Sierra Leone Government/UNDP
Open Government Initiative (OGI)
Ministry of Presidential and Public Affairs
State House, State Avenue
Freetown, Sierra Leone

What: OGI Town Hall Meeting and Field Trip
Where: Kabala Community Centre, Kabala Town, Koinandugu District
When: Saturday 3rd October, 2009

Following its successful maiden parliamentary town-hall meeting in Kenema on 12th September 2009, the Open
Government Initiative (OGI) Secretariat continues its drive in providing a forum for a face-to-face dialogue between
Members of Parliament and their constituents, this time going to Koinadugu District. On the 3rd October, 2009, OGI
will coordinate a field visit to the Government Education Inspectorate Office in Kabala as well as to the Koinandugu
Government Hospital, to be followed by a town-hall meeting in the Kabala Community Centre. This event will provide
the citizens across the district with an opportunity to ask questions on important issues affecting their lives and thus
contribute to the development of Koinandugu District.

The concept of Open Government Initiative (OGI) was borne out of His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma’s
Bumbuna Presidential Retreat in January 2008. At Bumbuna, he expressed a commitment to ensure that democracy,
the Rule of Law and free-flow of information through open channels of communication amongst the three organs of
Government and between Government and the people prevail during his presidency. OGI is a direct response to the
President’s expressed commitment.

Through OGI, information will flow freely between Government and the public.

OGI conducted four successful interactive field trips since September 2008 which were focused entirely on the Executive
branch of the Government. The new phase targets the Legislative body with a view to coordinate interactive dialogues
between Parliamentarians and their constituents through town- hall meetings. The aim of these meetings is to provide
an opportunity for the public to openly discuss with their Parliamentarians some of the most critical issues in their
communities.

OGI invites all Sierra Leoneans to attend its second Parliamentary field trip in Koinandugu District on Saturday 3rd October,
 2009. In addition, as part of its sensitization and mobilization activities, OGI will organize two radio programmes on SLBS
and local radio stationsin Kabala and Makeni. The first radio programme, aired on Thursday 1st October from 8:00pm to
9:00pm, will explain the OGI concept, past and future activities of the project, as well as its accomplishments.
The second radio programme, focusing predominantly on women and youth issues, will be broadcast on Friday 2nd October,
from 8:00pm to 9:00pm.