The Office of the Ombudsman has today Friday 26th January, 2018 launched a Five Year Strategic Plan and officially opened the new office building at 26 Charlotte Street in Freetown. The ceremony was witnessed by government officials, development partners and members of the fourth estate.
Speaking to the guests and the media at the ceremony, the Ombudsman Mr. Melron Nicol-Wilson said that when he assumed office last year, he did an institutional assessment and concluded that, there was need for the relocation of the Office to a more conducive and convenient building for staff and complainants. He said that, the new building gives visibility to the Office as well as restores public confidence in the services of the Ombudsman.
Declaring the Office open, the newly appointed Finance Director in the Office of the Ombudsman Madeline Oneil, expressed thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure for approving the relocation of the Office, and the Ministry of Finance for paying the rent for the new building.
Launching the Strategic Plan, the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), Rev. James M. Fornah, congratulated the Ombudsman and team for their efforts in developing the Strategic Plan. Rev. James Fornah appealed to the Government and Civil Society Organisations to support the work of the Ombudsman.
NEW OFFICE
The development of the five year strategic plan of the Ombudsman for the period 2018 – 2022 was made possible with the financial and technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) country office in Freetown.
The plan envisages “a Sierra Leone which consistently respects and upholds good governance”. The mission is “to improve governance and promote the delivery of public services in Sierra Leone, by effectively responding to and preventing maladministration and the abuse of power”.
The strategic priorities of the Plan are: to establish and maintain a credible and respected institution; to ensure operational autonomy and financial independence; to improve accessibility and visibility to the public; and to enhance the impact of interventions on governance and the delivery of public services.
Abdulai Senesie
Principal Public Relations Officer
Office of the Ombudsman
Leave a Reply