CDHR LAUNCHES COMMUNITY MONITORING GROUPS

By: Sahr James Bangah

As part of its mandates to empowered communities members to know about their role and responsibilities and how to hold their duty bearers accountable in a transparent and accountable manners, Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDHR) one of the leading Human Rights Organization in Sierra Leone with funds from European Union has embarked on formation of Community Monitoring groups across Bombali District.

Explaining the background of the project, the Director for Centre for Democracy and Human Rights, Gabriel Massie Bah said that the Bombali District Council awarded a consultancy service to his organization to train community-monitoring groups across Bombali District for efficient monitoring of all developmental projects within their respective communities.

He concluded that the community monitors are to play a sacrificial role because it is not a paid job and therefore warned that they should not compromised their integrity for the sake of money but to put their community first in order to map out sustainable development.

Frank Kanu, Development Officer for Bombali District Council explained that the formation of Community Monitoring Groups is an approach to empower community members to serve as monitors and to play a watchdog role for all projects including the European Union implemented by Local Councils and other implementing partners. He recalled in order to achieving this goal, Councillors would not formed part of this committee because they are duty bearers.

On behalf of participants, Reverend Christopher Turay thanks the organizers including European Union for broaden their skills and knowledge through CDHR in the areas of projects monitoring and therefore assured of his commitment to cautiously deliver as required of them. 

The interactive session ended with participants making their own contributions and commitment on how to engage their community members especially in the areas of monitoring.