By Saidu Jalloh
In a pivotal meeting between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and the World Bank team, the mid-term progress of the Accountable Governance for Basic Service Delivery Project (AGBSDP – P172492) was under scrutiny. The project, aimed at enhancing governance and service delivery in Sierra Leone, revealed a mixed bag of successes and challenges.
Minister Kenyeh Barlay, leading MoPED, extended gratitude to the World Bank for their support, highlighting strides made since the project’s inception in 2022. Particularly lauded were the institutionalization of District Development Coordinating Committees (DDCCs) and the integration of Local Councils’ Public Investment Program (PIP) into the national budget.
Barlay emphasized the project’s success in cementing DDCCs as permanent fixtures within local councils, a crucial step in fostering rural development. The inclusion of Local Councils’ PIP in the national budget marked a significant milestone, signaling improved coordination between local and national levels.
Despite these achievements, concerns lingered over delays in obtaining “No Objection” approvals, impeding the timely disbursement of funds. Minister Barlay’s acknowledgment of these obstacles underscores the project’s struggle to maintain momentum amidst bureaucratic hurdles.
The mid-term review shed light on the project’s trajectory, allowing stakeholders to pinpoint both progress and bottlenecks. Moving forward, addressing administrative delays will be paramount to sustaining the project’s momentum and ensuring effective service delivery across Sierra Leone.
