The Executive Director of the National Early Warning and Response Mechanism Coordinating Centre, Madam Frances Nyuma, has strongly defended the newly enacted National Early Warning Bill, calling it a vital step toward building a more resilient and responsive governance system in Sierra Leone.
In an exclusive interview, Nyuma emphasized that the Centre’s role goes far beyond issuing basic alerts. “We don’t just send out warnings because we’ve seen something online,” she said. “We conduct professional analysis, monitor trends, assess risks, and make evidence-based recommendations to help prevent crises—or at least minimize their impact.”
Nyuma described the Centre’s work as “multi-dimensional,” cutting across critical sectors like national security, health, environmental threats, governance, human rights, and economic stability. She cited issues such as fraudulent investment schemes, flooding, disease outbreaks, illegal waste dumping, and even hazardous construction sites as areas where early warning can save lives.
“The dumping of waste isn’t just an environmental concern. It’s a health issue, a legal issue, and a governance challenge all in one,” she explained. “We issue early warnings to address such interconnected risks.”
While the new legislation officially establishes the Centre by law, Nyuma noted it has been operational since 2020 under Executive Order 7. During that time, it has issued warnings on a range of threats—such as the spread of knife crime from the UK to parts of Africa, and major health and environmental dangers.
“Three years ago, we alerted authorities about rising knife-related violence making its way into the region. Today, the threat is real. Our job is to help prevent these things before they escalate,” she said.
Despite the legal progress, Nyuma admitted persistent challenges remain—especially around funding and cooperation from ministries and agencies. “We’ve had cases where some MDAs ignored our recommendations, even when they were backed by data,” she said.
To address this, the new law gives the Centre authority to monitor how MDAs respond to its alerts—and hold them accountable. “Our recommendations now carry weight,” Nyuma said. “Parliament has made it clear: we’re not just filing reports for the shelf.”
She also pushed back against the notion that every solution requires massive funding. “It doesn’t take millions to maintain basic hygiene or ensure your staff are punctual. Some actions just require leadership and accountability,” she stressed.
Nyuma concluded with a compelling summary of the Centre’s mission: to save lives before disaster strikes.
“You can always rebuild a collapsed building—but you can’t rebuild a life. Prevention is everything,” she said.
As Sierra Leone strengthens its national systems for disaster risk management and conflict prevention, the passage of the Early Warning Bill could mark a turning point—one where informed action replaces reactive crisis response.
By Feima Sesay
