By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Members representing the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have held discussions with Local Councils in Kailahun and Kenema districts that have benefited from the European Union (EU) grant projects. The meeting held at the Kenema District Council hall saw the head of delegation ACP Sierra Leone chapter and also leader of Government Business in Parliament, Mathew Sahr Nyuma explain the purpose of visit by the foreign ACP delegation which was to assess the benefits local councils are deriving through the EU grants based on a continuous agreement .
Good Governance, Rural Education and Infrastructural Development are some of the projects funded by the EU in Sierra Leone and implemented by councils. MP Nyuma advised the councils to avoid duplication of projects so as to prevent wastage of resources that could otherwise be utilised by government in other sectors and stressed the importance of clearly defined lines separating government from EU funded projects. He spoke of further agreements on the way that will cover partnership and loan development.
The Director National Authorizing Office Sierra Leone Ambrose James told the councils that the ACP and EU states were keen to see the government of Sierra Leone take development to local level, saying that “we want to see as national authorizing office, how rural communities benefit from those projects”. “National authorizing office is government eyes that work with the EU office in making sure grants sent to the country are utilized well for the benefit of the people”, James went on.
Chief Administrator Kenema District Council Ahmed Shekuba Koroma thanked the delegation for their efforts in coming to assess the implementation of the EU projects entrusted to councils, and to know their challenges as councils. He spoke about the challenges faced in the implementation of projects such as break in communication between the councils and the central government. He also stated the councils were not well briefed on who the contractors were or the costs involved in the projects.
The chief administrator advised the central government and EU to in the future involve councils in the awarding of project contracts for effective monitoring and supervision. He used the platform to outline all the development projects the Kenema district council has benefitted so far from EU funding.
ACP and EU have a close working relationship in many third world countries.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (22/03/21)
