By: Aruna Kamara (Bo)
The Department of Service Delivery and Performance Management in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) engaged the Academic staff and Administration of the Njala University in a seminar, as key players in the implementation of government priorities in sync with the Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP), 2019 – 2023.
The review seminar, which was helped on both Njala and Bo Campuses separately, is part of the support of Government to all Agencies and Departments of Government, in preparation for the 2023 Budget process, and subsequent strengthening of public sector performance for effective Service Delivery.
During the presentation, Dr. Robert Tamba Moikowa, Director of the Department of Service Delivery and Performance Management in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development said the engagement is aimed at reviewing the 2022 Annual Work Plan (AWP) and the implementation status. Given this, the seminar discussed the key performance indicators and the determinants of achievements and challenges.
In preparation for the bilateral budget hearing and the formulation of the Annual Work Plan 2023, the seminar presented the framework for target setting and Deliverables, concerning Key Performance Indicators, and the importance of Baselines. He said that their engagement is part of government support to Departments and Agencies to give them the inputs to support them with the framework to improve their performance for better service delivery.
Dr. Moikowa said that this engagement started with agencies in Freetown but Freetown is not Sierra Leone, and that MoPED is Keen on working with all departments and agencies for the effective implementation of the MTNDP.
He noted that the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development is reaching out to tertiary institutions and that they are bringing this seminar to their doorstep, both the academic and administrative staff because the discussion on the 2023 budget has started.
Dr. Moikowa said that this engagement will help them to evaluate and look into the future and to see what they want to do in support of the government priorities in President Bio’s manifesto that culminates into the Mid-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP).
According to him, tertiary institutions like Njala University are key players in the implementation of government priorities, adding that ‘’ I want the university staff on Njala campus to know the key priorities of the government including Education, Health, Agriculture, Economy, Corruption, Energy, Water and Security.
Dr. Moikowa added that: ” I had to present to them the Mid Term National Development Plan(MTNDP) that contains the 8 clusters including, Human Capital Development, Diversify Economy and Promote Economic Growth, Infrastructure and Economic Competitiveness, Governance and Accountability for Result, Women Children and Persons with Disability, Youth Sport and Migration, Addressing Vulnerability and Building Resilience and Means of Implementation, which were derived from the Manifesto commitment of Government after an extensive consultation was done.
“We want to ensure that we are now on the same page with Njala Staff to know about the MTNDP, with hard copy presented to Njala Staff, on which they are assessed,” Dr. Moikowa said.
The administrative and Academic Staff of Njala University, Njala Campus, expressed appreciation for the engagement with the Department of Service Delivery and Performance Management in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, who restated the clusters of the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023, as the framework and development aspirations of the country.
Receiving the MTNDP on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on the Njala Campus, the Dean of the School of Natural Resource Management, Prof. Olufemi Juliu Olapande expressed profound thanks and appreciation to the Directorate of Service Delivery and Performance Management in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development for their engagement on the Mid Term National Development Plan 2019-202023.
He promised to let it be public domain at University Library that can easily be accessed by both the students and academic and administrative staff, adding that this will guide them in their work in the university to produce the needed result that is in line with the government priorities and MTNDP.
Prof. Olapande said that they were impressed with the presentation on the MTNDP and they learnt a lot from it and they are determined to deliver on their work, noting that they are aware of the good work of the government on human capital development which as a university they will continue to delivery on it.
He, however, called on the Government to look into the poor road network on the Njala campus.
The Acting Director of Food Technology and Nutrition, School of Agriculture, Njala Campus, Memunatu Kadie Sawi thanked the government for their intervention at Njala University by ensuring that Lecturers are paid as there is no longer strike action by the staff.
According to Abu G. Kamara from the Registry on Bo Campus, who received the MTNDP hard copy on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Bo Campus said that the seminar has helped them to know much about the clusters of the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2019-2023, as the framework and development aspirations of the country.
He pointed out that as they are contributing immensely towards its implementation, concerning the human capital development and the hard copy received will be taken to the Bo Campus library that can easily be accessed by all.
The Deputy Registrar on Bo Campus, Njala University, Habib Kamara who welcomed the team from the Department of Service Delivery and Performance Management in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), called on the government to continue to provide more needed resources for the effective running of the University.
Meaningful statements were also made by the Head of Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, School of Natural Resource Management, Dr. Mathew Kpundeh, Head of Anima Science Department, Prof. Roland Suluku, Dean of School of Environmental Sciences, Dr. Victor Kabba, Dean of School of Technology, Ing. Juana Paul Moiwo,Dr. Peter Musa from the Department of Horticulture, Tommy Mathew Hanson from the School of Social Sciences and Law, Bo Campus, the Finance Officer, Moses Thomas Vandi, and Dr Joseph Mbavai from the School of Education, among many others.
