By: Saidu Jalloh
As the Fiscal Year 2026 budget hearings continue at the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has requested NLe 21.7 million, exceeding the allocated ceiling of NLe 11.7 million.
Presenting the budget on behalf of the ministry, Lahaie Samba Keita, Director of Environmental Emergency, stated that the requested funds would cover key areas such as policy planning and research, environmental emergency management, environmental quality control, and sustainable forestry management.
Keita emphasized the ministry’s core mandate, mission, and vision, which focus on managing the environment sustainably, achieving a green economy by 2030, and regulating environmental activities. He further noted that the ministry plays a significant role in the government’s “Big Five Game Changers” and in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Aligned with the government’s Big Five Game Changers, the forestry sector will contribute to food security by boosting agricultural productivity under the ‘Feed Salone’ initiative,” he explained. “The ministry also creates jobs for women and youth, contributing to Youth Empowerment.”
Looking back at achievements for FY2024–2025, Keita highlighted the effective protection of Sierra Leone’s natural parks, the celebration of international environmental days to raise public awareness, and the completion of a national forest inventory supported by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He also revealed that the ministry is working on new legislation to strengthen environmental management, with nationwide consultations underway to ensure citizen involvement.
Addressing the challenges faced by the ministry, Permanent Secretary Elizabeth Hawa Ellie pointed out issues such as inadequate funding, poor logistics, weak technical capacity, limited collaboration, and the ministry’s relatively small footprint. She also called for improved office facilities and urged that the full budget request be considered.
In response, Ilara Mahdi, Deputy Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, thanked the ministry for adhering to constitutional provisions and stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). She also advised the ministry to prioritize plastic waste management in its upcoming legislation.