President Julius Maada Bio said at the Popularizing and Decentralizing Ownership of Sierra Leone’s New Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024-2030 that the day opened a new chapter in the country’s development, that the plan strives to put development in the hands of the people and that the MTNDP succeeds the previous one.
The MTNDP is government’s Big 5 Game Changers for Accelerating Inclusive Economic Growth and Build Resilience.
Officially launching the plan at the Moyamba District Council Hall on Wednesday 10th July 2024, the President articulated that the MTNDP is the pathway to accelerate progress, that the event underscores the level of localizing the national development plan and inclusive approach, noting that government recognizes the fact that meaningful development cannot be achieved without local participation and the collective efforts of all stakeholders and affirmed that scaling up efforts for domestic finance of the country’s development efforts is paramount.
He intimated that among others, the MTNDP aims at transforming the public sector architecture, provide 500,000 jobs in the next 5-7 years as well as enhance government and accelerate climate change stressing that protecting the environment is public good, that the plan is aligned to the United Nations and African Union Plans respectively and that it would guide all development partners and state actors.
He furthered that government would now consider capital projects from Local Councils as government would no longer plan from Freetown and acclaimed all that contributed to the preparation of the MTNDP.
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Ms. Kenyeh Barlay noted that Moyamba District is unique, diverse and blessed as it is the third largest in the country and largest in the South respectively and that it was the bread basket in the past, produced three former Presidents and other prominent leaders.
She also informed that the MTNDP was launched in January this year, that all stakeholders were part of the process, that all the consultations in the various Districts were recorded and catalogued the priorities of the District as mechanized agriculture, provision of more qualified teachers, technical//vocational centers, good roads, assets and logistics management and a strong private sector.
She further disclosed that a market with modern facilities would be constructed, a fish harbor and storage facilities, energy to boost businesses and a hydro mini-dam would all be constructed in Moyamba District and commended the United Nations Development Program for supporting the drafting of the MTNDP intimating that the plan would be launched and popularized in other Districts pointing out by 2030, Sierra Leone would be transformed.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone disclosed that the plan is in the right step, its phenomenal that caters for all and commended all stakeholders for their unwavering support underscoring that Moyamba is a model, that the plan is more than a vision as its capsulate the guiding policies of government to advance the country assuring that the United Nations would continue its support to the country and that the plan would ensure economic and social prosperity for the country.
According to the United Nations Resident Coordinator, the MTNDP is well-anchored in that of the UN as they embark on diverse strengths and joined the clarion call on stakeholders to make certain that all have access to healthcare and equal opportunities to guarantee practices that would guarantee climate change resilience highlighting that the plan is a manifestation of a better future for all Sierra Leoneans.
Hon. Edward George, SLPP Caucus Chairman, Moyamba District assured that the District would support government’s development efforts outlined in the Big 5 Game Changers.
Earlier, the host Paramount Chief of Kayamba Chiefdom, Foday Momoh Gulama commended the President for his development projects in the District highlighting the provision of electricity after over forty years, erection of towers to expedite communication, appointment of indigenes of the District as Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Heads of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), rehabilitation of the road from Makoloh to Mabang and Moyamba Town that would open the country from the Western Area to the Southeast and revealed plans to also fix the Gbangbatoke and Shenge Roads respectively.
The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources and Deputy Leader of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), Mr. Umaru Napoleon Koroma observed that the MTNDP is the vision of the President.
The Chairman of the Moyamba District Council, Mr. Joseph Mbogba introduced the chairman for the event, the Resident Minister South, Mr. Emmanuel Alie who described the day as historic intimating that 99% of the previous National Development Plan was delivered under the former Minister, Dr. Francis Kaikai.
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Planning and Economic Development, asserted that the MTNDP is holistic and the strategic roadmap for the development of the country adding that one of their functions is oversight and that the plan is in line with District and Council Plans.
Highlights of the ceremony were skit and song performances by pupils of the Harford and Saint Joseph Secondary Schools respectively, introduction of indigenes from the District appointed by Government into various positions by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Ms. Kenyeh Barlay and the vote of thanks by the Hon. Veronica Sesay.
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