November 30, 2021
Bo City, 28 November 2021-In the second annual retreat of Media/Civil Society Organizations review of key achievements of President Bio’s Government, the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Alusine A. Joaque thrilled participants with achievements of MLGRD.
The retreat which was organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications in Bo City was geared towards enhancing the media/ CSO contribution to good governance and democracy in Sierra Leone. It provided space for all Ministries Departments and Agencies to show case their achievements for the past one year.
In his statement, Deputy Secretary Joaque, said all the activities of MLGRD had been coined from President Bio’s vision of deepening decentralization and effective local governance, and that the leadership of the Ministry in the person of Amb. Tamba Lamina had put in place a number of reforms to achieve the said vision.
He disclosed that Minister Lamina and his team were at the tail end in the process of having a reviewed Local Government Act and Decentralization Policy which would serve as a big boost to the Ministry in its bid to achieve effective local governance and decentralization.
“My Ministry is headed by someone who believes in deliverables. As such, he takes no excuse in executing the mandates of supervising, coordinating, and building the capacities of the Local Councils, Provincial, District and Chiefdom Administrations across the country,” he explained.
He further stated that MLGRD held so many engagements with staff of Local Councils, Paramount Chiefs, Provincial Secretaries and District Officers with the aim of building their capacities, bridging gaps that had existed between them, orientate them on their roles and responsibilities, guide them on revenue mobilization, amongst others.
He added that the current leadership of MLGRD has a track record of conducting the highest Paramount Chieftaincy elections across the country and the highest numbers of dispute settlements between Paramount Chiefs and their subjects.
“As I speak, Minister Tamba Lamina and other stakeholders are in Futa Peje Chiefdom in Pujehun District to officially reinstate a Paramount Chief who was chased away from his Chiefdom as a result of conflict between him and his subject,” he announced.
The presentation was in full view of the Deputy Minister of MLGRD, Melrose Karminty, and a host of other Ministers, Directors, and Permanent Secretaries of different MDAs.