Freetown:  One of Sierra Leone's highly respected academics, Dr. Osman Gbla, has been unanimously endorsed and approved to serve as chairman of the Governing Council of the Sierra Leone African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

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The choice of Dr. Gbla to head the APRM, a self-monitoring and appraisal mechanism designed, owned and driven by member states of the African Union with the prime objective of ensuring sustainable development and good governance in the continent, has received tumultuous welcome by virtue of his distinguished and proven  tack  record  of his meaningful  contribution not only to the development  of  Sierra  Leone but  also to the West African sub-region, the African continent and  the world at large by his distinct contributions as lead National Consultant in the preparation of the Governance and Security Chapter of Sierra Leone's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in 2005-2007, the preparation of the UN Peace building Shadow Report for Sierra Leone  in 2007, and his role as a  Regular Member of the Review Team  as well as the lead consultant for the British Department for International Development (DFID)-funded Governance and Civil Service  Reform  Programme  (GCSRP II)  in Sierra Leone.

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Dr. Gbla has also served as Child Soldier Expert for the Special Court of Sierra Leone and became a Lead Consultant in the Review of Post-War Peace building and Reconstruction Programmes in Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique and Sierra Leone on behalf of the Zimbabwe-based African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) in Zimbabwe in 2004.  

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In an interview with this press on his covetous appointment, Dr. Gbla said he thanked God for giving him the wisdom to serve, noting that he would do everything to ensure that he served the ARM with dignity in order to achieve the desired goals and objectives of the Mechanism. "I know I would have to double my efforts in working with all stakeholders to ensure that the aspirations of the APRM are realized with distinction. The appointment is key in the search for solutions in addressing the issues of poverty, good governance and the consolidation of Sierra Leone's peace building efforts. I definitely cannot afford to disappoint the confidence reposed in me to serve this honourable mechanism", Dr. Gbla maintained with humility. A member of the governing council who prefers anonymity adds a kicker." Dr. Gbla is one gentleman among the few committed Sierra Leoneans ready to serve at all times. I have no doubts that the APRM will reach higher heights under his chairmanship as he has achieved so much but has always been very modest to serve our country with distinction".  

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The four thematic areas of review of the APRM are Democracy and Good Political Governance; Economic Governance and Management, Corporate Governance and Socio-economic Development. It is the national body entrusted with the responsibility of giving direction to the process of implementing the APRM in Sierra Leone which acceded to the APRM in 2004.

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Dr. Osman Gbla was recently re-elected  unopposed  to serve as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone for a  second term for the Biennium 2009-2010. As an academic, he has many scholarly publications in his name that included "Post-Cold War U.S. Foreign Policy toward Liberia and Sierra Leone", "The Conduct of the Elections:  Challenges and Peacebuilding Awakening", "The Quest for Sustainable Development and Peace: the 2007 Elections in Sierra Leone", "Security Sector Reform  Under International Tutelage in Sierra Leone", Budgeting for the Military Sector in Sierra Leone: The Processes and Mechanisms of Control", "Multilateral Agencies and Post-Conflict Peacebuilding in West Africa: Lessons From Liberia and Sierra Leone", among several others. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)  degree in Political Science, a Master of Science degree (M.Sc) majoring in Political Science, and Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree  from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone  and a Diploma in Advanced International Conflict Resolution from the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, University of Uppsala in Sweden.