By Alieu Amara Suwu
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the agency with the mandate to supervise, coordinate, and manage matters relating to disasters and emergencies throughout Sierra Leone, has on October 9, 2024, launched its first-ever Service Delivery Charter for the effective running of the agency and for citizens to understand the role of the agency and when and how they can contact the agency on matters of concern.
Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Brima Sesay, Director General of the NDMA, said the launching of the document (the Service Delivery Charter) is very important, especially when the NDMA has intervened and averted the occurrence of series of disasters across the country, and further revealed that they have responded to over 50,000 affected victims of disasters in the country since the establishment of the Agency.
The Director General said the charter clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of the NDMA that will help to prevent confusion and overlapping during emergencies, ensuring a coordinated and efficient response.
He further explained that service status clearly states what the agency can offer, so whenever there are joint coordinated activities, there are clear lines drawn between all of those that will be centered on that particular activity, the essence of the service charter.
He continued that the charter ensures that NDMA is held accountable to the public by setting specific standards and expectations for service delivery and allows citizens to know what they can expect from the agency and how to hold the agency accountable if services fall short.
He asserted that service charters are meant for the citizens to know about them and to hold the particular ministry, department, or agency accountable if things happen that should not happen based on what is applying in their service charters.
He said the charter will promote transparency and will foster trust between the agency and the public, especially in times of crisis.
He said it is a sort of agreement between the agency and what it can offer to the citizens of this country.
John Vandy Rogers, Deputy Director General of NDMA, said in the charter operationalism has been professionally expressed, noting that the agency is a very young one and also making it known that the agency is creating marks across the board, not only in Sierra Leone but also internationally.
He said naturally, when one takes a look at service charters, they are a brief expressed opinion of service delivery and effort of the institution to the public of this country and to the government of Sierra Leone. He said the document itself speaks across the board, taking into consideration issues related to the vision, the mission, policy, governance, etc.
He noted that these are issues that are strongly captured within the charter, and it determines the relationship between the NDMA and the public and how they are able to leverage upon those responsibilities and duties given to them by the Agency’s Act of 2020.
He expressed that the ceremony was not a day for making speeches but a day for happiness and jubilation because of the accomplishments that they have made over time.
On that note, he had the honor to express his profound gratitude and appreciation to the Director General, Prof. Miles, and staff for all the support that they are giving to them in terms of capacity building as an agency.
Prof. Lee Miles, Professor of Crisis and Disaster Management at Bournemouth University of Disaster Management.
In his presentation (through Zoom), he said the charter actually builds upon a commitment to evidence and based on standards.
The professor outlined that the chapter captures six points: building trust management in Sierra; demonstrating real partnerships; showing the legitimacy/authority of the agency and its services; empowering stakeholders and the public; amplifying the importance of the public voice and recognizing knowledge; and working together to improve disaster management in Sierra Leone.
In his highlight of the charter, he said it provides sources of best practice and indicators about how the public might look at the work of the agency.
