World Bank Supports National Safety Net
One of the world’s leading bodies in combating poverty and aiding development, “The World Bank” continues to support Sierra Leone in its developmental advances, not only to establish the key building blocks for a basic national safety net system, but also to provide income support to extremely poor house-holds in the West African Country. (Photo: Lily Wong of the World Bank, Ambassador Bockari Stevens, and Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador I. S. Conteh)
That was why Sierra Leone’s Ambassador accredited to the United States of America H.E. Bockari Kortu Stevens has on behalf of the Government of President Ernest Bai Koroma, signed an amount equivalent to SDR 4,600,000 financing Agreement pact with the World Bank on the proposed financing (Social Safety Net Project).
The signing ceremony took place at the 1701 19th Chancery Om Washington DC, USA.
According to World Bank Program Assistant Lily Wong, the signing of “the agreement was a direct result of a recommendation made by a committee constituted by the International Development Association under section 1 (d) of Article V of the Articles of Agreement on the proposed financing (Social Safety Net Project) to the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
r-l: Lily Wong-World Bank, Ambassador Bockari Stevens, Deputy Chief of Mission I. S. Conteh, 1st Secretary Edward Kawa, and Financial Attaché Paul M. Kamara
“The Committee finds that said project merits financial assistance from the Association and hereby recommended said project for such assistance.”
“The purpose of said grant is to establish the key building blocks for a basic national safety net system and to provide income support to extremely poor house-holds in Sierra Leone.”
The Committee is also of the opinion, that the project comes within the purposes of the Association as set forth in Article 1 of said Articles of Agreement, and the said project is designed to promote the economic development of the Republic of Sierra Leone and is of high developmental priority in the light of the needs of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Present at the signing ceremony were Deputy Chief of Mission Ambassador I.S. Conteh, First Secretary Edward Kawa, Financial Attaché Paul M. Kama, and Pasco Gerald Temple.
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Dr. Mariatu Turay-Rohde (MD, MSc. Public Health)
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The Sierra Leone Social Safety Net Project
A great win-win idea if properly integrated like in some sub Saharan countries!
For long-lasting sustainability and success, the following should be considered:
The idea should be redefined as a programme with direct money transfer to vulnerable households and not as another short-lived project.
The programme should offer labour-intensive public works jobs in construction, carpentry and building rural roads to youth and adults who need temporary employment during the agricultural lean season.
The programme should also include an information element on health and nutrition so that the targeted populations will learn more about health and sanitation.
The programme should also offer credit to small businesses (SME’s), cash transfers and assets such as livestock to those who cannot work.
Mechanisms to pay for health insurance for the targeted populations in the country should be in place, guaranteed and overseen by the government, preferably through the Ministries of Social Welfare, Health and Sanitation.
The programme should also create jobs for these poor people and support them to get assets that can generate income.
All policymakers, the private sector, aid agencies and other partners should be involved in order to help bring modern financial services to the targeted populations (youth and the poorest).
Solar technology which enables this to work in places with no electricity as well as to work longer hours should be implied, thus creating a business around charging cell phones for others, thereby even allowing the banks to have more customers.
A concerned citizen of Sierra-Leone
Dr. Mariatu Turay-Rohde (MD, MSc. Public Health)
26th April 2014Berlin, Germany.