The Community Rights and Development Initiatives in collaboration with the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) has organised a workshop for all intending aspirants in Grafton, Freetown.

In her welcome remarks, the Director of Inclusion of Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) intimated all present one the importance of the workshop and how they have to be much focused on building the nation.

She encouraged women, physical challenged persons and youth to aspire for various elective positions.

She added the threshold for Proportional Representation (PR) for each Councillor, Honourable Member of Parliament, non- violence election, free fair and credible elections.

She called on them not to just aspire for their own interest but for the interest of the country and the people that will make the choice of electing them.

Alusine Kargbo, an intending APC aspirant for Councillor said he has lived in Grafton for decades and  has contributed to peace and development. He added that his aspiration is to make sure that these are maintained and the people get a better representation.

Speaking on the side of the Sierra leone peoples party, Senesie Foray an intending SLPP aspirant for Councilor said that he has contributed in bringing water to Grafton and also stood by the the APC Councilor to fight Ebola, as well as spreading sensitization messages to the far reached people.

An intending SLPP Aspirant for Member of Parliament, Osman Kokofele said he is not going to elaborate the obvious about his contributions to Grafton, Constituency 112 and Western Area Rural District because all are self-evident and went further to broaden the horizons of people about Proportional Representation System. In simple term, he clearly explained PRS and commended the Government for embarking on it.

‘’Proportional Representation System (PRS) is not a novelty in Sierra Leone because it was used it 1996 and 2002 respectively. Proportional Representation as the name implies, it is where seats are won and allocated based on the number of votes a Political Party or an Independent Candidate earned. Meaning the Seats are equal to the number of votes you polled in the General Elections,” he said.

“Proportional is a mathematical term meaning “Equal”. In addition, in a PRS the threshold for a single Councilor Seat is 4.5% and the threshold for a Member of Parliament is 11.9 % respectively,” Kokofele added.

Speaker after Speaker responded to the numerous questions posed by the Director of Inclusion, and she was later asked a plethora of questions about Proportional Representation System.

The Director of Inclusion of  ECSL encouraged all presents to attend Day 2 Workshop slated on the Wednesday, 1st February, 2023 at FAWE Secondary School Grafton at 3:00 P.M.

She ended by giving a special task to Osman Kokofele since he is a mobilizer and vocal person to mobilize all youth especially those that are violent and take drugs for Anti-Violent Election Workshop slated on Thursday, 2nd February, 2023 at Goflames Primary School Grafton.