SLAJ Calls for Greater Access to Public Institutions

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has called for greater openness by public institutions and unhindered professional access for journalists, arguing that restrictions on access can undermine the public’s ability to obtain credible information and hold institutions accountable.

SLAJ President, Alhaji Manika Kamara, made the call while addressing members of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery during their Extraordinary General Meeting held on Friday, 25 September 2026, at Committee Room 1 of the Parliament Building.

The meeting, held under the theme “From Draft to Covenant: Securing the Gallery’s Future,” brought renewed attention to the relationship between Parliament, journalists and the public’s right to access information.

Alhaji Manika Kamara specifically appealed to the Speaker of Parliament to reconsider the decision barring journalist Melvin Tejan Mansaray from entering the premises of the Parliament of Sierra Leone.

In addressing members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, the SLAJ President emphasized that journalists constitute an independent professional institution and should not be treated as an extension of Parliament’s Public Relations wing.

He said the media has a public-interest responsibility to provide citizens with credible information and scrutinise the activities of public institutions through professional and independent journalism.

While defending journalists’ access to Parliament and other public institutions, Alhaji Manika Kamara also called on members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery to uphold professional standards, including accuracy, fairness, impartiality and integrity.

He reminded parliamentary journalists that their responsibility is not to represent political parties or partisan interests, but to serve the public by providing balanced and credible reporting on legislative and national affairs.

The SLAJ President said effective journalism depends significantly on timely access to reliable information from public institutions, particularly as journalists are increasingly required to verify claims and counter misleading information circulating across digital platforms.

His remarks came as Sierra Leone joined the global community on 28 September 2026 to commemorate the International Day for Universal Access to Information under the theme “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The Role of Access to Information in Addressing Information Disorder.”

SLAJ said the rapid expansion of digital platforms has transformed the way information is produced and consumed, creating new opportunities for public engagement while simultaneously intensifying concerns over misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.

According to Alhaji Manika Kamara, journalists cannot effectively verify and contextualise information when public institutions fail to provide timely and credible information.

“As journalists, we have a responsibility to verify information, uphold professional and ethical standards and provide the public with accurate and contextualized information. But journalists cannot effectively perform that role without timely access to credible information and responsive public institutions,” he stated.

He further argued that transparency remains an important tool for countering false information, noting that citizens are better positioned to distinguish facts from falsehoods when authoritative information is readily available.

“When accurate information is accessible, false information has less room to thrive. Transparency is one of our strongest defences against information disorder,” he said.

SLAJ is therefore calling on Government institutions and other public bodies to strengthen compliance with access-to-information obligations, proactively disclose information of public interest and promote a culture of openness and accountability.

The Association also urged journalists and media organisations to maintain professional standards in gathering, verifying and disseminating information, while encouraging technology platforms and members of the public to exercise greater responsibility in creating and sharing content.

Alhaji Manika Kamara stressed that combating information disorder requires cooperation among Government

institutions, journalists, media organisations, technology companies and citizens.

“The fight against information disorder is not the responsibility of journalists alone. It requires Government, the media, technology platforms and citizens to collectively defend the public’s right to know and the integrity of information,” he stated.

SLAJ maintained that access to information and journalistic independence are closely connected, particularly in a digital environment where unverified claims can spread rapidly and influence public understanding.

The Association reaffirmed its willingness to engage constructively with Parliament and other public institutions, while maintaining its commitment to protecting the professional independence of journalists and their ability to access information and report in the public interest.

SLAJ said strengthening institutional transparency, protecting journalists’ professional independence and ensuring access to credible information remain essential to building an informed society and safeguarding citizens’ right to know.