By Amin Kef Sesay
Sulley Mintiegmah, Human Development expert for the Project Management Unit, has cautioned the Falaba District Council to ensure inclusion, timely reporting, transparency and accountability of the EU grant project.
Mintiegmah was speaking during the kick-off and grant management training for stakeholders of the Falaba District Council in Mongo Bendugu, the district headquarter town of Falaba.
The training, according to PMU, is to ensure prudent management of the EU grant for the district. The European Union under the Support to Civil Society and Local Authorities Project gave a grant of 25 million euro for development in Sierra Leone. Six districts namely Kambia, Bombali, Kenema, Pujehun, Falaba and Karene are beneficiaries of the over 200 billion Leones grant to take up certain infrastructural, capacity building and agricultural project in the different Councils.
In his statement, the Chairman of the Falaba District Council, Ibrahim Sorie Sesay said the grant will cover the improvement of the capacity of the Council and its staff including fighting against COVID-19, introducing sustainable infrastructural and agricultural projects like the provision of barb wires to settle the dispute between cattle herders and farmers in terms of interference by cattle, provision of market stalls and also the improvement of feeder roads among others. He ended up by thanking PMU for their continued support from the start of the process to the awarding of the grant. He also revealed that the district has received 30% of the grant that is currently in the Council’s account.
The Finance and Operations expert for the Project Management Unit, Lameeck Siage also encouraged stakeholders of the district to take advantage of the EU grant and position themselves for more support, adding that they should ensure to follow the procurement processes of the country and EU standards.
While giving an overview, the Human Development Expert for the PMU, Sulley Mintiegmah, noted that they expect the district to take note. “In this project we expect transparency and accountability, ownership, inclusion and an effective and timely reporting will help in the success of the project.”
The same will be done in Karene district which will be followed by the official launching of the project in both districts respectively.
