By Bampia James Bundu
The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MOPED) on Thursday 13th August 2020 concluded its decentralized ownership of the Medium Term National Development Plan process in Kailahun district.
Giving an overview of the engagement at the Kailahun District Council hall, the Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Robert Chakanda, recalled that when this government took office in 2018, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio instructed the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development to put together a national development plan which they did within the shortest possible time.
He added that while putting the Plan together they consulted documents such as the New Direction Manifesto, the PRSP document, experts, Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora, prison inmates, communities, among others.
He furthered that they then decided as a ministry to travel across the country to hold stakeholders consultations in chiefdoms and district headquarter towns for the people to make their inputs regarding what they would want in the Plan in terms of their felt needs.
He said they were in the district to engage the people of Kailahun to choose their development priority among the things they had highlighted during the consultation.
“The government cannot implement all the issues raised in Kailahun but will work hard to implement the immediate needs of the people,”‘ he said.
In his statement, Paramount Chief Mohamed Sama Kailondo Banya
expressed thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development for coming back to them with the Plan and encouraging them to discuss it.
He added that they are seeing the development strides being undertaken by this government geared towards transforming the district and expressed optimism that things will change for the better under the New Direction administration.
He assured of the cooperation and support of his colleague Paramount Chiefs towards successful implementation of projects in the district.
In her statement, the Deputy Minister of information and Communications, Madam Mamadi Gobeh-Kamara, underlined that information and communication is central to the Medium-Term Development Plan.
The success of the Plan, according to her, is highly dependent on how effective they are able to provide for communities with the necessary infrastructure/facilities to increase their space and inclusion in the general financial and economic transaction to maximize their livelihood and welfare.
Madam Gobeh-Kamara maintained that her ministry is looking forward to seeing the priorities of Kailahun district for the next 2 to 3 years that are ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) related, from the discussions they would be holding.
However, she assured that they certainly would support the district as they would engage the necessary MDAs at central level to see the priorities through.
The Deputy Minister catalogued some of the programs her ministry has undertaken over the past two years including numerous engagements with mobile phone companies to increase network penetration, improving decentralized ownership of the Medium-Term National Development Plan, repeal of the 1965 Public Order Act, etc.
She urged the district authorities to own the process and ensure that they popularize the Plan to their people.
The Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, underscored that
education is linked to every facet of development in the country so it should be given the utmost priority needed.
He said they now have data for almost all what they are doing in the ministry because of technology and proper planning.
He acknowledged that to achieve quality is not a day’s job but a process that can be successful within a period of time.
He noted that the ministry has succeeded in taking education to the four corners of the country which signifies how far the government has gone to make education a priority.
Dr Sengeh informed that they have trained teachers across the country on several skills relating to providing quality education for children in schools.
He stressed the importance of the Medium-Term National Development Plan, saying it will enable the Ministry of Education have a feel of what the people want and what their priorities are.
He commended the leadership of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development for giving them the opportunity to explain to the people of Kailahun district the strides government has undertaken to ensure quality education is achieved in the country.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kaikai, noted that Kailahun was the eighth district they had engaged on the Medium-Term National Development Plan.
He explained that the Plan was put together in consultation with the people which enabled the ministry to have a rich document.
He disclosed that the implementation process has already started along with the consultation process in order to avoid delay.
He maintained that it is the role of government officials to talk to their people about the activities of government and how far they have gone in ensuring that they cater for everyone across the country.
Minister Kaikai stated that the state should not be far from the people and should always come back to the people and talk to them about development.
He described planning as a continuous process, saying it should be done with care with the people owning the process by being avtively involved in it.
He appealed to the people of Kailahun to own the Development Plan as their working document, noting that it has nothing to do with politics as its implementation lies squarely on the shoulders of all Sierra Leoneans and the government.
He said that development plan is very important and must be prioritized because development partners and donor agencies use it as a roadmap for development in the country.
Minister Kaikai urged everyone to monitor the Plan, adding that it is the responsibility of stakeholders to always ensure that it is implemented to the letter.
Statements were made by the Youth Leader, Civil Society Head, Kailahun District Parliamentary Caucus Leader, Resident Minister East, Womens Group and District Officers.
