Members and administrative staff of Parliament’s Committees on Defence and National Security and Internal Affairs have begun a three-day capacity-building workshop in Bo to strengthen parliamentary oversight of the country’s security sector.
The workshop, held from 6 to 8 October 2026 at Dohas Hotel in Bo, is being conducted under the theme “Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight of the Defence, Security and Internal Affairs Sectors in Sierra Leone.”
The initiative is organised by the African Union Commission and the GIZ-implemented EU Support to ECOWAS in Peace, Security and Governance Project, with funding support from the European Union, Germany and Denmark.
Declaring the workshop open, Deputy National Security Coordinator Dr Ahmed Sannoh, representing the National Security Coordinator, said national security was a shared responsibility and not the sole duty of security institutions.
He noted that Parliament plays a vital role in national security through legislation, budget scrutiny and accountability, adding that effective oversight strengthens rather than undermines national security.
Representing the European Union Delegation, Governance Policy Manager Dr Enrico Sborgi said democratic institutions had an increasingly important role in ensuring accountable and rights-based security governance amid evolving security challenges in West Africa.
ECOWAS Resident Representative Ambassador John Azumah called for rigorous and impartial oversight, warning that national security should not become an extension of party politics because security threats affect everyone.
Deputy Clerk of Parliament Gilbert Bosco N’habay, speaking on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Solomon Segepoh Thomas, said parliamentary oversight was a safeguard for legitimate and sustainable security. He stressed that citizens ultimately benefit when public resources are used responsibly and security institutions remain accountable.
African Union Commission representative Osei Baffour Frimpong said the workshop followed a regional engagement held in Dakar, Senegal, in June 2026 and aligned with the African Union’s 2013 Policy Framework on Security Sector Reform.
Meanwhile, Hon. Abdul Sulaiman Marray-Conteh said oversight should ensure that security institutions operate within the law and respect human rights without undermining their operational independence. Representing the Opposition, Hon. Rose Marie Bangura also called for impartial oversight that protects human rights and public funds.
The workshop brings together parliamentarians, committee staff, security sector representatives and development partners to strengthen skills in policy scrutiny, budget oversight, human rights, gender-responsive oversight and evidence-based engagement.
