FREETOWN (AFP) — Sierra Leone said Tuesday it is "revising" its
policy towards the 300-odd non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
operating in the west African nation from mid-September.
Economic
Planning Minister Richard Conteh said: "Most of the pledges made
towards the development of the country by members of the donor
communities are channelled through the NGOs operating in the country --
but not much is felt."
"The volume of those resources or funds
are not known to the government and their areas of operations or
interventions are not specified," he told reporters Tuesday.
Under
the proposed new policy, "registration of both local and international
NGOs would be extended for two years rather than one year as prescribed
by the previous policy".
"There will also be a decentralised form
of registration so that NGOs operating in all regions of the country
would undertake registrations in their respective areas."
NGOs
would also have to submit annual reports, upon which their continued
presence in Sierra Leone will be determined, said Conteh, who is also
deputy finance minister.
Dozens of NGOs have in the past been
sanctioned by the development ministry for being inactive, Conteh said.
Some had turned out to have no others; others alleged served as fronts
for child trafficking and tax dodging".
In 2006, over 100 mainly
local NGOs were struck off a government register after they deemed to
be "portfolio or fake NGOs soliciting funds externally and importing
vehicles and computers duty-free". None were prosecuted.
