By Saio Marrah
Action Aid Sierra Leone has presented a total of NLe33, 793, 178 (thirty-three million seven hundred and ninety-three thousand one hundred and seventy eight new Leones) as the total amount of money for their budget for the year 2023.
80% of the budget amounting (NLe 27, 159 218.8) twenty-seven million one hundred and fifty-nine thousand, two hundred and eighteen new Leones presented to stakeholders at the Sierra Palm Resort in Freetown on Thursday 23rd February 2023 was said to have been spent on projects.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of Action Aid Board, Simitie Lavaly, said the presentation of the budget means trustworthiness and strengthening relationship with states and non-state actors.
Thus, she said the presentation of the budget was made at both National and district level and talked about how they are accountable to their international donors like the European Union, the regulations of the Sierra Leone government as well as the board of the organisation.
Executive Director of Action Aid, Foday Bassie Swarray, told stakeholders that the reason for the disclosure of the budget to the public was because they have received so much money from the sponsors on behalf of the beneficiaries and that they need to be first accountable before telling others to hold duty bearers accountable.
While noting that it is a critical mandate and policy of their organisation to make their budget public, Swaray said it is also compulsory for them to show how far they have gone with plans.
In a bid of exhibiting transparency and accountability, he said they also have a feedback mechanism from the beneficiary communities upon which they take action.
Swaray also noted that stakeholders routinely go to the communities where the projects executed to ensure they have been implemented accordingly.
According to Swaray the organisation, also have a participatory and review process that enables them to learn from their mistakes.
He also talked about how they also have an independent body that solicits feedback about their works.
Action –Aid Head of Human Resources, Organisational Development and Administration, Nyanda Abubakarr Foday, talked about their policies on sexual exploitation and how they always encourage people to report related cases.
The Head of Programme, Mohamed Abdulai Fofana said poverty is not natural, but artificially created and a denial of human right, and that Action Aid seeks to restore human dignity.
As a way of certifying the work they do, he said they have international indicators, which must be fulfilled and that after every six months they always give account of their activities.
In his keynote address, the Director of Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) at the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, Eric Massallay, praised Action-Aid for their exemplary role which he said others should emulate.
Massallay noted that over the four years Action Aid had always publishing their annual budget.
He also commended the organisation for spending 80% of their funds beyond the ceiling set by government that all NGOs should spend at least 70% directly on projects.
He said in the past while the administrators of those NGOs will be driving luxurious cars and living flamboyant lives, the communities or people for whom the funds were meant hardly benefit.
Massallay however encouraged Action -Aid to ensure they allow external actors to evaluate their work and give a report about it.
A document indicate that the organisation’s strategic priorities are working with people living in poverty to claim their rights to end poverty by addressing three core priorities that include engaging the structural causes of violence against marginalised women and girls, and promote the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care work for economic justice.
Copyright © 2023 Politico Online (27/02/23)
