 THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL SECURITY
The Office of National Security (ONS) was established by an Act of Parliament – The National Security and Central Intelligence Act (2002) by the end of Sierra Leone’s 11-year rebel war. It was to serve as the secretariat of the National Security Council (NSC) to fulfil an urgent demand for a high-level body to provide for the coordination and oversight of the security sector. The NSC was established to provide the highest forum for the consideration and determination of matters relating to the security of Sierra Leone.
VISION:
To achieve the provision of a transparent, apolitical, accountable and operationally effective structure; staffed by high calibre individuals of great integrity, safeguarding a free, independent and democratic Sierra Leone and the wellbeing of its people.
MISSION:
To effectively coordinate national security and the intelligence architecture with the aim of creating an enabling environment for sustainable national development, poverty reduction and conflict prevention.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
- Integrity
- Professionalism
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Political neutrality
MANDATE:
As referred to the above, the ONS is established as the secretariat of the National Security Council and is headed by the National Security Coordinator – section 17(1) of the National Security and Central Intelligence Act (2002). Without prejudice to the generality of this overarching requirement of the institution, the mandate of the ONS encompasses the specific responsibilities of the National Security Coordinator and other assigned and implied tasks/responsibilities provided in the Act.
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