By Joseph S. Ansumanah
The Green Scenery has, on Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st May 2018, held two days capacity building training for journalists on investigative journalism and reporting standard of natural resources governance in the context of National Land Policy and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) Implementations in Sierra Leone, on the theme ‘Investigative Journalism: Reporting standard on large land acquisition for Agricultural investment’.
The training took place at the Council of Churches Sierra Leone Conference Hall, King Haman Road, Freetown.
Giving the rational of the training, the Project Manager IAPG, Mohamed E.J. Kargbo, said the objective of the training is to provide capacity building for journalists on the conceptual framework of the National Land Policy (NLP) and the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT).
He maintained that, the training will also look at different approaches in media investigation and reporting in order to enhance efficient and effective management of information and communication in the natural resources governance.
He informed that, the relevant objectives of the training is to help journalists acquire basic knowledge, track progress and follow up on the implementation of the National Land Policy (NLP), VGGT and IAPG project framework in Sierra Leone.
He said the training will also help to build the capacity of journalists to monitor and report on the activities and operations of foreign direct investment in Sierra Leone. It will give journalists the capacity to unearth land governance related cases and bring to the attention of policy decision markers for action. Equally, it will also give background information to journalists on the conceptual framework of the IAPG support project and its relevance to land governance in Sierra Leone. Again, it will build a media network that will create a platform for information sharing on land rights, debate on sensitive sharing gender land rights issues.
In the context of the National Land Policy, the VGGT is both local and international. Its agreed framework endorsed to provide substantive procedural approach in addressing tenure rights issues, adding that the frameworks were developed to enhance transparency and accountability in the natural resources governance.
He emphasized that, the media has always been instrumental in knowledge sharing and dissemination of information, educating the public on emerging issues and inform policy markers for action.
In his power point presentation, the Executive Director, Green Scenery, Joseph Rahall, said Green Scenery is a non- governmental organization that operates within the framework of environment management, human rights and natural resources governance. He added that, the organization has been working with relevant stakeholders and media groups to large scale land acquisition on various projects in Sierra Leone.
He disclosed that , Green Scenery is implementing five years ‘’Pro-Poor Land Governance Project’’, saying that the project is geared towards promoting land governance, human rights and accountability of large scale land investments. He noted that, if natural resources are properly managed, the economy and the public will benefit.
He furthered that, the intervention is supported by Irish Aid through Christian Aid and implemented by Green Scenery to contribute to the reduction of poverty by improving food and livelihood security and protection of tenure rights owners and users in rural parts of Sierra Leone.
He made it clear that, the main objectives of the National Land Policy are to reform the complex and conflicting constitutional, legal and institutional frameworks that will harmonize the dual and land tenure system; and to enhance institutional capacity, strengthen tenure security and promote equitable access to land resources for all Sierra Leoneans without any form of discrimination.
The Executive Director said the VGGT guidelines are one of the most recent guidelines designed by nations through the UN system to address issues of food security in the face of an emerging demand of land in developing countries.
In his lectures, the Commissioner, IMC, Francis Sowa, lectures on investigative journalism, key ethical guiding principles of media investigation and reporting and Forensic journalism, investigation and reporting on natural resources governance.