By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
The Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs, Ambassador Tamba Lamina has on Tuesday 31st October 2023 at the weekly government press briefing intimated that the Bio-Led Government is currently paying full salaries to Councilors and Paramount Chiefs every month, contrary to the previous situation.
“Previously, the group of people usually received allowances through the ministry of finance but by the grace of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio they are now on salaries as the councilors sitting fees has also been increased. This Government has changed the paramount chiefs’ payment system from every three months to every month,” Local Council Minister intimated.
The Minister went on clarifying that it was to ensure that they deepen and strengthen local governance to be in that position to do what is expected of them. The Local Council Minister revealed that they had done the evaluation of the 190 chiefdoms revenues as they set to achieve the fiscal decentralization policy.
The Minister of Local government intimated that Local Government comprised of various frontiers of governance including chieftaincy council and the local council, adding that they also have the provincial administration and the district administration that mostly deals with security matters. The Minister intimated that they now have 22 local councils that included mayors, chairpersons and councilors who provide political functions in their various localities.
He revealed that one of their greatest problems they were encountering was revenue mobilization in which he said that the people were not paying taxes for their property, adding that those revenues were crucial to the council in advancing developments in their communities. The Minister appealed to the councilors to engage their people and convince them to see the need why they should pay taxes.
In her speech at the government press briefing, Madam Yabom Sesay, District Chairperson of Tonkolili District who has been the first female chairperson and the first chairperson to be re-elected started off by commending her party, the APC Party, the government and the mediators for the successful peace dialogue and also commended her district for her unprecedented re-election.
The Tonkolili District Chairperson made a special appeal to the Vice President of Sierra Leone, the Local Council Minister and the European Union by extension on behalf of her district that the Tonkolili District should be a beneficiary of the European Union project this time around as she said the district was sidelined throughout the last five years while about eight districts benefitted.
Madam Yabom however intimated some of the major projects that had been in progression including a market structure and a refurbishment of an old school through the World Bank Project. She also highlighted some other major projects she assured to lobby and work on. Madam Chairperson further made another appeal to the central government to include the councils on the ‘Feed Salone’project, adding that the councils were more accountable to their people than most other government officials.
The Tonkolili District Chairperson stated some pressing issues which amongst them was the devolution process which she said was never completed. “Two three years ago, the Vice President instructed the ministries to give jobs to councils but that did not happen. The Ministry of Agriculture and some others are making effort but the Ministry of Land still hold on to the work permits, as same as the Ministry of Energy and Works. This is like giving me the cow while holding on to the rope.