By Emma Black
The Fiscal Decentralization Division of the Ministry of Finance, on Wednesday 1st October 2025 in collaboration with the Tonkolili District Council, convened bilateral budget discussions at the Council Conference Hall to prepare the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Budget for 2026–2028. The engagement brought together council officials, devolved sector representatives, and key stakeholders to deliberate on revenue generation, service delivery, and development priorities for the district.
The session commenced at 9:00 a.m. with a welcome address from the Deputy Chairman of the Tonkolili District Council, Mr. Alimamy Samuel Kamara. He emphasized that the bilateral budget discussions were an essential step in aligning local development priorities with Sierra Leone’s national goals. “We must ensure our plans reflect the true needs of our people,” Mr. Kamara stressed, urging stakeholders to listen closely to community realities.
Delivering an overview of the program, the Ministry of Finance Team Lead, Mr. Barrie, outlined the objectives of the engagement. He explained that the budget discussions are designed to strengthen fiscal decentralization, promote transparency, and support councils in developing participatory budgets that address community needs. “The Fiscal Decentralization Division plays a central role in distributing resources to councils and their devolved sectors, ensuring local authorities can implement projects that transform their districts,” he said.
Tonkolili District Council’s Chief Administrator, Mr. Edward Alpha, delivered a presentation on Own Source Revenue, underscoring the urgent need for councils to increase internal revenue generation to reduce over-reliance on central government transfers.
The District Medical Officer, alongside health professionals, presented updates on Primary Health Care, Secondary Health Services, and Hospital Management. They highlighted persistent challenges such as staffing shortages, drug supply gaps, and weak infrastructure. However, they also acknowledged progress made in maternal health programs and immunization drives.
The District Education Department Director’s representative stressed ongoing efforts to enhance school infrastructure and teacher training. The District Librarian also presented on expanding library services to boost literacy levels across Tonkolili.
Representatives from the District Agriculture Office called for increased mechanization, climate-smart farming techniques, and sustained support for rural farmers to strengthen food security. The WASH Engineer outlined plans to expand rural water access, with community borehole projects identified as a priority intervention for 2026–2028.
The afternoon session turned to social issues. Officers from the Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, and Youth and Sports sectors addressed teenage pregnancy, child protection, drug abuse, and youth unemployment. The Fire Prevention Unit also raised concerns about improving fire safety measures in growing urban centers.
The day-long session encouraged robust discussion, with participants offering comments, suggestions, and questions. Many expressed optimism that the deliberations would translate into actionable strategies for improved service delivery across Tonkolili.
Council leaders reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate with civil society, non-state actors, and development partners to ensure transparency and accountability in the execution of the 2026–2028 budget.
The Ministry of Finance reiterated that the MTEF budget process remains central to Sierra Leone’s broader decentralization and development agenda. By promoting inclusive planning and engaging local voices, the government aims to strengthen accountability while improving the delivery of essential services across the districts.
The Tonkolili session marked the beginning of a series of bilateral discussions scheduled to continue until October 3, 2025, with similar engagements planned for other districts nationwide.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 6th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
