The Integrated Project Administrative Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED) has launched Phase II of the Decentralize Service Delivery (DSD) project in Freetown. The project, worth Thirty-Four Million United States Dollars, is partly funded by the European Union, who provided Eight Million United States Dollars, whilst the World Bank contributed Twenty-Six Million United States Dollars respectively.

The Project is aimed at strengthening education, health, and rural water, amongst others.

Welcoming participants to the launching, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Samura Kamara expressed delight to launch Phase 2 of what he referred to as such a highly successful project in Sierra Leone. According to him, the project was basically to assist the local councils and other ministries, department and agencies in the devolution of their functions.

The minister pointed out that, the project would be addressing the financial aspect, capacity building and social accountability.

Dr. Kamara maintained that, Phase One of the project, focused on a few ministries, noting that a new responsibility has been added to Phase 2 of the project. He informed his audience that, personnel of his ministry put greater premium on decentralization of services and thanked donor partners that have contributed towards moving the decentralization process forward, especially in terms of devolving functions and fiscal decentralization. He used the forum to call on all and sundry to give firm support to the project, especially in the area of implementation. 

World Bank’s Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mr. Yusupha B. Crookes, observed that the scope of quality service rendered to citizens should be much better than it was in the beginning. He added that citizens have the right to get the kind of services they desire.

Mr. Crookes stressed on the need to strengthen both institutional and organizational arrangements, which include accountability mechanism between policy makers, service providers and the citizens at local council level.