November 7, 2016 By Mohamed Massaquoi
The Decentralization Secretariat, with support from the World Bank, last Friday provided motorbikes and laptop computers worth millions of Leones to various Local Council across the country as a strategy to improving sanitation at community level.
Explaining the background of the project, Director of the Decentralisation Secretariat, Alhassan Kanu, said support to various councils was part of organisational support and capacity building process for local councils, so that they could provide effective and efficient services to the people.
He added that he was grateful to the World Bank country team for the support, as the motorbikes and computers would greatly facilitate the work of environmental officers in local councils
He said the secretariat was always concerned about the operations of local councils, which was why they asked for support from various organisations so that they could be well strengthened in carrying out their responsibilities.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Maya Kaikai, said the donation was a good opportunity to ease the work of environmental officers in their respective districts.
He urged them to take a good care of the items as many Sierra Leoneans have inculcated the habit of not taking proper care of government property on the grounds that it belongs to the State.
Kaikai conceded that despite economic difficulties in the country, his ministry would always prioritise the councils for effective service delivery to the people, adding that they play an oversight role in the day-to-day administration of councils in order that development would reach remote communities.
“In the next two weeks, we will again meet with Chief Administrators of all councils to discuss the way forward for the purpose of development. My ministry has taken development as an agenda policy. This is in line with government policy on zero tolerance on corruption. Your responsibility as council representatives is to work towards this direction by providing essential services to our people. I am coming from a rural community and that is the reason I am more concerned about development process in those remote communities. I will advise all of you to put politics aside and put Sierra Leone first. This is our country and we have to work collectively to make it better for us and our children,” he said.