By Briama Siaffa
President Dr Julius Maada Bio officially launched the Sierra Leone Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024–2030 at the Freetown International conference centre in Aberdeen yesterday 30th January, 2024. This strategic document, which was officially presented with the support of power point slides by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development KenyehBarlay, outlines the government’s revised New Direction development priorities for the next 7 years.
Speaking to a large audience, includingCabinet ministers and other heads of MDAs, , Development Partners, Diplomatic Community, Parliament, Business Leaders, Media, Civil Society Organisations, and NGOs, President Bio shed light on the people-centric nature of the new National Development Plan. He emphasized its role in building upon the achievements of the previous plan, expressing confidence that it will guide the operations of all development actors in Sierra Leone.
“The MTNDP 2024–2030 is designed to address unfinished business and emerging challenges as we renew our determination to accelerate efforts toward achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030,” the President said adding that his big five changers are directly aligned to the aspirations of this new plan . The President called for collective activism and commitment as the nation transitions from planning to action, emphasizing the need to transform aspirations into tangible realities.
The launching was chaired by the Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, who set the context by providing an overview of the current economic outlook of the country and the gains so far made in many sectors, including the increase in school enrolment, especially for girls, stabilising the foreign exchange rate, and putting inflation under control.
It would be recalled that the Government of Sierra Leone through the Office of the Chief Minister and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development officially kick-started the plan preparation process of the successor to the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023 on the 1st of September, 2023.
Ministries, Departments and Agencies converged at the Freetown City Council where they were tasked with the preparation of sector policy papers based on a writing guide provided by the ministry of planning and economic development. The Sector Policy Papers were consolidated which forms part of the new Medium Term National Development Plan (2024-2030).
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)