84 percent progress in tripartite implementation.

By Alimamy Lahai Kamara

Tripartite Steering Committee Secretariat (TSCS) revealed 84 percent progress in the implementation of the tripartite recommendations. The data covered ECSL, PPRC, ONS, AG's Office, SLBC, IMC, IPCB, HRC, NCRA. It tracked their implementation of the recommendations and translated them into statistical data to gauge progress. TSCS made the presentation alongside ECSL, Public Sector Reform Unit (PSRU) and the Attorney-General at a Steering Committee meeting on Thursday 11 September, 2025, held in the conference room of the Chief Minister.

"The meeting is discursive. We track the implementation of the 80 recommendations; we analyze the work of the technical committees; and we determine next steps on how we navigate in building our democracy, strengthening our governance architecture, and fostering a cohesion that speaks to our social reality and our political culture," Chief Minister told the members.

The Steering Committee, headed by the Chief Minister, is the supervisory body of the Tripartite Secretariat, providing oversight. It comprises mayors of Freetown, Makeni, Bo, and Kenema; Council of Paramount Chief; Ministers of Information, Social Welfare, Local Government, Justice, and Finance; Head of Government Business and Head of the Opposition; SLAJ, APPA, APPWA, CSOs, Bar Association etc.

The composition is multifaceted to provide thorough oversight and monitoring with a vision to deliver on every recommendation born out of the spirit of refurbishing the electoral governance architecture of the country as pledged by the President.

David Sengeh said the President was also committed to implementing every resolution in the Unity Agreement such that, in addition to the pardon of some 37 detainees, salaries of the opposition members of parliament and councillors who did not take up their seats following the 2023 elections had been paid. His office had corrected an oversight by processing payments of SLPP councillors in the North and North-West who were unable to take up their seats at the time APC councillors stayed out of work.

The Chief Minister seemed satisfied at the level of turnout in the meeting, indicating a dedication to install legislations to reform EMBs, and institutionalize policies that direct the administration and operation of the very EMBs.

ECSL had developed consultation and regulation-making power policies. A consultant had been commissioned to deal with voter registration mechanics and result management system.

The Attorney-General had produced a preliminary report following the drafting of pieces of legislations as directed by the tripartite recommendations. Alpha Sesay told the meeting that a fantastic job had been done on the constitutional review which incorporated recommendations of the White Paper and the Tripartite Report. Constitutional changes proposed by the Tripartite recommendations were none-entrenched.

Public Sector Reform Unit had also completed Management Functional Reviews on SLBC, IMC, PPRC, and IPCB, which reports were set for validation. Director of PSRU, Foray Musa said an implementation matrix would be developed to guide the roll-out of the recommendations proffered by the reviews.

While elaborate efforts are being made to implementing the tripartite recommendations, social media continues to fan bits of injurious disinformation around the tripartite. Minister of Information and Civic Education described this act as inhuman, anti-democratic, and offensive to public conscience and public stability. Chernor Bah said his Ministry would continue to churn out loads of public information for public consumption on the tripartite. It would cover outreaches to solicit feedbacks on the perception of the citizenry on the tripartite and stimulate a behaviour tolerant to peace, unity, and national cohesion.

Committee members such as the Mayors of Freetown and Makeni, APPA, and Honourable Nfa representing Head of the Opposition were concerned about including political parties as members of the Search Committee for Chairman and Commissioners of ECSL. A request was made for extension of the duration of the meeting and distribution of reading materials ahead of meetings.