By Sulaiman Jalloh
As the FY2026 budget hearings progress at the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has requested NLe 21.7 million, despite a ceiling of NLe 11.7 million.
Presenting the budget on behalf of the ministry, Lahaie Samba Keita, Director of Environmental Emergency, said the proposed allocation would cover policy planning and research, environmental emergency management, environmental quality control and management, and sustainable forestry management.
Keita highlighted the ministry’s mandate, mission, and vision, which include managing the environment in a sustainable manner, achieving a green economy by 2030, and regulating environmental activities.
He further noted that the ministry contributes to the government’s Big Five Game Changers and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “In line with the government’s Big Five Game Changers, the forestry sector will contribute to food security by boosting agricultural productivity under Feed Salone,” he said, adding, “The ministry also creates jobs for women and youth, thereby contributing to Youth Empowerment.”
Speaking on achievements for FY2024–2025, Keita cited the effective protection of Sierra Leone’s natural parks, the celebration of international environmental days to raise public awareness, and the completion of a national forest inventory supported by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He also revealed that the ministry is working on new legislation to strengthen environmental management, with nationwide consultations underway to ensure citizens’ voices are heard.
Outlining challenges, Permanent Secretary Elizabeth Hawa Ellie pointed to inadequate funding, poor logistics, weak technical capacity, limited collaboration, and the ministry’s relatively small footprint. She also called for improved office facilities and appealed for the full budget to be considered.
In response, Ilara Mahdi, Deputy Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, thanked the ministry for adhering to constitutional provisions and emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). She advised the ministry to prioritize plastic waste management in its upcoming legislation.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 22nd September, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
