RAIC-SL - Press Release

RAIC Fines Corporate Affairs Commission NLe80,000 for Non-Compliance

The Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) has fined the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Eighty Thousand New Leones (NLe 80,000) for failing to respond to an information request made by Eleanor Thompson within the statutory deadline of 15 working days, as required by the Right to Access Information Act 2013 and the Right to Access Information Regulations 2022.

The fine follows a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by Eleanor Thompson (Complainant/Requester) to the Chief Executive & Registrar/Director of the Corporate Affairs Commission/Directorate (Respondent/Public Authority) on 18th June 2024. The request sought, in accordance with Section 2(1) of the Right to Access Information Act 2013: Certified copies of all reports, resolutions, notices, audited financial statements, and any other documents filed with the Commission regarding the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) between 19th March 2023 and 28th May 2024, the date of the initial letter to the Respondent/Public Authority.

Evidence of an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the SLBA, which the Commission/Directorate claims to have in its possession.

The RAIC Order noted that on 10th July 2024, the Complainant/Requester submitted an application for review to the RAIC under Section 43(a)(b)(c) of the Right to Access Information Act 2013, alleging that the Respondent/Public Authority had failed to reply to the original request. This application was accompanied by a copy of the way book, serving as proof of delivery.

In accordance with Section 45(1) of the Right to Access Information Act 2013, the RAIC, by letter dated 17th July 2024, wrote to the Corporate Affairs Commission, providing them with 7 days to respond to the application for review. However, the Respondent/Public Authority failed or refused to reply to the RAIC.

After reviewing the correspondence and considering Section 44 of the Right to Access Information Act 2013, the RAIC ruled that the Corporate Affairs Commission had not demonstrated compliance with its legal obligations under the Act. Specifically, the Commission found that the Corporate Affairs Commission failed to meet the requirements of Section 4 of the Right to Access Information Act 2013, leading to the imposition of the fine and the order to provide the requested information.

The RAIC has also informed the Corporate Affairs Commission of its right to appeal this decision under Section 46 of the Right to Access Information Act 2013.

For media inquiries, contact: Amara Thoronka

Public Information & Communication Officer

Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) National Secretariat

Mob: +232 88 283632 / +232 78 231949

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PSRU HANDS OVER FINAL REPORT OF THE MANAGEMENT AND FUNCTIONAL REVIEW OF RAIC TO ITS CHAIRMAN

Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw and Mr. Sulaiman Foray Musa

The Chairman of the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) has hailed the work of the Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) as outstanding among behavioral change institution in Sierra Leone. Dr Ibrahim Seaga Shaw was responding to the presentation of the final report of the Management and Functional Review of the RAIC by PSRU at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation conference room, on Tower Hill in Freetown.

Dr. Shaw recounted that when he took up leadership at RAIC in 2018, he inherited an almost dysfunctional skeletal staff with poor systems and procedures that warranted the first MFR by PSRU. Over 5 years down the line, the Commission has implemented the recommendations in that report but noticed that there are still gaps, which is why the second MRF was issued and believed that the recommendations of this report will not only boost the morale of staff but also aide the delivery of RAIC’s mandate effectively and efficiently. “I am looking forward to engage the stakeholders including the Ministry of Finance and our supervisory ministry; the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MOICE) to implement these recommendations.” He added.

Director of Public Sector Reform Unit Sulaiman Foray-Musa said no nation can grow beyond its Public Service, the reason why President Jullius Maada Bio is deliberate about transforming the Public sector Architecture. He said the PRSU believes that the effectiveness and efficiency of an institution is not as a result of the large staff and blotted wage bill but rather having the right staff with the requisite skills and qualifications. He noted that from the findings in the RAIC MFR, staff of the Commission lack a clear career pathway which demotivates staff, but the new organogram recommended speaks to that challenge. He concluded that through MFR exercises at various MDAs, they have been able to save the trillions of leones for the Government of Sierra Leone.

Senior Deputy Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Mariatu Browne thanked the RAIC for taking up the challenge and believed that the challenges and opportunities highlighted in the report can be linked to the budget and pledges MOF’s support to the RAIC.

For media inquiries, contact:

David Patrick Kamara

Public Information Officer

Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) National Secretariat

+23278407847

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

RAIC Signs MOU with Audit Service SL

The Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) for effective collaboration in providing access to information as a vehicle to enabling transparency, accountability and good governance.

ANNUAL COMPLIANCE REPORT

PUBLIC NOTICE

ANNUAL COMPLIANCE REPORT

Sections 41(3) and 41(4) of the Right to Access Information Act 2013 state that “The annual report shall also include an overview of the performance of all public authorities in implementing this Act to enable the RAIC to comply with subsection (3), every public authority shall report annually to the RAIC on the steps it has taken to implement this Act, including a report on the requests for information it has received and how these have been dealt with.

The Commission wishes to commend the following institutions for submitting their Annual Compliance Report before the deadline and urge those yet to submit to do so by May 15, 2024 to avoid any penalty.

Anti-Corruption Commission	Koinadugu District Council	Guma Valley Water Company (South)
Bo City Council	National Commission for Social Action (Northern region	Office of the Resident Minister
Bo District Council	Tonkolili District Council	Office of the Provincial Secretary (South)
Pujehun District Council	Political Parties Regulation Commission	Ministry of Defense
Bombali District Council	Karene District Council	Civil Service Training College
University of Makeni	Falaba District Council	Public Sector Reform Unit
Ministry of Basic and Senior Education	Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO)	Environment Protection Agency (East)
Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority	Guma Valley Water Company	National Civil Registration Authority (South)
Sierra Leone National Commission on Small Arms and Ammunition	Public Service Commission	Ministry of Gender (South)
Moyamba District Council	Ministry of Transport and Aviation	Bonthe District Municipality
National Assets and Government Property Commission	Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs	Office of National Security.
Statistics Sierra Leone	National Civil Registration Authority (East)	Ministry of Social Welfare (south)
Kenema City Council	Sierra Leone Maritime Administration	Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone
Public Service Commission	National Authorizing Office	Ministry of the Environment
Cabinet Secretariat	Human Resource Management Office	Office of the Vice President
Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation	Ministry of Internal Affairs	National Commission for Democracy
Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security	National Fire Force	Sierra Leone Library Board
Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs	The Right to Access Information Commission	Sierra Leone Police

RAIC 2022 Report shows progress in ATI in SL

The Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) has on Tuesday 12th December, launched its 2022 Annual Report at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room on George Street in Freetown.