By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
As development at the local level is central to the overall national development, the European Union has approved a local governance project for four local councils in the country.
The project titled: ‘Strengthening Local Governance, Decentralisation and Sustainable Urban Development through Territorial Approach to Local Economic Development in Sierra Leone’ is set to commence this December.
Portloko, Kenema, Western Area Rural and Kailahun city Councils are the target groups of the project as well the locals in the communities. The model for the development of municipalities in Sierra Leone is borrowed from Fano Municipality in Italy.
The sum of 3, 904, 512. 12 EUR has been set aside for the implementation of the project and 5 per cent (195,225.61) of the said sum to be contributed by PortLoko District Council.
Improved institutional, financial and administrative capacities of cities and local authorities in the design and implementation of inclusive public policies is one of the expected outcomes of the project.
Other major outcomes also include improved partnership for effective shared work and strengthened cities and local authorities in the design of participatory plans. At a signing ceremony held at the EU office in Freetown, Team Leader, EU Governance, Serena Bertaina says the project is of great interest to the EU.
Madam Bertaina also expressed hope that the project would foster decentralisation in Sierra Leone. As the project set to be implemented, she assured of her institution’s effective monitoring for good results. “We will follow this project greatly since it is of great interest to the EU,” he assured.
Synergies, she said, could be built among other important institutions for the successful implementation of the project.
In a power point presentation during the signing ceremony, Chief Administrator for Western Rural District Council, Rahman Tom Farma gave an overview of the project.
He told the audience that in November, 2018, a call regarding the project was launched by the European Union. In response to the EU call, he said, a concept note on the project was submitted on 27th March, this year and evaluated by the committee. He said the EU launched the second call, and PortLoko District Council in partnership with other district councils also submitted a concept note adding that it was approved after a rigorous competition.
“Today, we are signing the contract marking the commencement of the project,” he said.
The Chief Administrator says the EU has been building the capacity of local councils in Sierra Leone for which he is very much appreciative. Explaining further about the project, Mr Farma said the project had an overall objective of strengthening the capacity of local authorities to promote the improvement of quality and accessibility of public services, public participation in the formulation of national and local policies, poverty reduction, sustainable development, effective and efficient gender sensitive service delivery in Sierra Leone.
He said the objective must be accomplished for the betterment of beneficiary communities. Apart from the overall aim, he says, other objectives include improving technical and institutional capacity of local authorities to create an enabling environment for community participation in local governance, and improvement of the local economy and creation of job opportunities.
Mr Farma also made it clear that there has always been a problem of citizen participation in local governance. Shortage of finances is also a problem that was not lost sight of by the Western Area Chief Administrator adding that it undermines councils’ capacities to serve their people.
“We will do remarkably well after this project might have been implemented,” Mr Farma expressed hope. In his contribution, Chief Administrator for PortLoko City Council, Mr Alhaji Bangura assured the EU delegation that the councils will capacitate its officers and the communities they serve.
Mr Bangura says the main purpose of governance is about serving the community and allowing people to take part in the governance activities. He assured the EU that they would live up to expectation in collaboration with their sister councils. In his Key note address, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to Sierra Leone commended Portloko District Council and other councils for their initiative.
Mr Hatler however advised councils to wisely utilise the funds provided under the project.
“Auditing firms will come to your councils to audit the use of funds,” he warned. He called the councils to exchange ideas with the EU for a successful implementation of the project. “Let us keep in touch and let us exchange ideas so that we can know how the project is going on,” he appealed.
Mr Hatler assured council authorities that he would make a case for them at the national political level should the need arise.