Most Rev. Edward Tamba Charles, Chernor Bah, Minister Of Information and Dr Jalikatu Mustapha, Deputy Minister of Health IIIn a recent statement, Most Rev. Edward Tamba Charles, the Catholic Archbishop of Freetown and President of the Inter-religious Council of Sierra Leone has publicly refuted claims made by the Ministry of Information regarding his stance on the proposed modifications to the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill.
The Archbishop’s remarks, issued on January 6, 2025, come in response to a statement posted on the Ministry’s website, which he alleges inaccurately attributed to him the assertion that the government had taken religious sensibilities into account in its modifications to the controversial bill.
Archbishop Charles firmly rejected the Ministry’s claims, emphasising that he has not made any public statements regarding the proposed changes to the bill.
He clarified that during a meeting held on January 2, 2025, with representatives from various religious groups and key government officials, he had merely supported religious leaders’ request to access the proposed modifications. The document outlining these changes was subsequently sent to him on January 3, 2025, which he promptly shared with members of the Inter-religious Council and other religious leaders for their review.
The Archbishop highlighted the ongoing process of studying the proposed modifications and indicated that a collective response from the religious community would be forthcoming.
He stressed that until a thorough examination of the document is completed, it would be inappropriate for him to make any definitive statements about whether the government has indeed accommodated religious perspectives.
In his concluding remarks, Archbishop Charles urged all parties involved in the dialogue surrounding the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Bill to disregard the misleading information disseminated by the Ministry of Information.
He reiterated that the statement does not reflect his views as the Chairman of the Catholic Bishops in Sierra Leone or his capacity as President of the Inter-religious Council.
The Archbishop’s clarion call for transparency and truth underscores the critical nature of the discussions surrounding reproductive health and the importance of accurate representation in public discourse.
