By: Fatmata Grace Okekearu
Bo City
The Bo City Council on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, held its 2026–2027 Bilateral Budget Discussion as part of efforts to strengthen accountability, transparency and participatory governance at the local level.
The one-day engagement, held at the Council Chamber in Kortugbuma Section, brought together Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Non-State Actors (NSAs), the Bo District Development Organization (BDOC), the Traders Union, Persons with Disabilities, school pupils, students, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and representatives of the media.
The discussion provided stakeholders with an opportunity to scrutinize budget presentations by the Chief Administrator of Bo City Council and heads of various devolved institutions, while raising concerns and making recommendations on issues affecting service delivery and development within the municipality.
Speaking on behalf of the Decentralization Secretariat of the Ministry of Finance, Sallieu Kamara, popularly known as “Salman,” commended the Bo City Council for what he described as progress in improving service delivery within the municipality.
Mr. Kamara disclosed that Thursday, October 8, 2026, would mark the climax of the nationwide Bilateral Budget Discussions involving the country’s 22 Local Councils.
He explained that the bilateral process forms part of Government’s broader efforts to promote accountability, transparency and effective service delivery at the local council level.
According to him, the Bilateral Budget Discussion is also a critical requirement for local councils to access budgetary support from Government, stressing that councils would not receive such support without going through the prescribed process.
Mr. Kamara urged stakeholders to take the discussions seriously and use them as an opportunity to identify practical solutions to challenges affecting their communities.
He cautioned participants against using the process to advance individual interests, emphasizing that the discussions should focus on the collective wellbeing and development of Bo City.
He also encouraged the Bo City Council administration to take budget discussions beyond the Council Chamber by using other communication channels and media platforms to disseminate relevant budgetary information to residents.
Presenting on the Council’s Own-Source Revenue and key deliverables, Chief Administrator Henry Powell outlined the Council’s five key deliverables for the 2026 Fiscal Year and its proposed priorities for 2027.
His presentation covered the Government of Sierra Leone Devolved Sector Grant for 2026, devolved sector ceilings, budgeted and collected revenue; key deliverables linked to own-source revenue, 2027 revenue projections and proposed expenditure priorities.
Mr. Powell disclosed that the Council had budgeted an estimated NLe 10,722,080 in own-source revenue for the 2026 Fiscal Year.
He said the projected revenue was expected to come from sources including local tax, property rates, market dues, registrations, licences, loading and offloading fees, and other fees and charges.
According to Mr. Powell, between January and September 2026, the Council collected NLe 6,966,005 in own-source revenue.
He added that the Council’s own-source revenue recurrent expenditure for the same period amounted to NLe 1,126,298.65.
Mr. Powell identified five major deliverables linked to the Council’s own-source revenue: the construction of an additional 16 shops, acquisition of five acres of land, maintenance of waste management vehicles, procurement of fuel for waste management vehicles to support the cleaning of Bo City, and procurement of tools for councillors.
He also provided an update on the Government of Sierra Leone Development Grant earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Bo Town Hall, with the total allocation standing at NLe 1,863,812.52.
The Chief Administrator said the planned interventions were aimed at addressing some of the pressing development and service-delivery needs within the municipality.
Turning to the 2027 Fiscal Year, Mr. Powell outlined proposed priorities, challenges and recommendations aimed at improving revenue mobilization, service delivery and the Council’s overall performance.
He stressed the importance of strengthening revenue collection while ensuring that resources generated by the Council are channelled towards programmes and projects that directly benefit residents.
Following the presentations by the Council and relevant MDAs, stakeholders actively participated in the discussion by asking questions, seeking clarifications and making recommendations on the proposed budget priorities and development interventions.
The engagement ended with calls for greater collaboration among the Council, Government institutions, civil society, the private sector, community stakeholders and residents to ensure that budgetary resources are effectively utilized for the sustainable development of Bo City.