By Sulaiman Jalloh

According to the Open Budget Survey (OBS) Index 2023 report, the West African country, Sierra Leone is ranked top in budget transparency and rose 10 points above the global average (45%), from 45% in 2021 to 55% in 2023. “This progress also means that Sierra Leone climbed 17 points from 64th, in 2021 to 47th, in 2023 out of 125 countries” the report stated

Speaking during the launch of the Sierra Leone Open Budget Survey Report 2023, on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel in Freetown, Abubakar Kamara the program coordinator of the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN), said the rank is higher than Liberia with (52%), Ghana (46%), Gambia (36%), São Tomé e Príncipe (32%), Nigeria (31%), and Equatorial Guinea (4%), noting the publication of the Citizens’ Budget, the Enacted Budget, and In-Year Reports, is in accordance with the 2016 Public Financial Management Act and its 2018 regulations that boosted the country’s scores in the survey but noting the country is 5% below the pass mark (60%). “To ensure adequate budget information disclosure, Sierra Leone’s government must publish the Pre-Budget Statement online at least one month before submitting the Executive’s Budget Proposal to Parliament and the Mid-Year Review three months after the end of the six months,” says Abu Bakarr Kamara, he suggested, adding Citizens’ participation in the budget process fell to 20% in 2023 from 31% in 2021.

He furthered that the International Budget Partnership, has said 70% more citizens participated in the budget formulation in 2021 than in 2023 which is thirty-three percent (33%), saying although seventeen percent (17%) of citizens participated in the budget execution stage 33% selected issues for the Audit Service Sierra Leone to audit. Sierra Leone’s audit oversight score climbed to 78% in 2023 from 72% in 2021, while legislative oversight fell by 3 points from (33%) in 2021 to (30%) in 2023.

Partners that participated during the launching   includes UNICEF, Audit Service Sierra Leone, Parliament, Ministry of Finance and Budget Advocacy Network both promises to support public finance until it gets better for all including children and women and to improve the collaborations with civil society organisations and the need for effective communication.

 Copyright –Published in print in Expo Times Newspaper on Friday, June 5th , 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)