Sierra Leone: Journalists pledge to popularize Cybersecurity and Crime Act and Right to Access Information Act

By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma [caption id="attachment_91443" align="alignnone" width="564"] Founder of CGSL Joel Abdulai Kallon[/caption] Following a two-day training Chozen Generation Sierra Leone (CGSL) conducted on the Cybersecurity and Crime Act and Right to Access Information Act, senior journalist, Millicent Obries Mansaray has committed to teaching all what she learned in the training. Madam Mansaray was part of 50 young people – journalists, bloggers and youth activists – who benefitted from the training facilitated by Francis Sowa (PhD), a seasoned media expert with over ten years’ experience as a lecturer, consultant and digital rights advocate ‘’I am so happy for the training on cyber security Act 2021 and the right to access information Act organized by Chozen Generation. This is a very good start for people out there to know that they should not only use their phone, but use it responsibly, she said After what this training has taught me, I will become an ambassador to teach and explain cybersecurity and its importance to my community, friends and colleagues who are not fortunate to be here. It is vital for citizens to be aware of their rights and responsibilities in the digital space.” Founder of CGSL Joel Abdulai Kallon, in his statement before the training noted that the two-day training will be a critical piece of training because cybersecurity and right to access information issues are very important in this day and age ‘Sometimes as journalists, as business men, and women; as bloggers we churn out information to the public, we create content, but in so doing we have to be able to appreciate the laws and legislations that must guide our modus operandi – that has to tell us to go this way and not to go the other way,’ he said. ‘’You should be able to walk up to the Anti-corruption Commission for instance to say I need to see all of the investigations you have made in the last one year or so. There are always limitations to these laws but largely the law empowers citizens to make information request from government, it ministries, departments and agencies. Participants gained knowledge on Freedom of Expression, Access to Information, Internet Freedom, Digital Rights and Cyber-security, Understanding the Cyber-Security and Crime Act 2021 and the effective use of same and Introduction to Digital Rights Advocacy among other things. This training climaxes CGSL’s drive to continue strengthening the capacity of journalists, bloggers and youth activists on digital rights reporting and advocacy in Sierra Leone. Chozen Generation Sierra Leone is one of 13 entities from the African continent to secure a grant from the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) to continue its digital right advocacy in Sierra Leone in the context of the African Digital Rights Fund.