By: Saidu Jalloh
The Government of Sierra Leone and its development partners have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening public procurement reforms following the virtual launch of the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) Assessment Report held at the World Bank Office in Freetown on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) in collaboration with the World Bank and the African Development Bank, brought together senior government officials, procurement experts, development partners, and reform stakeholders to review the findings of the assessment and outline key reform priorities for Sierra Leone’s procurement sector.
Presenting the findings of the assessment, MAPS consultants Mr. Simeon Sahaydachne and Mr. Naushad Khan acknowledged that Sierra Leone has made progress in establishing a legal and institutional framework for public procurement. However, they warned that significant implementation gaps still exist in areas such as procurement planning, contract management, payment systems, audit follow-up mechanisms, and integrity controls.
The consultants emphasized the need for stronger political commitment, improved institutional coordination, and sustainable financing to support effective procurement reforms.
According to the report, priority reforms should focus on modernizing procurement laws, strengthening procurement planning processes, expanding digital procurement systems, improving contract management practices, and promoting professionalism within the procurement sector.
Speaking at the launch, the Financial Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Matthew Dingie, commended the World Bank and the African Development Bank for their continued support toward procurement reforms in Sierra Leone.
Mr. Dingie noted that more than half of government expenditure passes through procurement processes and stressed the importance of ensuring that procurement implementation aligns with approved budgets and fiscal discipline.
He also expressed concern over ineligible expenditures in donor-funded projects, which, according to him, sometimes compel the Government to refund funds to development partners.
“Government remains committed to sanitizing the procurement landscape and strengthening guidance to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies on donor-supported projects,” he stated.
The Financial Secretary further disclosed that both the MAPS Assessment and the ongoing review of the Public Procurement Act are key requirements under the Development Policy Operation (DPO) framework. He assured stakeholders of Government’s full commitment to implementing reforms within the procurement sector.
World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone, Mr. Abdu Muwonge, described the MAPS initiative as a critical component of the Government’s broader public financial management reform agenda.
Mr. Muwonge stated that the assessment would support legislative reforms and improve procurement operations, particularly through the Electronic Government Procurement (E-GP) system currently being implemented under the Accountable Governance for Basic Service Delivery Programme.
He revealed that the E-GP platform took more than two years of collaboration to operationalize and added that its implementation would form part of the next Programme-for-Results framework.
The World Bank official also cautioned against mis-procurement and the misuse of donor resources, calling for greater transparency, accountability, and civil society participation in procurement reforms.
During an additional presentation, stakeholders were informed that six modules of the E-GP system have already undergone User Acceptance Testing, while integration with the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) is currently ongoing.
The presentation further disclosed that consultants have been engaged to review the Public Procurement Act and Regulations, with draft legislative instruments presently undergoing government review and stakeholder consultations.
Speaking on behalf of the NPPA, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Fodie J. Konneh, thanked development partners and stakeholders for supporting the MAPS Assessment process.
Mr. Konneh reaffirmed NPPA’s commitment to strengthening Sierra Leone’s procurement system through modern and forward-looking procurement legislation capable of addressing emerging governance challenges and digital transformation demands.
Director of Capacity Building at NPPA, Mr. Allieu M. Moigboi, later outlined the proposed reform roadmap, highlighting key priorities such as legal modernization, expansion of electronic procurement systems, improvement in contract management, and strengthening supplier capacity.
Delivering the closing remarks on behalf of the World Bank Procurement Team, Mrs. Nazaneen Ismail Ali commended NPPA for leading the assessment process and described the MAPS report as a practical roadmap for procurement reforms in Sierra Leone.
She stated that the World Bank remains committed to supporting Sierra Leone in building a transparent and accountable procurement framework capable of improving public expenditure management.
Mrs. Ali further described the Electronic Government Procurement system as a flagship reform initiative that would enhance transparency, increase competition, and create opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to participate more actively in public procurement.
Also speaking during the closing session, Mr. Clement Alosi reaffirmed the African Development Bank’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s procurement reform agenda and pledged continued collaboration with the Government and the NPPA.
The launch of the MAPS Assessment Report marks another important milestone in Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of public resources.