Presentation in the first workshop of the Exploring the Emerging Impacts of Open Data in Developing Countries project. Looking at the context of open data, and the research case study planned for 2013 - 2014. See http://www.opendataresearch.org/project/2013/sdi

1. Taking Stock of the Effectiveness
and Efficiency of Open Data
Initiatives in Post War Sierra Leone
By Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai
And
Rosemarie Y Blake

2. Background
• This case study of Sierra Leone will assess the open data
landscape of Sierra Leone. It will examine how a country in
transition can entrench transparency and accountability by
instituting, at various levels of government, open
government policies that allows for access to information
and the proactive publication of information by public
institutions. It will show case success stories to underpin
the legacies of such noble initiatives. The case study will
further flash out some of the challenges that have been
faced in the implementation of open data policies. The case
study will make recommendations on how to overcome
these challenges.
• Sierra Leone Is a tiny West African States on the West
Coast of Africa.
• Very rich in natural resources with diamond, oil, iron
ore, bauxite, cash crops et al
• Sierra Leone has just emerged from a ten year conflict

3. Background
• The conflict is believed to have been fueled by
natural resources.
• Heinous crimes were committed and at the end of
the war, transitional justice mechanisms were
developed.
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report
pointed corruption, secrecy of government business
and the lack of public services.
• It recommended the government to pass the
freedom of information bill, fight corruption, review
the official secrets act and the criminal and seditious
libel laws.

4. Project
• As a result of these recommendations,
governments have passed laws and initiated
programs to create transparency and
accountability.
• This initiatives include joining the EITI process,
Public Financial Management, Local
Government Transparency Initiatives, Access
to Information program.
• This project will explore these initiatives and
assess the successes and challenges of these
initiatives

5. EITI
• EITI is a super-national creature, but Sierra Leone has
acceded to it.
• It expects Sierra Leone to make available information
on natural resource public.
• The private companies and govt. should published
taxes and royalty paid
• The information must be published in portals, notice
boards and in many other forms.
• At the end of year, an audit is undertaken to reconcile
differences and accountability to the public.
• This process has faced challenges and yet has
exceptional successes which will be examined.

6. Public Finance Management
• Another super national initiative that is supported by the
Bank, the PFM has been in operations for the past five
years in Sierra Leone.
• It purpose is to improve public finance handling by creating
a transparent process in public procurements, contract
completion, budget transparency et al
• Laws were passed to ensure that this becomes a
government practice in budget, audits, procurements et al.
• A Civil society component was created also with funding
from the bank to push forward with it
• Several portals, notice boards, public budget hearing have
been held to make available information on issues of PFM
• How the PFM has feared remained a secret. This section of
the research will examine the successes and challenges of
this process

7. Local Government Transparency
• In 2004, the Local Government Act was passed.
• Audaciously, it mandates that Local Authorities hold information for
the people
• It further provides that citizens can request for any information
from local institutions and it is mandatory for the information to be
made available
• Further, it mandates local institutions to publish information on
notice boards, websites and in Wards on basic issues such as
institutional mandates, monthly income and expenditure
statements, rolls of property held by local council.
• Have there been demand from the public to access data held by
local councils?
• Have these provision been adhered to by the local authorities?
• If so, what impact has these provisions have on improving
governance at local level and enhanced service delivery?
• If no, why not? This report will investigate the transparency
aspirations of the local government acts.

8. FOI
• Sierra Leone has no FOI Law, but a bill that exist
for the past ten years.
• Advocacy has been ongoing for the past eight
years, yet there seem to be no political will to
pass the bill
• Yet, the advocacy has impacted other laws to
make open data provisions.
• How has these impacted the transparency and
accountability landscape? How will an FOI make
the difference in Sierra Leone.
• Most importantly, what is the relationship
between FOI and open data will be the many
questions that this section will investigate

9. Assumptions
• This research is making certain assumptions:
that there is a direct relationship between
access to information and open data;
• That the first steps of open data processes is
the legislative framework
• With legislative framework in place,
behavorial changes will be forced or evolved.
• These assumptions will form the basis of both
qualitative and quantitative methodologies
that will be explored in this research

10. Conclusion
• The research will explored a vigorous desk
review and collection of raw data.
• At the end of the research, recommendations
will be made on how to make the initiatives
better and will show case the successes and
challenges that each has faced over the years.