By Emma Black
As part of the ongoing FY 2026 bilateral budget discussions at the Ministry of Finance, various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are presenting their 2026 budget proposals alongside updates on their 2024 and 2025 initiatives, with key sectors making compelling cases for increased resources.
On Friday, September 19, 2025, the Ministry of Energy submitted a robust budget request of NLE 951,678,600 for its 2026 operations during a stakeholder meeting held in the Conference Rooms at George Street, Freetown, signaling a push for enhanced energy infrastructure.
Shebora Kamara, Director of Policy Research, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation at the Ministry of Energy, outlined the ministry’s mandate to develop and execute policies, projects, and programs across all energy sectors, while overseeing sub-agencies like EDSA, EGTC, and Bumbuna Watershed Management.
He highlighted 2025 achievements, including the reinforcement of the national grid with a 225KV double-circuit transmission line from Bumbuna to Waterloo Newton, the Southern Corridor 225KV line, a 66KV network expansion along the Peninsula, generation projects for seven district towns, rehabilitation of EGTC plants, and electrification of ecological agro zones for the Feed Salone Project in Mambolo, Kychum, and Gbondapie/Tomabome rice fields.
In parallel discussions, Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) Director of Finance, Lahai Kamara, detailed the agency’s mission to serve 44 towns nationwide, with active construction and rehabilitation efforts currently underway in 10 locations.
He reported that SALWACO achieved 95.6% of its 2024 revenue target, collecting NLE 8.22 million out of a budgeted NLE 8.25 million, and noted a 21% revenue growth from 2022 to 2024, with a projected NLE 17 million for 2026, bolstered by solar power systems to enhance water production electricity supply.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources submitted a budget request of NLE 312.9 million for FY 2026, while the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) proposed NLE 613,557,932.40, focusing on initiatives like tree planting and sustainable management of the Western Area Peninsula. However, MOECC identified challenges, including insufficient funding, limited technical staff capacity, and inadequate collaboration with other MDAs, which could hinder progress if unaddressed.
These presentations underscore a collective effort to secure the resources needed to drive critical infrastructure and environmental goals, promising a brighter future for Sierra Leone’s development landscape.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
