By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs through the Decentralization Secretariat and support from UNDP has on the 12th December, 2023 conducted a day’s popularization of the newly reviewed decentralization policy in Kenema.
In his statement, the Director of Decentralization Secretariat, Alex Bonapha Esq. said reviewing of the policy got underway in 2022 for the running of the local councils based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation.
He spoke of how the commission made several recommendations in light of some factors that led to the outbreak of the civil war in Sierra Leone, highlighting the centralization of Governance in Freetown as one of them.
He said it was clear that in the past, people in the provinces were not included in the governance and development of the country by way of participation in decision-making, adding that the local councils are now in support of the policy as a means of pacifying communities and preventing another outbreak of civil war.
He emphasized that it is their priority to bring the governance system closer to the people and deepen and widen decentralization at all levels such as the establishment of regional coordinating offices which will be responsible for coordinating and harmonizing the implementation of government policies relating to non-devolved sectors.
He added that the policy will reinforce the functions of local councils in its roles as the highest units of democratic decentralization of which the chairperson of the council will receive authority to direct the affairs of the locality.
Lawyer Bonapha reiterated that the policy captured the need for twenty percent of paramount chiefs, and four tribal headmen within the locality of a council to sit alongside the elected councilors.
He affirmed that the policy ensures local councils retain the power to recruit, promote, and discipline staff in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and the Public Service Commission. He said, that as a result of the late development of the policy which would have been before the Act, it created a lot of controversies within the functions of the councils which prompted the decentralization policy review that was validated nationwide based on the inputs and contributions of the people.
Bonapha called on the authorities to make good use of the policy for the benefit of the council and the development of the people.
Deputy Mayor of Kenema City Council, Rugiatu Koroma said popularization of the policy was important and timely for the local councils as they believe that it will enhance development within localities.
She said, decentralization has made a great impact on the people of Sierra Leone of which Kenema district is no exception, and believes that the policy will help increase female participation in governance.
The Deputy Mayor stated that it was the review of the policy that paved the way for more women's participation in the governance system through the thirty percent quota and commended President Julius Maada Bio for creating the platform for women in Sierra Leone.
She appealed to female councilors and other women to pay keen attention to the presentation and to make sure that the popularization of the policy was fully disseminated to the people so they would know how the council operates and make them inclusive in the process. She implored them to make good use of the opportunity so that they would work in the interest of the electorate.
A PowerPoint presentation on key areas by the director of capacity building formed part of the popularization exercise.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (15/12/23)
