By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara

Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has called for stronger, more effective and responsive local governance as the Government intensifies efforts to reform Sierra Leone’s decentralisation system.

Vice President Jalloh made the call in Makeni during a high-level consultation with local councils, paramount chiefs, councillors and other stakeholders, aimed at gathering grassroots perspectives to guide ongoing reforms in local governance.

He said the Government was determined to hear directly from those responsible for implementing decentralisation at the community level, particularly on the challenges they face and the areas requiring greater government support.

“The intention is to move beyond policy discussions and hear directly from those who are implementing decentralisation at the local level—what is working, what is not working and what the Government needs to improve,” he said.

The consultation, supported by the World Bank Group, brought together senior government officials, ministers and representatives from key sectors, including health, education, lands, agriculture and decentralisation.

The engagement provided local stakeholders with an opportunity to raise concerns affecting development and the delivery of essential services in their communities.

Among the issues highlighted were inadequate healthcare services, poor road infrastructure, the need for stronger institutional support for local councils, and the importance of improving coordination between central and local government authorities.

Councillor Rosemary H. Kamara of Bombali District urged the Government to strengthen programmes designed to take development and essential services closer to communities.

She emphasised the importance of ensuring that local councils have the necessary support and resources to respond effectively to the needs of their constituents.

Paramount Chief Bai Bairoh Mabolleh Anshenni III of Mara Chiefdom welcomed the consultation, describing it as an important platform for local stakeholders to communicate their concerns and recommendations directly to the Government.

He said sustained engagement between central government and local authorities was essential to ensuring that national development initiatives reflected the realities and priorities of communities.

Vice President Jalloh, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Decentralisation and Local Governance, said the recommendations gathered from the consultation would contribute to the Government’s ongoing reform process.

He disclosed that stakeholders’ views would help translate the Government’s decentralisation commitments into practical policy measures, including a review of the Local Government Act.

The Government’s renewed focus on decentralisation comes amid efforts to strengthen local institutions and improve the delivery of public services across the country.

The consultation is therefore expected to contribute to a broader reform agenda aimed at giving local authorities a stronger role in decision-making and ensuring that development priorities are increasingly shaped by the needs of communities.

Vice President Jalloh said the Government remained committed to building a decentralised governance system that is more responsive, accountable and capable of delivering meaningful development at the local level.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 9th September 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)