By Richard Kemoh & Donstance Koroma
The Parliamentary Committee on the National Commission for Social Action (NACSA) and NGOs of the House of Parliament has concluded meetings with International and Local Non Governmental Organizations at the well of Parliament, Tower Hill, and Freetown.
It will be recalled that the Committee, since the inception of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, has been scrutinizing different International and Local Non Governmental operations with regards their operations in the country.
The sittings, which were held between the 6thand 13 August,2018, had interfaced with senior executives of the respective INGOs and NGOs on their residential and work permit documents, observance of the country’s local content policy dealing with staff recruitment and also the overall management of the INGOs and NGOs in the country.
Committee members expressed mixed feelings in relation to how the NGO community has been operating in the country.They particularly observed that these INGOs and NGOs have not regularized the stay of their foreign staff in the country.
MPs have also observed that the respective INGOs and NGOs are directly managed by boards outside the country.This, they noted, has affected their contribution to policy formulation and implementation in the country especially on their areas of intervention.
Hon. Dr. Foday Roland Kargbo, Chairman of the Committee, underscored the point that all INGOs and NGOs should adhere to the labor and immigration laws of the country.
He noted that it is a must for all foreign expatriates, working for INGOs, to have their residential and work permits while in the country. He said they should also ensure that these documents are updated on a regular basis as and when required.
Hon. Madam Josephine Maquie from Kenema District entreated them to ensure that they explore all the available skills present in the country before considering bring in foreigners to take up jobs in the country.This, according to her, is because she has noted that a very good number of foreign workers employed by these INGOs are doing jobs for which the skills are available in the country.
The committee ended the interviews yesterday on a very sound note, cautioning the various INGOs and NGOs to play by the rules of the game in moving forward.
They promised to also work with the Labour and Immigration sectors with a view to urge them to prioritize the issue of residential and work permits which have been not secured over the years.