The Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sierra Leone, which had over the years received a grade A status from the United Nations, is set to lose this under the presidency of Julius Maada Bio and the SLPP Government.
It will be recalled that Parliament has, over the past months, faced with a barrage of issues relating to the approval of five human rights commissioners appointed by President Bio.
Civil society organizations, both within and outside the country, have called on the lawmakers not to approve the five Human Rights Commissioners, noting that their appointment had violated the Human Rights Commission Act. The issue of conflict of interest with one of the appointees also came to the fore especially as the Chairperson was accused of being the wife of the Minister of Agriculture.
Lawmakers have on Thursday 4th April approved all five Commissioners against such warnings and it is almost obvious now that the country risks facing the wrath of the United Nations.
Member Human Rights Organizations in Africa have even threatened to sue the Government of Sierra at the ECOWAS Court to ensure that benefits due the three Human Rights Commissioners are honored by the Bio Government.
The leader of the main opposition party in Parliament has already condemned the approval of the five human rights commissioners, noting that they will not work with them since their appointment has violated the Human Rights Act.