By Crispina Cummings
The Core Technical Committee Pillar Working Groups in Agenda for Prosperity Secretariat on Monday presented the “Agenda for prosperity” document to Parliament.
In his presentation, the Director of Research at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Alimamy Bangura said the Agenda and its flagship projects were in their preparation stage, adding that a summary of the document was brought to parliament for their perusal, approval and recommendations.
Bangura said the “Agenda for prosperity” was made up of eight pillars that included economic diversification to promote inclusive growth, managing natural resources, accelerating human development, employment and labour strategy, government and public sector reform, and gender equality and women’s empowerment.
He noted that its goal was to promote sustainable green growth to reduce poverty and achieve middle income status by 2035.
Making her contribution, Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon Bernadette Lahai called on the committee to include rain-harvesting among their pillars because that would help reduce the pressure on the agencies set up to provide water in the country. She said that if rain water was harvested for storage purposes that could help farmers produce crops more than once a year, adding that the committee should include the Tongo and Kenema roads in their road construction plans as well as the establishment of boarding schools in the country to help foster efficient education in the provinces.
Paramount Chief Member of Parliament, Joseph Alieu Kavura Kongomoh II of Moyamba District said that his district had been apparently neglected because he saw nothing in the slides that mentioned road constriction and the provision of social services like water and electricity in his district.
In his response, the presenter, Alimamy Kargbo said what was presented was only a summary for the attention of the House. He said there was provision for road construction and the provision of electricity in all district headquarter towns noting however that all the concerns raised by the MPs would be considered. He added that they would take the agenda to civil society groups and all the districts in the country for their input and recommendations.
