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Reading: Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Facilitates Training on Democracy and Government Stability in West Africa
Reading: Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Facilitates Training on Democracy and Government Stability in West Africa

Prominent Human Rights Lawyer Facilitates Training on Democracy and Government Stability in West Africa

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Sallu Kamuskay
By Sallu Kamuskay 5 Min Read
5 Min Read

Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, a prominent human rights lawyer and publisher of Sierra Leone’s News Watch newspaper, is currently in Ghana to facilitate a three-day training session organized by the ECOWAS Parliament. The training focuses on the topics of undemocratic change of government and presidential term limitations.

Abdulai took to Twitter to share his experiences and observations from the event, highlighting the interesting and diverse opinions expressed by participants regarding the root causes of coups in the region.

The training, held in the city of Winneba, Ghana, aims to foster a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by West African nations in maintaining stable democratic systems and preventing unconstitutional changes of government.

Abdulai’s tweet sheds light on the significance of addressing these issues within the context of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), an organization committed to promoting regional integration and cooperation among its member countries. By providing a platform for parliamentarians from across the region to exchange ideas and share experiences, ECOWAS hopes to strengthen democratic governance and prevent political instability.

Undemocratic change of government and presidential term limitations are crucial topics in West Africa, where coups and political instability have historically posed significant challenges to development and stability. By addressing these issues head-on, ECOWAS aims to equip parliamentarians with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively address potential threats to democracy.

Abdulai’s presence as a facilitator at this training session highlights his expertise and commitment to promoting human rights and democratic values in Sierra Leone and the wider region. As one of the founders of the Renaissance Movement of Sierra Leone, he has been actively involved in advocating for good governance, transparency, and accountability.

His tweet serves as a reminder that open dialogue and the exchange of ideas are essential in tackling complex issues such as undemocratic change of government and presidential term limitations. By fostering a better understanding of the root causes behind coups, participants at the training session can work towards implementing effective strategies to prevent them.

As the training continues, it is expected that participants will engage in robust discussions, sharing their experiences and insights on how to strengthen democratic institutions and promote peaceful transitions of power. The knowledge gained from this training will undoubtedly contribute to the ongoing efforts to build resilient democracies in West Africa.

Abdulai’s presence and active participation in this training further solidify his reputation as a respected voice in the region’s human rights and governance landscape. His commitment to facilitating such discussions and sharing his expertise will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the participants and the wider community as they strive for a more democratic and stable West Africa.

Emmanuel Saffa Abulai is an attorney, a newspaper publisher, and an activist. Despite personal and professional attacks from the government and some individuals, he continues to represent besieged clients, push for laws that are more just, and advocate for policies that protect disadvantaged citizens of Sierra Leone.

Profile: Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai is a courageous human rights lawyer, the publisher of Sierra Leoneā€™s News Watch newspaper, and one of the founders of the Renaissance Movement of Sierra Leone, made up of youth who want to improve their country.

Abdulai is also the director of the Society for Democratic Initiatives (SDI), a non-partisan and not-for-profit organization that provides legal representation for activists, journalists, and political victims in Sierra Leone. Through SDI, Abdulai has helped bail out activists who have been imprisoned across the country. These activists have included journalists from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists and representatives of the Mahlen Land Owners Association.

For years Abdulai has defended journalists, human rights activists, and the less privileged, this despite endless threats and harassment by public individuals as well as government officials. He has been robbed, his vehicle has been damaged, and his newspaper has been blacklisted because of bogus charges that it represents a ā€œpolitical interest.ā€

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Sallu Kamuskay is a Sierra Leonean communication strategist, fixer, blogger, youth organiser, event manager, spokesperson, and public relations expert. His work has been regularly referenced and published by national and international media and public policy institutions. Sallu Kamuskay was a child during the brutal war in Sierra Leone. Growing up in the midst of conflict, Sallu witnessed unimaginable abuse of children and gross violations of human rights. The horrors he witnessed during the Civil War had a terrible impact on him at a very tender age. But despite the shock of the war, Sallu never lost hope. He started on a journey of recovery, studying, and working for a better future. At age 15, Sallu entered into the world of activism and advocacy. Sallu Kamuskay was the Vice President of the Young Leaders Organisation, a member of the National Youth Council. The Young Leaders is one of the oldest youth-led organisations in West Africa. The organisation was formed by a group of young leaders, and launched by the then Head of State/President of Sierra Leone. Sallu was part of the group of young leaders who participated in and contributed to the establishment of the National Youth Council. The Commonwealth supported the training for trainers programme with line ministries and youth stakeholders in which key, representatives of youth council, student union and civil society/private sector youth platforms were engaged and empowered in the effective engagement and inclusion of youth. Sallu is co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global multimedia and public relations firm based In Sierra Leone. Sallu has worked on various developmental and policy issues such as Poverty, Climate Change, Human rights, Child Rights, Education, Health, Gender Equality, Civic Engagement, Government policies, Information Communication Technology for Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and has also been contributing to various global events and advocacy campaigns. Sallu Kamuskay is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global Multimedia and Public Relations Firm based in Sierra Leone with the latest news and information, on top stories, business, politics, entertainment, and more. Sallu is working with a leading technology company in Africa, Techfrica, that has recently developed and launched a social media, messaging Supfrica with over 150,000 downloads on the Google play store in less than 4 days. He is the Adviser and Media coordinator for the App to give people the platform to connect and communicate to help shape their future with a very fast internet that allows users that live in deprived and hard-to-reach areas with poor internet facility to be able to communicate as it allows and stronger on 2 and 3 G network reception. Sallu has over 9 years of experience in youth engagement, inclusion, and coordination both at local and global levels, giving voice to young people and engaging young people to build a better world. He has served as coordinator for the Wave Alliance which brought together youth-led organisations who attended an international training in South Africa organized by the International Organization ā€“ Waves for Change. Sallu is working with the MLT, Waves For Change, and the Government to develop safe spaces for young people, with a view to contributing to the overall development goals of young people including health, as well as to community rebuilding. Sallu is currently the Programme Director for the Wave Alliance, which is a coalition of youth-led and community-based organisations that have successfully introduced evidence-based Surf Therapy programs to young people in communities, with a focus on mental health, peace building and sustainable development. Sallu is currently the focal point and face of Africaā€™s Faces Social media platform which is a global Social media platform that brings together people from across the world to share their moments, connect, share videos, and interact with friends giving more preference to excluded continents like Africa. Sallu Kamuskay has devoted his time to working for or contributing to a number of national and international organizations and companies, including the Techfrica Technology Company, United Nations, ECOWAS, European Union, Commonwealth Africa Initiatives. This work has led him to travel to a number of countries to contribute to global youth platforms. Sallu is the lead Coordinator for Peace Tour programme, an initiative supported by the European Union, Africa Union, ECOWAS focusing on uniting and empowering young people and local communities. Over the years, Sallu Kamuskay has been using his Techno phone to be able to tell stories, the phone he used to tell the story of Gbessay during Ebola who was admitted at one of the Ebola treatment centers after rumors that she had Ebola when the actual sickness was ulcer, she was almost abandoned at the treatment canter with no medication provided to her. She could have died. Sallu told the story via social media and was able to secure funding from the United Sierra Leone to buy her medication and advocated for her. She was later discharged and taken home, He did the same to a patient that died and was abandoned in the street, Sallu Kamuskay used his phone and shared the message across, the corps was later taken and buried. It could have been more disaster without his voice. The story of late America Stress 3-year-old daughter. The heroā€™s daughter was abandon after his father's death. He shared her sad story and was able to get a sister who has taken the child as her own and is currently providing her with educational support. The article of America Stress can be read on the link below http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/item/7350-america-stress-a-hero-to-recognize. Sallu Kamuskay feels the stories of Gbessay, America stress and that of many others need to be told. The media house we have cannot better tell these stories, they are better reporters than telling human interest stories. He created the Salone Messenger platform and brought together passionate storytellers to be able to tell these compelling stories.