Sierra Leone Telegraph: 23 September 2019:
Sierra Leone’s vice president Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, last Friday called on stakeholders of government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and local councils, to work towards acceleration of the decentralization process.
Addressing a two day workshop organized by the Ministries of Finance and the Local Government and Rural, vice president Jalloh said that efficient revenue mobilization is vital for developing the capacity of local councils to take responsibility for and effectively deliver services in their local communities.
He said that the Bio-led government has spent huge sums of money to build the capacity of local councils, through infrastructure development, as well as provision of funds for councils to deliver government’s social programs.
He spoke about the need for a seismic shift in local councils’ dependency on central government to a position where they can mobilise their own resources.
This he said, will help councils in delivering their community development agenda and plans, based on the aspirations, needs and priorities of their local communities.
He called on local councils to emulate the new drive within the Bio-led government, with respect to the aggressive mobilisation of revenue, control of leakages, and disciplined public finance management, in preparation for more decentralisation.
He said that local councils must move towards building Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) that will help strengthen local council management capacity and ability to access external finance for community economic development.
Vice president Jalloh urged for the depoliticisation of local council management. “we don’t need politicians at the councils but development practitioners rooted in local politics and far removed from partisan politics”.
Calls for more decentralisation of public services and central government function, ministries and departments are growing in Sierra Leone.
And so too is the call for devolution of power to districts getting louder, to accelerate the pace of economic development, good governance and accountability.
The country’s Local Government Act has sufficient powers to facilitate further decentralisation. But devolution of power would require constitutional change which can only come through a national referendum.
Decentralisation and Devolution are not the same thing – I don’t care how similar they look, or its different forms. Admit that they are not the same thing. Now answer this – what proofs and evidence do you have that gave you the unbridled audacity to come on this glorious platform to proclaim and lie to the world that The President and his Vice have been listening to you? – Rising Sun Will Rise Again.
Mr Conteh, I am sensing from your comments above that you are against Devolution of power being implemented in our beloved country. What are the problems you think can be encountered in its implementation, and What are your reasons for being against it?
Mr Matturi – I am driving at the moment. I had to pull over on my girlfriend’s insistence to send you this clear message – Firstly, no one is listening to your advice about something you don’t have a damn clue about.(lol) Devolution and Decentralisation in all its forms are not the same thing. Tell Google I said so! Decentralisation starts from the top,and its a strategy for increasing Administrative,and Head offices capacity to achieved proposed objectives – that’s what the VP was talking about – not your own superficial,tainted interpretations.
Now let him that have ears to hear listen carefully – Devolution of Power is usually a response for more local,or regional autonomy – an intense desire,to which Central government in power sometimes reluctantly accede. So,with all your noises,and empty rhetoric,I ask you – has the Central Government transfered greater powers locally,and regionally as yet? If they have listened to your prudent advice,and agreed with you,then what are they waiting for?(lol) I don’t need Google, and Wikipedia to spoon me information like you.
I know what I know,and its more than you will ever know.(lol) And if our Central government is already corrupt – imagine what mindless acts of thievery local authorities,left unsupervised will be involved in. Hey Que pasa? Running away from your original statement – the one you own,will not be encouraged,and allowed to happen here – this platform is too clean,and sanitized for such a thing.(lol) Listen again,to be authentic,and self assured is a great thing Mr Matturi – you don’t have to stoop low,like a servant,or religiously brown nose those in power to get their attention,and recognition – neither do you have to create illusions,and delusions,in broad daylight,in order to buy favors from Prezo, and other members of higher authority.
Self promotion,shows inadequacy,and a lack of self confidence.If the VP and his Boss were listening to you – rest assured,you will know it; otherwise whats the point of giving sensible advice to others,who ignore,and brush you side? Please do not try to show off with borrowed information on this authentic platform ever again – its offensive to me. Dejected,and dispirited Mr Matturi – thinking brilliant minds are baffled,and perplexed by his trifling,trivial, self-promoting antics.(lmao) Rising Sun Will Rise Again!
Mr. Saidu Conteh, I thank you very much for your long HISTORY AND POETRY essay which still does not address the issue and argument. You still don’t understand the argument. First of all, your POETRY is so TANGLED that, I don’t get what you are talking about. It’s just a BUSHY JUNGLE of words that even people who understand the Queen’s language could not sort out your POETRY. Be clear and simple.
As I said earlier, I am going to base my goals on the ARGUMENT and the ISSUE at hand and not the RHETORIC or personal attacks. This is the best way to defeat a NOVICE on any ARGUMENT. You have been successful in the past with your RHETORIC and Personal attacks because others fail to capitalize on the issue at hand. No one told you that DEVOLUTION and DECENTRALISATION are the same thing. I clearly explained the difference between them. I reckon you have read through my last comment and now saying something sensible.
You misunderstood the article and played the blame game. After reading my last comment and Google, you tend to be a little bit informed but not quite on DECENTRALISATION. My question to you Mr. Saidu Conteh is this – Do you agree with me that DECENTRALISATION consists of POLITICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, FINANCIAL and MARKETING DECENTRALISATION? Also, do you agree with me that DEVOLUTION is a sub section of ADMINISTRATIVE DECENTRALISATION? This question is the issue at hand.
I am not going to let this issue sink until you are completely proved wrong. You want to hide from it by writing a long make no sense POETIC HISTORY that people won’t understand. You are unlucky this time because, I am different in my approach towards all the NUISANCE you have been performing on this PLATFORM. Nice that your girlfriend was by your side because, you are really now on long BUMPY ROADS and getting BUMPY RIDES with my LETHAL ATTACKS on this matter. Mr. Saidu Conteh there talking about Self- promoting antics whilst getting help from my comments and Google to save his credibility. GOD BLESS Mr. Saidu Conteh.
Mr Matturi – reading your comment, I just can’t stop myself from roaring on, and on with laughter.(lol).That statement of yours, the first one, Mi Hermano belongs to you alone – you own it like the clothes and shoes you are wearing. Firstly, brimming with confidence and enthusiasm, you went right ahead and thanked the President and Vice for listening to your advice on the benefits and efficacy of Devolution of Power.
How on earth Amigo, did you come to such an eerie,unfounded conclusion – that people who have never expressed their wholehearted support for devolution of power have been listening to you, and have finally concluded and heeded your thoughtful advice? (lmao). Don’t answer that just yet! Secondly, if something, anything is considered to be in THE or A FORM of something else,that in itself explicitly explains that the two things,being compared,are totally different. Similar perhaps, in their characteristics,but distinctively different! A stone cottage,and a wooden cabin are not the same thing,as a royal Palace,but they’ve all been structurally built in the form of a House. Clear enough?
And there’s more,in your first statement – the one owned by you (lol) You specifically mentioned DEVOLUTION, and even went ahead further for the sake of emphasis,to point out the Departments that should,and must be devolved. Four paragraphs – yet not a single reference was made to Administrative Decentralisation. Hmmmm! But now you are singing a different,cunning evasive tune,while my own remains unchanged – Yep,I’m still singing the same old,true song – Devolution of Power, and Decentralisation in all its diverse forms are not the same thing. Rising Sun Will Rise Again.
Mr. Saidu Conteh, I thought you were intelligent enough to know the different forms of DECENTRALISATION. You have already been given a tip (Administrative Decentralisation) in my last comment. let me be clear. Concentration on this issue and not any political interest or personal attack is my goal. I respect your views even though I disagree with them on this matter. You quoted the VP wrongly and partly blaming me for you misunderstanding of DECENTRALISATION, which I found regretful and unfortunate. Thanks to Mr. Alieu Sesay for correcting you. Furthermore, you are also completely misunderstanding my point.
Let me first of all tell you that there are four types of DECENTRALISATION (Political, Administrative, Financial and Market). ARGUE. But, I am just going to give you the sub topics of Administrative Decentralisation. Sadly, I don’t have enough time to prove you dead wrong.
By the way, almost every part of ADMINISTRATIVE DECENTRALISATION were clearly explained in this article. Under Administrative Decentralisation, you have DECONCENTRATION, DELEGATION and DEVOLUTION. DISCUSS. You are just confused with the term DECENTRALISATION. I thought you would have chosen DECONCENTRATION or DELEGATION to counter my DEVOLUTION argument. As I said in my last comment, DEVOLUTION is part of Administrative Decentralisation. The VP was right in every respect. As I read the article, I knew that the VP was basing his arguments between DECONCENTRATION and DELEGATION. Do you agree with the VP and myself Mr. saidu Conteh? The end game of all this will be DEVOLUTION. PERIOD.
As the writer rightly said, DEVOLUTION requires a CONSTITUTIONAL change, which will not be an easy task. I absolutely agree with the writer. But, it is not impossible if the people are determined for it. The second to last paragraph of the article tells you that DEVOLUTION is on its way. I still stand by my OPINION that the Bio Administration is finally listening to what I have been consistently calling for. DEVOLUTION my brothers. DEVOLUTION has nothing to do with CORRUPTION Mr. Saidu Conteh as you suggested.
Mr. Saidu Conteh there CONFUSED about DISECTING DECENTRALISATION; MISUNDERSTANDING me and MISQUOTING our learned VP. GOD BLESS YOU.
Back to business. Mr. Saidu Conteh. I want you to read what the VP said according to the writer and I quote – “He called on local councils to emulate the new drive within the Bio-led government, with respect to the aggressive mobilisation of revenue, control of leakages, and disciplined public finance management, in preparation for more decentralisation”. But, DEVOLUTION is a form of Administrative Decentralization which I believe is the end goal of the VP’s call.
Let me quote what google says about devolution and administrative decentralization and I quote “Devolution is the statutory delegation of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to govern at a subnational level, such as a regional or local level. It is a form of Administrative Decentralization”. Although the VP just used the term DECENTRALIZATION without giving any specific reference, I understood it for ADMINISTRATIVE DECENTRALIZATION. If google is right and my own analysis of the VP’s statement refers to ADMINISTRATIVE DECENTRALIZATION, where is the problem? Thanks and GOD BLESS EVERBODY.
Thanks Mr Sesay – I totally agree with you – I got carried away by Mr Matturi’s ecstatic outbursts about Devolution of Power – his self praises, thanking the President and his Vice for listening to him (lol). Strangely, I didn’t realise that the writer had already finished quoting the Vice President two paragraphs above.
Either way, no one in Sierra Leone is anxiously promoting Devolution, neither is there going to be a national referendum, facilitating a constitutional change anytime soon. Devolution would be totally unworkable, inefficient and impractical, in a corrupt society as ours. So just forget it, it ain’t happening! Rising Sun Will Rise Again.
Mr Matturi – please read the article again properly, thoroughly and thoughtfully – Decentralisation isn’t the same thing as Devolution of power. Here’s what the Vice President said – “But Devolution of Power would require a constitutional change, which can only come through a national referendum”. please be kind to point out to us in the article above, where the Vice President explicitly voices out his unwavering support for Devolution….I’ll wait! Rising Sun Will Rise Again.
Mr Conteh, I don’t think it was the VP who made such a statement. If you yourself should read the article again, what you will find is that it was the author of the story who said in their conclusion: “The country’s Local Government Act has sufficient powers to facilitate further decentralisation. But devolution of power would require constitutional change which can only come through a national referendum,” not the VP.
I am very pleased that the government has finally listened to what I have been consistently saying. Return power to the people through DEVOLUTION. PERIOD. DEVOLUTION will not only be helpful in returning power to the people, but also EMPOWER people in the twelve districts including the western area to MANAGE their own ECONOMIES, RESOURCES and fairly participate in government.
Why should Madam the Mayor of Freetown and the heads of the different District Councils wait for ages or even beg for the FUNDS they need to develop their areas whilst their areas are generating money? Is it fair for a few men and women sitting somewhere in a government ministry bleeding the country’s finances/economy for their selfish interests whilst development projects for our districts including the western area are left to rot? SAD and UNACCEPTABLE.
The departments that must be DEVOLVED are EDUCATION, TRANSPORT, AGRICULTURE, MINING, HOUSING, ENERGY and POWER, THE SEA PORTS and AIRPORTS. JUSTICE, POLICE, WORKS, FISHERIES, MILITARY, PRISON, HEALTH, FINANCE, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, GENDER will be under the direct control of the government. The government will be happy EH? The people too. Talking to myself.
Giving the people power to fully participate in government and enable them manage their ECONOMY and RESOURCES is the best way forward. Thanks to the VP and the Bio Administration for listening to me. I hope that legislations concerning DEVOLUTION will be implemented before 2023. The government seems to be getting some of the messages that would be in play come 2023. So, they are trying hard to be proactive on some of them. No problem. We have many issues loaded come 2023. Finally, I thank the VP for this initiative by his government. GOD BLESS OUR VP and DEVOLUTION.
Decentralisation including infrastructure development together with devolution will be the right way for the country. But it will only work with a reduced power and public sector jobs in the capital, and not with a blow up of the political and bureaucratic system.
It’s high time we supported the views of our energetic leaders. Bravo VP, bravo His Excellency. One Country One People, One Sierra Leone, One views, One Development in Sierra Leone.