Diplomats Contribute To APC’s Re-election

The Accountant General’s office has confirmed receipt of a letter from the National Secretary General of the governing APC Party authorising them to deduct US$200 from the monthly salary of all Sierra Leone’s overseas Ambassadors and High Commissioners commencing end of July, 2010 until 2012.

According to the Party’s National Secretary General, Victor Foh the money will be used to fund the Party’s re-election campaign in 2012.

Out of the twenty-three serving Ambassadors and High Commissioners, two of them have said openly that as Career Diplomats they do not think it is prudent for them to contribute to the funding of any political party.  “The President had made it absolutely clear that serving Civil Servants must stay clear of local political party politics… I don’t think it is right for us to be seen to be taking active part in local party politics back home,” one of the career diplomats serving as Ambassador in an African country told the Global Times last night.

The Foreign Minister, Zainab Bangura is reportedly not keen on Ambassadors and/or High Commissioners involving in local party politics.  “Prior to the APC Convention in Makeni in April 2009, Mrs. Zainab Bangura insisted that any serving diplomat who wanted to travel from their stations to Sierra Leone for the APC National Delegates Conference must foot their airfare and accommodation bills”, one of the diplomats recalled.

Even APC functionaries serving as diplomats have kicked against the deduction of US$200 from the meagre salaries they are paid at the end of every month.  “I am worried about the accountability aspect of the handling of the money. Knowing Victor Foh as I do, it is not advisable for the party to put him solely in charge of the collection and disbursement of the funds”, an APC diplomat told the Global Times last night.

A spokesman for the APC yesterday confirmed the authenticity of the letter addressed to the Accountant General but refused to comment further.