OMBUDSMAN PAYS COURTESY CALL ON THE GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO SIERRA LEONE

The Ombudsman Tejan Ahmed Israel Jah Esq has paid a courtesy visit to the German Ambassador to Sierra Leone Jens Kraus-Massé at his office at Hill Station.

The Ombudsman said the Ombudsman' Office was created by the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991 and it's enabling Act which is the Ombudsman's Act of 1997 which spells out it's mandate and functions. He further stated that the mandate of the office is to investigate any administrative action taken or omitted to be taken by or on behalf of a Public Entity /Official and has caused a member of the public to suffer injustice as a result of maladministration.

He told the Ambassador that the office looks into the administrative action of prescribed Authorities which includes the Police, Military, the Correctional Services and the Fire Force.

He stated that the Office uses the Alternative Dispute Redress Mechanisms which are negotiations, mediation and conciliation in addressing complaints that are brought to his Office. He stated that his Office is seeking funding to ensure that the work of solving disputes reach to citizens in unreached towns and chiefdoms in the Country.

Responding, the German Ambassador Jens Kraus-Massé thanked the Ombudsman and Team for the visit and stated that Germany has been a long standing partner of Sierra Leone. He noted that the work of the Ombudsman is essential for the growth of administrative accountability in Sierra Leone. He told the Ombudsman that the embassy does not currently have a budget for administrative accountability, but will look into his portfolio to see under what category the Ombudsman's Office will fit. He pledged the embassy's continued working relationship with the Ombudsman's Office.

Communications Dept.
Office of the Ombudsman
076945926