By; Sulaiman Jalloh
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development Kenyeh Barlay has disclosed that, the Medium-term development plan will be available to the public on January 31st, 2024, adding this is the longest medium term planted as it runs for seven to match with the global SDG 2030, noting Economic development is the mobilization of resources and investment in the country to improve the lives of citizens
According to the Minister, the medium-term is the length of the plan (long or short-term), adding this is the first time Sierra Leone has had a seven-year medium-term plan, noting the country has been experiencing five years medium term development plan but with the good aspirations of the government of President Bio, they are aligned with the Global goal (the Sustainable Development Goal 2030). “Let us have a seven-year plan instead we plan for 2028 and then have a two-year plan to match with the SDG 2030, rather let us just have a seven-year plan” she added.
Speaking on the processes of the plan, Kenyeh Barlay said a country plan should be consultative, noting since September last year when she first took office, her ministry has been consulting with citizens, and with that, they have reached at least eight thousand individuals across the country. She noted that in November last year, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development had a two-day engagement at the different districts in the country, adding over twenty to thirty thousand people have been engaged in the content and process of the planning. She added that every ministry in the country already has its strategic plans.
The Minister stated that her ministry has set a target and vision, the vision she said is intended based on the President’s manifesto in relation to the Big Five game changers with specific focus on feed salone agenda which includes five enablers to support the plan.
Minister Barlay said agriculture contributes 15 percent of the Country’s GDP, but that is not enough as a growing country she said, and that they are changing the narrative, noting this is not a political gamic, adding, that the Big Five game changes, they will change the narrative of Sierra Leone.
The Minister noted that this time around the government is looking at commercializing farming because according to her, over two hundred and fifty to three hundred million dollars are on the importation of rice in the country annually, but with commercial agriculture, a lot of money/capital will be saved for other developmental purposes. And also, as a government, they intend to do commercial fishing to raise the GDP, adding Sierra Leone has a very good variety of fish. According to her, the West African country is not exporting fish to Europe or China because of quality control.
Proper governance is another thing the medium-term development is looking after, she added, noting peace and security, and climate resilience are all packaged among others.
She made these assertions when she appeared as a journalist during the government’s weekly press briefing on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation conference hall.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday, January 19th, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)