By: Amara Thoronka
In his official launch of the Building Accountability Systems through Empowered Communities (BASE) Project, Vice President Dr. Juldeh Jalloh recognized the challenges faced by local councils across the country while assuring Government’s continued support in the decentralization process and community development.
VP Jalloh noted that support of central government to the project and local council is crucial, citing challenges over the years.
“This country was expressing a progressive reconstruction after a bloody civil war. At that time, the NGO community and civil society institutions have grounded the development and service delivery space in the entire country. So, when councils were rolled out, and until now, they [local councils] are struggling to recover that space that had been taken by NGOs.
The second challenge, over the last 15 years, has been what I call the recentralization tendency. That is, the attitude of central government and respective MDAs to devolve certain functions even when certain functions were devolved, they try to take them back,” the Second Gentleman of the Republic explained.
The BASE Project aims to boost constructive engagements with communities, local and central government to ensure trust, transparency and accountability in local councils while boosting revenue generation and revolutionizing education, health and agriculture.
The project is a 3.8 million US dollars grant from the United States Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of longstanding bilateral partnership between Sierra Leone and the United States.
Making a statement, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Bryan David Hunt, described the US funded project as essential, while expressing hope that the project would make the voices and aspirations of the people heard.
He said citizens’ participation is vital in good governance, noting that such participation bridges the gap between citizens and the government and enhances trust.
The project is to be implemented by a consortium of five local civil society organizations in six districts, led by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR).
IGR Executive Director, Andrew Lavalie, said the project will cover issues on the relationship between central and local government, needs assessment of locals, transparency and accountability, governance, among others.
In an update on the said project on its official social media handles, the U.S Embassy in Freetown wrote: “The new activity will enhance the ability of communities and civil society organizations to influence policies and reforms for a greater citizen participation in governance and advance our shared goals of democracy, health, and prosperity.”
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Monday 30th October, 2023 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
