Sierra Leone Telegraph: 20 December 2020:
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) last week signed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with local and international NGOs.
The symbolic signing ceremony involved 35 agricultural and related projects that are being implemented by 20 NGOs. The SLAs will ensure that the NGOs provide a defined set of services in the agriculture and forestry sector.
In his address, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kai-Kai recognized the invaluable role NGOs play in meeting the aspirations of the government; noting that NGOs are regarded as critical actors in the actualization of the government’s Medium Term National Development (MTNDP 2019-2023).
“When NGOs align their plans with the MTNDP, it will be very easy to promote effective service delivery and discourage duplication of function. The President Bio-Led administration will ensure that NGOs work within the specifications set by the line Ministries to ensure at least 70 percent of the funds for a particular project is used for direct implementation, as this will also promote President Bio’s call for an accelerated service delivery next year,” he said.
Dr. Kai-Kai implored NGOs to continue the good work they are doing, encouraging them to always attend the District Development Coordination Committee (DDCC) meetings that the Ministry of Planning is currently setting up in the districts, with the pilot phase commencing in Pujehun, Karene, Bonthe and Falaba.
The Acting Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Abubakarr Karim, in his keynote, thanked the MoPED for championing the process of delivering the SLAs; stressing the need for a singular vision in addressing the several challenges within the agriculture and forestry sector.
He emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency to the citizens in the delivery of targets and plans.
Dr. Karim noted the importance of collaborating with NGOs in strengthening systems and providing efficient data analytics for effective service delivery; stressing on the Ministry’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for NGOs to operate and contribute to the development of the agriculture sector in a free, responsive, transparent and accountable manner.
President Bio called for accelerated service delivery. You could say that thousands of time. Because we are still waiting for your first national all inclusive developments you promised us in your campaign trail. As the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, signed services delivery projects with national and international non – governmental organisations, is only good that you came out with those mindless comments. Indeed, NGOs plays a vital role in all development sectors, alongside the government national strategic action development plan. It is all well, and good for the government to go in to agreement with this NGOs, to boost the agriculture sector, in the process giving quality training to our local farmers to be more productive.
The problem in Sierra Leone has always been, who monitors these programmes? Where is the main port of call if things are not delivered as agreed by the framework, or time scale for delivery of services. Is there a telephone hot line where for instance the president can order things to be ramped up and get things done quicker? I think it calls for the appointment of a special delivery czar that is answerable to the president only. The other problem is transparency and accountability. No one especially under this Bio government likes to put their hands up, and take responsibility, if things go wrong. It seems like there is no monitoring mechanism or accountability to make it work for the people it is intended for. And that is why we hear about many projects in the pipe line, but they never get delivered. Especially in the funding part of things.
This is where government plans ends and corrupt individuals in the ministries take over for their own selfish agendas. This Bio government is ready to part with public money left right and centre, but have very little to show for it. The NGOs might act as the bridge between government and communities that they are meant to help, but if you have the funding stuck in the ministry of Agriculture and forestry, announcing this undertakings just becoming another talking point for public consumption. We want to see meaningful changes in Sierra Leone not recycled gimmick projects.