HRMO commences 2014 manpower budget hearing

Manpower Budget Hearings for 2014 have commenced at the Sierra Leone Civil Service Training College, Tower Hill.

In an interview with the Director of Human Resource Planning and budgeting at the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), Ansu S. Tucker close to 50 MDAs are expected to present their Manpower Plans for the 2014 fiscal year budget.

Manpower Budget Hearings, according to Mr. Tucker is an annual forum where MDAs present their staffing requirements for the coming, which will be catered for in the MDAs’ budgetary allocations. It is also meant for MDAs to highlight their needs in the plan to mitigate effects of unforeseen circumstances regarding the human resources of the Sierra Leone Civil Service. “It is important to hold such a forum as it reduces financial wastages. These wastages mostly involve civil servants who have attain the retirement age, took unauthorized absent or have died while in active service but are still on the payroll”, he stressed.

Tucker emphasized that the forum reduces the volatility of the service payroll. It gives an opportunity of the staffing activities as skewed in the Agenda for Prosperity.

He maintained that some MDAs are still having problems in preparing their manpower plans, but was quick to state that there has been marked improvement in this year’s presentations in terms of participation, more MDA are now adhering to the hearing. Senior government functionaries such as ministers are more attending the session. The process, he noted involves a lot of technicalities that Human Resource Managers and officers are still trying to master. There is a dire need for good manpower in the Service to help in its reform process.

At the end of the two weeks exercise, Tucker maintained that that it is expected that the entire Sierra Leone Civil Service will have a comprehensive manpower plan for inclusion into the 2014 budget.

There will also be stability in the Service payroll. It will as well build the capacities of human resource managers and officers in the various MDAs.

He went on by advising MDAs to comply with the process following the manpower templates earlier given to them by his office. To also consult their notes given to them (MDAs) at the two days manpower plan training. They can also check with the HRMO Human Resource officers for further explanation if they (MDAs) are having difficulties in their budget preparations.

The forum will end on 23^rd August, 2013 .

By Salamatu L. Turay

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