The Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA) hosted a critical inter-ministerial engagement on Thursday, 5th September 2024, aimed at strengthening the implementation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)-supported Peace Building Fund (PBF) Project. Held at MoPAPA’s conference hall, the session brought together representatives from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs (MoGCA), Ministry of Youth Affairs (MoYA), and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE).
In his opening remarks, Honourable Minister Amara Kallon of MoPAPA expressed appreciation for the ongoing collaboration and stressed the importance of addressing critical issues such as hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation, which have been identified as factors undermining peace and national cohesion. He highlighted the need for MDAs to reflect on the gaps in previous PBF projects and draw lessons to improve the effectiveness of future interventions.
Minister Kallon underscored the relevance of Section 35(1)(C) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which outlines the role of political parties. He called for a renewed focus on achieving 30% female political representation, not as token gestures through meaningful empowerment.
The Minister urged MDAs to take ownership of the PBF Project and foster collaboration to ensure its success. He emphasized that it is crucial for Sierra Leoneans to tell their own stories and shift away from reliance on external narratives. He also called for robust public awareness campaigns on taxation, as this would play a key role in ensuring the financial sustainability of the PBF Project.
Philip Tetema Tondoneh, Deputy Minister of MoPAPA, highlighted that the PBF Project is a joint initiative supported by UN women, UNICEF, and UNDP to promote peaceful co-existence and addressed livelihood challenges. He noted that MoPED chairs the project’s steering committee, while MoPAPA is the coordinating ministry. Deputy Minister Tondoneh identified Kono and Koinadougou as target districts for the project’s interventions, focusing on countering hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation.
Tondoneh further emphasized the need for MDAs to outline clear intervention areas, with specific reference to outputs, outcomes, and sustainable plans, while adopting a community-based approach.
Dr. Isata Mahoi, Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of community-based conflicts. She referenced key national reports such as the Truth and Reconciliation Report, Bintumani III Report, Tripartite Committee Recommendations, and the Lome Peace Accord as guiding frameworks for intervention. Dr Mahoi also called for alignment with the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNP).
Usman C. Conteh, Deputy Development Secretary at MoPED, informed the MDAs that District Development Coordination Committees had been established to facilitate community-led interventions in line with government policies. He urged the MDAs to collaborate with MoPED to secure capital budgets for counterpart funding and ensure alignment with the MTNP to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030.
Representatives from MoYA and MoICE also shared insights from previous PBF projects, including the “Bike Riders Peace Project” and the “Salone Pas Wi Ol Project,” which focused on raising awareness of peace and national cohesion.
The session concluded with a strong commitment from all MDAs to collaborate closely and take ownership of the PBF Project, ensuring its success in promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development across Sierra Leone.
Correspondent: Musa Kamara, SLENA
