Ministry of Finance launches Phase Decentralize Service Delivery Project

The Integrated Project Administrative Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), has launched Phase II of the Decentralize Service Delivery Project.

The project worth thirty four million Dollars ($34,000,000.00) is partly funded by the European Union by providing eight million Dollars ($8,000,000.00) while the World Bank contributed the balance twenty six million Dollars ($26,000,000.00). The Project aims to strengthen education, health and rural water among others.

Welcoming participants to the launching, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Samura Kamara, expressed delight to launch Phase 2 of what he described as a highly successful project in Sierra Leone, which according to him, was basically to assist the Local Councils and other Ministries, Department and Agencies in the devolution of their functions.

The Minister pointed out that the project will be addressing the financial aspects, capacity building, social accountability and managing of the programme as defined in the project.

Dr. Samura maintained that Phase 1 of the project focused on a few Ministries, noting that a new responsibility has been added to Phase 2 as it also projects into his Ministry’s projection into the future to include the agenda for prosperity in terms of moving forward.

He informed his audience that personnel of his Ministry put greater premium on decentralization of services and thanked donor partners who have contributed towards moving the decentralization process forward, especially in terms of devolving functions and fiscal decentralization. He called on all Sierra Leoneans to give support to the project, especially in the area of implementation.

In his statement, World Bank Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr. Yusupha B. Crookes, observed that the scope of quality service rendered to citizens should be much better than it was in the beginning, adding that citizens have the right to get the kind of services they desire.

Mr. Crookes stressed on the need to strengthen both institutional and organizational arrangements which include accountability mechanisms between policy makers, service providers and the citizens at Local Council level.