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.
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