By Abass Jalloh
Marginalized and vulnerable groups in Sierra Leone through the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) and Christian Aid are calling on government institutions to support them with basic needs by including them in their estimated budgets for 2023.
Yesterday 1st September 2022 at the headquarters of Guma Valley Water Company, the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) in Freetown, and representatives of various groups ,who had already met with BAN to discuss and map out key burning issues, rendered their needs as to why they are entitled to budgetary allocations.
Putting their needs to the Guma Valley Water Company, a representative from King George’s Home for the aged, Makalay Mansaray, stated that since they are having a challenge during the dry season they had to purchase water in containers and would appreciate if they get free supply of water for the construction of regional centers for the aged in other parts of the country.
“It is even unbearable for the workers who go out in search of water, and you know how the elderly need water and we need money to buy for them,” she said. “If water can be made accessible to the home, we will appreciate it very much because everything in the home needs water. We have been buying water from Guma but it has not been consistent.
Talking to NaCSA, a representative from People Living with HIV, Musu Barrie-Jimmy, said such a vulnerable group is part of the larger constituents in society and especially women and children who bear the greatest burden of diseases like HIV.
“Sierra Leone is not an exception to this disease. We have a huge number of these people, and we need support from our government to continue with their support of the antiretroviral (ARVs) both for adults and for children,”he said
She added that for keeping lives going, medications, in general, are not easily taken without quality food and nutrition, and if that is the situation they would want to appeal to NaCSA for inclusion in social protection initiatives especially in keeping the nutritional status of women and children.
The Director of Programmes at NaCSA, Regina Sia Saffa stated that the institution operationalized government policies, so these categories of people cited are supposed to benefit from the services of the commission.
Saffa stated that persons living with AIDS are currently without a specific programme for this area but that in recent weeks they have been in consultations with UN Aids, WFP NETIPS on how they can work to support them.
She said in as much as they care about all sectors, they are more concerned with aspects of poverty rather than other various conditions in which people might have resources for themselves, even if some might be disabled.
According to the Director of Finance at the Guma Valley Water Company, Lahai Kanu, all they are requesting is just a proportion of the cost of what they are spending and that whatever contribution that would be coming from King George’s Home would also help Guma access the service to other areas.
“Not that we are asking for payment that will cover the cost to give us profit,” the director said, adding that they have noted the issues and would revisit them and make the estimate to the government.
According to a document presented by the National Coordinator of BAN, Abubakarr Kamara, to achieve the call, active engagement with vulnerable and underrepresented communities directly or through civil society organizations representing them should be involved.
“Paragraph 55 of the budget call circular states that in preparing the budget estimates, MDAs are strongly encouraged to ensure the widest participation of all stakeholders including NGOs, CSOs, and Internal Budget Committees,” the document stated.
BAN believes that social protection plays a key role in accelerating progress towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and in leaving no one behind and that it is a key element of national strategies to promote human development, political stability, and inclusive growth.
The network also stated that the Medium Term National Development Plan provides for increased investment in persons with disabilities and vulnerability, welfare assistance to these groups, and support for the groups in providing fundamental requirements of inclusivity.
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