Foreign Minister Gets Tough on Diplomats

When the President of Sierra Leone on assuming office over two years ago appointed the head of a powerful NGO to take over the realms at the Foreign Ministry, no one anticipated the Presidents true intentions. The appointment of Madam Zainab Hawa Bangura as Sierra Leone’s Chief Diplomat was a clear indication that the President was sending a powerful message of zero-tolerance in the corrupt-riddled diplomatic missions of the West African state abroad. Zainab Bangura was the head of the ’Campaign for Good Governance’ initiative. An NGO she established to call government officials into account and demand good governance as a way of life.

Her no-nonsense approach to corruption in high placed earned her the reputation of an ‘Iron Lady’ and it was no surprise to some observers when she was asked by Sierra Leone’s President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, to become the country’s Foreign Affairs Minister. She reluctantly accepted the appointment as she pondered whether it will compromise her strong stand on corruption and governance. But she showed character and recognised that when called upon to serve your country in such an important capacity you cannot say no. She came to the conclusion that she could use the overwhelming influence that her new office carry to push for the necessary changes she had only dreamt of.

There are set rules for diplomats in the discharge of their duties abroad. And there are also guidelines in the disbursement of government funds allocated to missions for the day-to-day functioning of their offices. Some of these rules and guidelines had been established ten’s of years ago and have never been re-visited to ensure that they are not abused. Diplomatic privileges range from allowances for children and spouses to fuel and personal effects and much more. It has come to the knowledge of this press that diplomats in the country’s missions abroad have been systematically abusing their good-offices to ensure financial gain. There are indeed some decent and honourable men and women working in some of our missions abroad who tirelessly day-in and day-out in their own small way present our country in a dignified way. And they should be commended for that. Some even try to bring attention to authorities in Freetown of the bad practices that some of their colleagues engage in, but there concerns sometimes fell into deaf ears.

There are tenets that go with the diplomatic profession. As a diplomat you are your country’s official representative abroad. You speak on behalf of your country and you act on behalf of your country. There is no provision within those tenets for corruption. The blatant disregard by some in the country’s mission abroad of the code of conduct practices laid out by their government and the host country is just unbelievable. Imagine a diplomat claiming allowances for 3 children as the rules allow, when they don’t even have a child. What about when the child is over 18 and the rules only allow that you can only make claims for children under 18. These practices have been going on for decades at the peril of the Sierra Leone tax payer. The millions of dollars that have been more or less stolen by these corrupt officials, have left the country’s finances in dire shape as much needed foreign reserve currency is used to maintain the lifestyle of a few at the expense of other priorities like health and agriculture being left under-funded.

As a matter of fact, when these diplomats are called to question by their bosses in Freetown and demands are started being made for full accountability, they resort to nasty smear campaign using corrupt local tabloids to tarnish the good name and reputation of the Foreign Minister. As if that is not enough, they engage in insults and verbal attacks and innuendoes and cook up stories to divert the attention of the Anti-Corruption commission to investigate their anomalies. They turn the tables round to make the Foreign Minister look like the corrupt one who should be investigated and brought to account.

Zainab Bangura has a legacy. It is indeed untainted – no matter what anyone may say. The records are there to show. She can lift her head up high and be proud of the fine contribution she has made to good governance in Sierra Leone. She has secured an unprecedented amount of foreign assistance for the country and has brought recognition and respect for herself and her country in her numerous dealings with foreign governments and diplomats. She is an enduring character with a strong personality and I can only hope that the foolish media propaganda will not divert her focus on the extremely important job she has started – to redefine Sierra Leone’s International relations agenda.

But diplomatic corruption must end. Corruption in high-places must end as well. Madam Zainab Bangura should be left alone to engage potential partners in the development process of our country. She must eliminate diplomatic corruption. Corrupt diplomats should be investigated with no stones left unturned. Sierra Leone stands to benefit a lot from the remarkable drive and dynamism its Foreign Minister possess to bring about the necessary changes that the country’s image abroad requires.

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Tags:  Corruption, Diplomats, President Koroma, Sierra Leone, Zainab Bangura

By Daily Mail