group meeting was held in Conakry
among religious leaders in the country. The meeting
took place on Tuesday, 21st April, 2005
in the Salle De Billard, Copains, Conakry. The meeting
was arranged and run by the National Accountability
Group’s program assistant Salia Kpaka.
Owing
to the fact that the country is predominantly Muslim,
7 Imams and an additional 3 Christian reverends
were selected. A conscious decision was made not
to select Imams attached to the National Council
of Imams in Guinea (Conseil National Des Imams Guinnienne),
as their affiliation with the ruling government
would render their participation counterproductive.
As a result, individual mosques were identified
and imams who are known to be proactive and vocal
in confronting such crucial issues were invited
to attend the meeting.
The
selection of Christians did not pose any difficulty.
The three Christian leaders were selected on the
basis of the size of their denominations in the
country. One priest was selected from the Roman
Catholic mission, which is the predominant denomination
in the country, and the other two were selected
from evangelical and protestant denominations.
In
order to ease the problem of communication, owing
to the fact that Guinea is a francophone country,
Mr. Ahmed Kalokoh, a Sierra Leonean residing in
Guinea, was hired as an interpreter throughout the
sessions.
A
total of 13 people participated in the meeting,
including:
·
Mr. Ahmed Kalokoh
– Interpreter and co-facilitator
·
Mr. Fayah Millimono
– Journalist, Citizen Newspaper, Conakry
·
Mr. Ibrahim-Sorie
Koroma – Journalist, Citizen Newspaper, Conakry
In
addition to the the 9 religious leaders selected
for the program:
·
Sheik Boubacar Barry,
Secretary – Organization de Professeurs Musulemans,
Hamdalaye, Conakry.
·
Sheik Alpha Amadou
Bah, Imam – Nassrou Islami Mosque, Bombali, Conakry.
·
Sheik Abdurrahman
Barry, Imam – Ibadourahman Mosque, Concassiun, Conakry.
·
Alhaji Moussa Diallo,
Imam – Nasroul Islami Mosque, Cite` Solo Primo,
Conakry.
·
Sheik Mamadou Dian Bah,
Imam - Ibadourahmane Mosque, Matoto, Conakry.
·
Elhadj Mamoudou Diallo,
Secretary – Association des Eleves et Etudiants
Musulemanes de Guinee
·
Reverend father Sarah
Apollinaire, Parish Priest – Eglise St. Cytien,
Roman Catholic mission, Conakry.
·
Rev. Leno Etienne,
Presiding Priest – Eglise Evangelique, Coleah, Conakry.
·
Pastor Abdoul Koroumma
– La Vie Eternale Church (Protestant)
Opening
Remarks
The
welcome note and opening statement were delivered
by Mr. Salia Kpaka of the National Accountability
Group (NAG), who also facilitated the program. He
began his remarks by introducing the National Accountability
Group (NAG). He noted that corruption has important
links with governance, development and democracy,
further noting that corruption undermines the ability
of the state to deliver and distribute essential
services such as water supply, sanitation, electricity,
good roads, etc. that help to improve the quality
of life of citizens. Mr. Kpaka went further to encourage
religious leaders in Guinea to complement the indefatigable
efforts of NAG in its drive to shift the fight against
corruption from the political level to a moral platform,
which he noted, is the main aim of the training
which will be held in Freetown, in May 2005. He
concluded by urging the religious leaders to preach
against corruption in their mosques and churches,
since they relate on a daily basis with individuals
of all walks of life.
Brainstorming
The
brainstorming session manifested itself in two phases.
The first phase was a deliberation session wherein
the topics were generally discussed from an individual
point of view and supported by references from either
the Bible or the Koran. In the second phase, the
religious leaders engaged in group discussions,
with each group having a moderator, and a secretary,
who proffered reports at the end of the group discussions.
1.
Root Causes Of Corruption
Sheik Boubacar Barry who started the discussion noted that God created
man for one objective, which is to worship Him.
He said that the Quran, which is God’s holy book,
contains information that is vital for man’s edification.
Failure to read it, he said, makes one ignorant,
and ignorance or the lack of information according
to him is the root cause of corruption (Surat 65
verse 2)
Sheik Barry was supported by Pastor Abdoul Koroumma who stated that
man becomes corrupt for lack of knowledge.
Sheik Alpha Amadou Bah quoted the saying that “money is the root of
all evil”. He therefore maintained that too much
love for money or wealth is a root cause of corruption.
(Surat 5)
According to Pastor Abdoul Korouma, it is written the Bible that too
much love for money leads someone to be corrupt.
(Micah 6: 10)
Father Sarah Apollinaire linked the root cause of corruption to sin
and the weakness of man to do what is right. (Genesis
2:6-17)
Other causes of corruption as noted by Reverend Leno Etienne are:
Lack of love for one another, greed and selfishness (Mathew 5:48, Mathew
6:24, Luke 16:13)
Lack of patience (Mathew 6:31)
He concluded by noting that we as humans should not worry about what
to eat because it will lead us to corruption, what
we should however be mindful about is God’s justice,
as we all have to be accountable to Him one day.(Mathew
6:25-31)
According
to Elhadj Mamoudou Diallo, the root cause of corruption
could be linked to the lack of the fear of God,
lack of trust for leaders and the inability of leaders
to deliver essential services. (Surat 4:26-29)
2.
Nature and Extent of Corruption in Guinea
All the participants maintained that corruption is endemic in Guinea
and that it manifests itself in the following ways:
- Bribery among the police
- Heads of schools demanding extra sums of money from pupils, (example,
in some schools, pupils are asked by their teachers
to pay for chairs).
- In Guinea, Heads of Schools pay huge sums of money to the Education
Ministry for good results in public examinations.
- Corruption also shows itself through civil servants who demand
bribes for public services.
- Endemic corruption in the justice system
- Electoral malpractices
- Poor service delivery
- Bribery in the health sector
- Bribes are given for the award of contracts
- Monopoly of contracts by individuals who can afford to bribe,
etc
- Father Sarah Apollinaire stated in conclusion that corruption
is a normal trend in Guinea and that it is a national
tune to which everybody dances.
Outcome
of Group Discussions:
According to the Muslims the following materials could be used in the
fight against corruption:
- The fear of God (Surat 65:2)
- Fairness and being in accordance with the law
- To have respect for leaders (Surat 35:28)
- To accept that corruption is bad and try as hard as possible to
be fruitful and proactive (Surat 12:34)
According to the Christians, corruption is sinful as it is noted in
the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy
5:1-22). They put forward the following as materials
for fighting corruption:
- To denounce corruption (Micah 3:9-12)
- To punish those that are guilty of corruption (Joshua 6:16-26)
- God punishes those that are corruption (Genesis 6:5-7, 19:1-29,
Amos 3:9)
- People should be encouraged to be faithful, seek justice and abandon
their bad habits. (Luke 3:13)
- To resist corruption and maintain integrity (Mathew 4:8, Proverbs
14:2)
- To improve the working conditions of public officials and make
them to know that they should be accountable to
the people (Mathew 25:19)
Harmful
Effects of Corruption
The religious leaders brought forward the following effects of corruption:
Corruption deprives the people of the basic rights, creates social
hatred, tribalism, etc, and impedes national development.
Corruption also brings about social injustice, causes
armed conflicts and civil wars, and undermines investment.
It also undermines the Rule of Law, impedes law
implementation and creates lack of confidence for
governments.
Violence,
misery of poverty, and public disorder, which are
listed in the Bible
(Genesis
2:16-23) could also be regarded as effects of corruption.
Possible
Solutions to Corruption
a.
Muslims
The
Muslims believe that trust in God is an integral
part man’s being. They therefore maintained that
the key solution to corruption is trust. (Surat
65:3)
They
also believe that free flow of information will
minimize corruption.
Another
solution to corruption as pointed out by the Muslims
is that religious leaders must be prepared to preach
about corruption and accountability every where.
b.
Christians
The
Christians hold the view, as is recorded in the
book of Acts 2:32, that one solution to corruption
is for those in power to have the ability to implement
active social services such as development projects
to improve the living conditions of people in the
society. People should be mindful of their dignity,
which is incompatible with corruption
The
Role Of Religious Leaders In The Fight Against Corruption
a.
Muslims
a. Religious
leaders should be role models, whose examples the
society should emulate. (Surat 2:44)
b. Religion
should be independent from political and other influences,
especially with regards to preaching the truth (Surat
61:2)
c. Religious
leaders should preach and sensitize the public about
their basic rights and the damaging effects corruption
can cause to the individual and the nation as a
whole.
d. Religious
leaders should encourage the people to work hard
and remind them that God detests dishonesty and
will punish those that corrupt. (Surat 4: 29- 30)
b.
Christians
- Religious leaders should have the will to talk against corruption
and encourage political leaders to be transparent
and accountable to the people.
- Religious leaders should be models for the society. (1st
Timothy 4:12)
- Religious leaders should form a coalition that is dedicated towards
curbing corruption and maintaining accountability
and transparency.
- Religious leaders should encourage and protect honest people.
At the end of the discussions, six participants were nominated
as Task Force members, who will attend the training
in Freetown. They include four Muslims and two Christians.
The Muslims include:
·
Sheik Abdurrahman
Barry, Imam – Ibadourahman Mosque, Concassiun, Conakry.
·
Alhaji Moussa Diallo,
Imam – Nasroul Islami Mosque, Cite` Solo Primo,
Conakry.
·
Sheik Mamadou Dian Bah,
Imam - Ibadourahmane Mosque, Matoto, Conakry.
·
Elhadj Mamoudou Diallo,
Secretary – Association des Eleves et Etudiants
Musulemanes de Guinee
The Christians include:
Reverend father Sarah
Apollinaire, Parish Priest – Eglise St. Cytien,
Roman Catholic mission, Conakry.
Rev. Leno Etienne,
Presiding Priest – Eglise Evangelique, Coleah, Conakry.
The
main function of the Task Force is to effectively
promote the fight against corruption in Guinea in
particular and in countries of the Mano River Union
Basin in general. Functions of the Task Force would
be discussed in the first meeting which would be
first week in May 2005
Phase Two: Selection of Religious Leaders
The
second phase entailed travels throughout the 12
districts of Sierra Leone to select prominent religious
leaders for inclusion in the training to be held
in Freetown in May 2005. In each of the 12 district
centers, the National Accountability Group staff
researched and selected one Imam and one pastor/priest
willing to join NAG in its ambitious program to
spread the message of integrity and anti-corruption
to their congregations. The selection process in
the provinces lasted one week, with three NAG representatives
carrying out the program in each of the northern,
southern, and eastern provinces. This fruitful activity
yielded a solid group of 24 outspoken and engaged
religious leaders representing a diverse range of
Muslim and Christian denominations. The full report
of the upcountry trip follows:
Kambia
District
The
team arrived in Kambia District on the 1st
April 2005 and met with the District Chief Imam,
Alhaji Osman Bangura of the Central Mosque. He was
pleased to hear about the program and agreed to
attend the forthcoming training with his secretary,
Sinneh Kamara, since he himself is illiterate. On
the advice of the Imam, the team visited the Paramount
Chief, Bai Farma II and informed him of the purpose
of the visit.
The
Pastor Rev. Simmah Dumbuya was said to be attending
a workshop in Bo, but he came highly recommended
by the District Council Chairman who promised to
inform him later about the opportunity to attend
the seminar in Freetown.
Porto
Loko District
The
team spoke to Sheikh I.S. Conteh of the Central
Mosque, who was pleased to accept the invitation
to the training.
Rev.
F.O.R. Collier of the St. James Anglican Church
was away in Pepel, but the team leader spoke with
him on the phone and he was glad to accept the invitation
after listening to the purpose of the training.
The Rev. also promised visiting the office in Freetown.
Koinadugu
District
The
team arrived in Kabala on Sunday 3rd
April, 2005 and met with Sheikh Sorie Ibrahim Sesay
of the Kuait Mosque and Pastor Manso Tarawallie
of the M.C.A. church in Kabala Town. Both are members
of the district’s Inter-Religious Council, and both
expressed interest in the training and willingly
accepted to work with the organization’s proposed
training in May.
Tonkolili
District
The
team spoke to the two religious leaders, Pastor
Momoh O. Bangura of the Free Gospel Church, and
Alhaji Ibrahim Kamara of the Central Mosque.
Bombali
District
NAG’s
focus person in Makeni, Mr. Joseph Kabia, had previously
made contacts with religious leaders in the district.
The team discussed the program with Pastor Tommy
Bangura of the Grace Assembly of God’s Church, and
the Chief Imam Sheikh Mohamed Lamin of the Makeni
Central Mosque. Both religious leaders accepted
the invitation to the National Accountability Group
training in Freetown, and faithfully promised to
work in the fight against corruption in the district
in particular and Sierra Leone in general.
Kono District
Alhaji Aruna Koroma of 23 Yambasu Street was identified as suitable
for participation in the training seminar in Freetown.
When asked about the congregation in the mosque,
he replied that on Fridays attendance normally reached
above four hundred. He added that evening classes
for both male and female on Koranic studies coupled
with adult illiteracy classes were held. He spoke
further concerning task forces to see about the
welfare of the mosque. In relation to revenue generation,
he spoke of monthly contribution by its members
and voluntary contributions donations from visitors.
When asked about constraints in the mosque, he highlighted
low income as an impediment to meeting the demands
of the mosque.
Rev.
John Kamara of the Assembly of God Church was also
identified to participate in the training seminar.
When asked about the size of his congregation, he
estimated it to be 400 or above. He mentioned that
the church hosted a men’s fellowship, a women fellowship,
a youth organisation and a children’s group
Kenema
District
Alhaji
Gibril Kamara, the Chief Regional Imam of the Eastern
Province, was identified as an important addition
to the roster for the training session in Freetown.
The mosque under his direction is the largest mosque
in the district, and he estimated the congregation
in the mosques on Fridays to be upward of three
thousand.
Rev.
Fr. Edward Bockarie of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kenema
was identified for participation in the seminar,
as Catholics dominate the Kenema District and the
Cathedral is the largest church in the district.
He readily consented to attend the training.
Kailahun
District
Rev. Philip L. Kaikurah, of the Methodist Church and simultaneously
the Local Council District Chairman, was identified
to participate in the training in May.
The
District Secretary General of the Daru Central Mosque
was also identified to participate, as second in
charge of the largest mosque in the district (built
by the UN Mission in Sierra Leone).
Bo
District
Sheik
Bashiru Fofana, District Imam, Central Mosque, Bo
While
the United Methodist Church is one of the biggest
denominations in Bo district, Rev. Ndapi Saffa was
selected firstly because he heads the biggest U
M Church in Bo, and on another hand, for the purposes
of cutting across all the big and well established
denominations in the province.
Bonthe
District
Sheik
Ishaka A.R. Sesay Central Mosque
Rev.
Joseph T. Johnny, United Brethren in Christ Mission
Moyamba
District
Shiek
Abdulai Conten District Chief Imam, Central Mosque
Rev.
Fr. Martin Bassie of the Roman Catholic Church was
chosen firstly because he heads the biggest church
in the Moyamba district and secondly because Moyamba
is a Roman Catholic dominated area.
Pujehun
District
Sheik
Mohamed Bashiru Jalloh, District Chief Imam, Central
Mosque
While
New Life Services is not the biggest church in the
Pujehun district, Rev. Augustine P. Kawah was selected
because he covers a wider range of relatively big
churches in the district, up to the Liberian /Sierra
Leonean boarder.
Constraints
