By Amin Kef Sesay
The Skills Development Fund Secretariat (SDFS) is setting up Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), Committees in Kailahun and Kenema in the Eastern region of Sierra Leone.
This is as a result of proposals received for funding from Government Technical Institutions (GTIs), businesses and industry stakeholders, as part of the First Call for Concepts Notes; owning to the fact that the Secretariat has hired independent evaluators to lead on the selection process with support from the secretariat.
After the selection process, as a way to effectively monitor the use of funds and address complains, a Grievance Redress Mechanism GRM Committee needs to be set up at district level that will be charged with the responsibilities to receive complaints from aggrieved people that need to be addressed by the Committee or forwarded for further investigation and redress.
Redressing grievances of affected people is an integral part of a Project’s design, plan, and management. Setting up appropriate mechanisms to address stakeholders’ concerns, prevent adverse consequences and risks and bring about positive changes in people’s lives and relationships is becoming increasingly important in development projects. The Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) is required to identify and resolve grievances as early as possible in order not to obstruct the implementation process.
According to the GRM specialist in each of the districts, the Sierra Leone Skills Development Funds (SLSDP) as provided by the World Bank, view DGRMs as interventions that can perform a useful role in removing barriers and facilitate the smooth implementation of the project. They will function as good feedback mechanisms to different institutional structures and help in framing policies, decisions and practices that are more responsive to realities on the ground.
Mariama Khai Fornah disclosed that the successful implementation of the GRM calls for a properly articulated visibility strategy since people can best be mobilized to effectively participate in the initiative if they are well informed and knowledgeable about the rationale and the benefits of the project.
She said Public sensitization through the media is critical in this stage as it will raise public awareness about the SDF and its GRM amongst the beneficiaries/the public, and the project implementation stakeholders adding, that it is such reasons why the SDF Secretariat now intends to embark on a nationwide sensitization tour and the setting up the District Committees of the Skills Development Fund in all Regional and District headquarter towns, from the 5th October.
Each and every District Grievances’ Redress Mechanism Committee comprises seven people from inter-religious council, civil society and District and City councils.
The Skills Development Fund Secretariat will be organizing training on the function of the GRM Committees in each district before the disbursement of funds to those institutions and organization whose proposals were accepted.
