By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), in partnership with UNICEF and international consultants, has commenced a five-day technical design workshop focused on building a real-time digital monitoring tool for Sierra Leone’s Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024–2030. The workshop, which runs from July 22–26, 2025, is being held at the Atlantic Hotel in Freetown, and brings together technical experts from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), development partners, and data consultants.
In his keynote address at the opening session, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, emphasized the transformative purpose of the MTNDP and the strategic role of the upcoming dashboard. “The MTNDP is not just a document, but a roadmap,” he stated, highlighting its focus on food security, human capital, job creation, resilient infrastructure, and governance. “This dashboard is more than software; it is an investment in national governance and a tool to strengthen accountability and performance across sectors.”
The digital platform—described as a “Decision Support System”—is expected to serve as a centralized, real-time tool for monitoring and evaluating progress on national development targets. Its purpose is to support evidence-based decision-making, identify bottlenecks, and track implementation across MDAs.
Deputy Development Secretary, Usman Cherry Conteh, welcomed participants and credited UNICEF’s continued partnership in turning national plans into actionable frameworks. “Thanks to UNICEF’s support, we are moving beyond paper-based strategies. This dashboard will provide reliable, timely data for effective governance,” Conteh remarked. He likened the dashboard to a traffic light system—guiding movement and signaling direction through real-time insights.
Speaking on behalf of UNICEF, Dr. Robert Ndamobissi praised the country’s results-driven approach. “Citizens are demanding transparency. This dashboard is a mechanism to deliver that,” he said. He added that the platform aligns with global best practices, including the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, by reinforcing mutual accountability and timely data usage.
Dr. Jeeveeta Soobarah Agnihotri, an international consultant from the Community Systems Foundation, presented the dashboard concept as a collaborative and adaptive process. She emphasized that the platform is not just a technical output, but a national tool rooted in local ownership and utility. “It’s not just about monitoring. It’s about turning data into action,” she noted, using the analogy of tailoring to underscore the importance of precision, collaboration, and sustainability in system design.
Daniel Banya Braima, Deputy Director of Monitoring and Evaluation at MoPED, reflected on the evolution of the country’s digital development journey. He referenced the January 30, 2024 launch of the MTNDP as a pivotal moment that revealed the need for a dynamic data-tracking platform. “We don’t want to wait for end-line evaluations. We want live data to act swiftly and effectively,” he said.
Participants in the workshop are expected to co-create a prototype version of the dashboard, complete with sector-specific indicators, visualizations, and user interfaces tailored to decision-makers, development partners, and local stakeholders. Key sectors for input include education, health, agriculture, and governance.
As the opening day closed, the atmosphere was marked by urgency, collaboration, and shared commitment to improving development outcomes.
The successful execution of the initiative could position Sierra Leone as a regional leader in data-driven governance and transparent national planning.
