Local Government Minister launches Devolution Task Force

‘As Minister I will make the noise-’ Diana finda Konomanyi-Kabbah

The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Diana Finda Konomanyi-Kabbah, on Thursday 1^st November launched a 15-man devolution task force to follow up on the Hill Valley Declaration made by four Ministries in July this year. The task force represents a broad spectrum of key stakeholders involved in the decentralization programme, and the event took place at the Mayor’s Parlour of Freetown City Council.  (Photo: Minister Diana Konomanyi – Kabbah addressing the meeting)

From 1^st to 4^th July this year the Ministry of Health and Sanitation; Ministry of Education, Science and Technology; Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources, made a commitment to devolve all outstanding functions to local councils by the close of this year 2013, at a forum held at the Hill Valley Hotel in Freetown. This commitment by the four Ministries which are considered key in government’s development aspirations, has been called the Hill Valley Declaration.

Launching the task force which is expected to occasion the actualization of the terms of the declaration, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Diana Finda Konomanyi-Kabbah, did not mince her words as she expressed her utter frustration with the slow pace of devolution so far.

She expressed the need for local councils to be empowered to deliver services by ensuring that the required personnel are devolved to them. Pin pointing the area of health, she stressed the importance of the need for tertiary hospitals to be placed in the right starter to provide the required services to the people. She effectively said that all efforts must be made not to dampen the spirit of the country’s donor partners by delaying the devolution process.

Diana Finda Konomanyi-Kabbah received tremendous applause when she said, ‘As Minister I will make the noise’, adding, ‘I encourage you all to see reason to support the system. We are capable, we can make the difference’. She said she wouldn’t blame only the Ministers for the slow pace of devolution, implying that the entire administrative and professional staffs of MDs need to play significant roles in the devolution process. ‘Give councils the responsibility, let them fall short,’ she said and expressed confidence that with the required support, councils will deliver services according to expectations.

The Director of the Decentralisation Secretariat Mr.   Alhassan Kanu, informed the meeting that the task force had already held three meetings, pointing out that the launching was meant to give policy support to the effort. He also informed the meeting about the composition of the task force, disclosing that it includes personnel from the Human Resource Management Office and Civil Society.

The leader of the task force, civil society activist Charles Mamboo, said in no uncertain terms that Sierra Leone’s decentralization process will not fail due to the fact that it is built on a strong foundation which manifests in the form of the Decentralisation Secretariat. He said he has strong faith in the capability of the Secretariat which has empowered the smooth running of local councils for the past nine years.

Charles Mamboo proudly reiterated the fact that Sierra Leone’s decentralization programme has done better similar programmes in some other African countries which started the process much earlier.

Duties of the task force include the following:

• Undertake continuous engagement with the devolving MDAs to ensure that they devolve functions in accordance with the agreed road map.
• From time to time proffer recommendations to the Minister for the advancement of the devolution process.
• Periodically interface with Local Councils with a view to assessing progress on devolution and the integration of devolved staff.
• Ensure development is made on the outcomes of the activities of the task force, highlighting the progress the MDAs are making towards the effective devolution of the outstanding functions.

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