By Alieu Sahid Tunkara
The Director of Youth Affairs has informed the Commission, presided over by Justice Biobele Georgewill, that he was marginalised by former Ministers of Youth Affairs and their Permanent Secretaries.
He made this disclosure while testifying on the four (4) national youth projects initiated by the Ministry. The projects are the Youths in Drainage, Youths in Fisheries, Youths in Agriculture, and the National Youth Farm. These projects were meant to economically empower less privileged youths and they therefore attracted huge funding running into billions of leones.
The Director of Youth Affairs, led in evidence by lead state counsel, Oladipo Robin Mason, told the Commission that he started serving the Ministry of Youth Affairs since 2005. He said he was made Deputy Director in July 2011 and was appointed substantive Director in July 2016. He said his duties are wide ranging and includes, but not limited to, the formulation of youth policies, coordination of youth activities and programmes, etc.
The witness continued that he had been executing those functions to the best of his ability, noting that he had served various ministers such as Dr Dennis Bright, Al-Gassimu Jah and Paul Kamara, etc.
The Youth Director also pinpointed the fact that youth issues are cross cutting and involves issues like education, agriculture, health and skills acquisition, etc.
He further told the Commission that, by virtue of his office, he was supposed to have been fully involved in the execution of the youth projects but this was never done as he was marginalised.
Mr. Moninah told the Commission that, even when he expressed his interest to share his experiences in executing the project, Minister Alimamy Kamara refused to incorporate him in the day-to-day management of the projects.
Positions for various staff members to work in these youths projects, according to him, were never advertised and personnel were brought in at the behest of the Minister of Youth Affairs, Mr. Alimamy Kamara.
“Neither myself nor staff attached at the project implementation unit were involved in the management of these projects even when it falls under our purview,” the witness stated.
The day-to-day management of the projects centred around the Minister and the Permanent Secretary, and that it would be an understatement to mention that these projects were politically controlled.
He further told the Commission that even though he was not involved in the day-to-day management of the project, he often visits the project sites to see for himself what obtains with regards progress. Such visits, he told the Commission, provided him with an insight into the project, which he described to be very unsuccessful.
The witness also spoke about his knowledge on the Youth in Fisheries project, which he stated he came to know about when a meeting with boat owners was summoned by the then minister.
The defense team could not go ahead with cross examination, arguing that they needed to be served all relevant documents pertaining to the matter.
The cross examination was adjourned to 21st March, 2019 when Ade Macauley and other defense counsels would take the stage.