Sierra Leone Economist Prince Jacob Macauley’s Next Integrity Scorecard for Ministers to be out Soon

Prince Jacob Macauley of Trust Alliance SL Ltd

By Amin Kef Sesay

It will be recalled that recently Consultant Economist, Prince Jacob Macauley of Trust Alliance SL Ltd, whom it is said has worked for the IMF and World Bank released his first ministerial scorecard which highlights the performances of Ministries since the SLPP Government came to power.

During a Press Conference on Monday 7th October 2019, Macauley informed newsmen that the SLPP Government of Julius Maada Bio inherited a beleaguered economy devoid of fiscal discipline. He added that the Government, however, is striving assiduously to reverse the abysmal situation furthering how the President and his cabinet, as a consequence, have made impressive strides in setting the country on a new trajectory for which they must be highly commended. He said at that time: “In support of the President’s “New Direction”, some ministers have made tremendous stride as they have hit the ground running and haven’t let up. Others have put in every effort but have been hampered by several institutional and capacity challenges.”

According to him, as it is a little over one year since the Government took over power, he did an assessment of the performance of Ministries taking into consideration both their performances in terms of their institutional mandate as well as the perception of the public on the delivery. Macauley gave the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture highest passing grades both scoring 80% for effective service deliveries.

In the wake of the Ministerial Scorecard some have vehemently criticized it and even went to the extent of questioning the methodology he used to arrive at the scores.

During another engagement, Jacob Macauley in an exclusive interview  intimated that the next report of the Ministerial score card, based on the integrity of our present Ministers, will soon be out.

“This integrity index will be based on some of the indicators utilized by Transparency International in the compilation of its Corruption Perception Index. These include the level or absence of bribery, extortion, fraud, graft, misappropriation, embezzlement, mismanagement, abuse of office and division of funds etc,” he confided.

He said Ministers will be assessed on two fronts. Firstly, as to whether they themselves are involved in corrupt practices or whether they condone acts of corruption as a result of their inability or unwillingness to curb corruption levels in their respective ministries.

Based on what Prince Jacob Macauley intimated, given the different levels of involvement in fund management, revenue generation and service delivery of the various ministries, a weighted average will be ascribed to the integrity scoring which will be correlated with the performance grading to produce the overall rating for the performance score card.

He said members of the public are invited to provide relevant information pertaining to this analysis for the betterment of every Sierra Leonean.

No Ministry/Minister Performance

Score

Key Achievements/ Assessment Criteria Integrity

Score

(weighted)

Key Assessment Parameters Overall Score
1. Minister of Finance-Mr.JacobJusuSaffa  

80

§  Establishment of a single treasury account minimized leakages in the financial system

§  On track in restoring fiscal discipline.

§  Facilitated the payment of  workers without using bank overdraft

§  Facilitated the payment of over $1.2 billion domestic debt

§  Increased public workers’ salaries by15%.

§  integrates workers of Tertiary Educational Institutions into the Centralized Computerized Government Payroll System

§  IMF Rates Sierra Leone Economic Performance under the New Direction Highly

§  Scaling Up Project Financing Arrangements with the World Bank

§  Signing  Budget support Grants with World Bank

§  Improving Expenditure  Management and Control

§  Fiscal Risk Management And Fiduciary Oversight

§  Improve Public Debt management and Improving the Budget Preparation, Execution and Payment System

§  Improving the Implementation and coordination of Donor Funded Projects

2 Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs-Mrs. Memunatu B. Pratt  

55

§  Raising the prominence of the tourism sector;

§  Innovatively reaching out to new stakeholders

§  Initiating tourism and agricultural trade fairs

§  Raising awereness of the country tourism sector

§  Rebranding the country

§  Sourcing Funds for the promotion of the music and film industry.

3 Minister of AgricultureMr. Joseph Ndanema  

80

§  Ensuring the re-establishment of agricultural systems

§  Revamping sustainable agricultural programmes

§  Rice Self- Sufficiency

§  Increased Livelihoods of households

§  Dviersification of the economy in the four key value chain

§  Developed the National Agricultural Transformation programme NAT 2023

§  Planting For Sustainability

§  Transforming theGovernance of Sector

§  Agro-Development Zone In Torma Bum And Gbondapi

§  Presential Task Force on Agriculture

§  The improvement of Seeds in A cash Crops

§  The establishment of the veterinary Epidemio-Surveillance system

§  Guidelines for political farming

§  Agricultural Market Information System

§  Cocoa,coffee,Cashew policy

§  Climate-smart agricultural practices enhanced through increased tree cover

§  The rehabilitation of the Central Veternary Laboratory at Teko-Makeni

4 Minister of Health and SanitationDr. Alpha Wurie  

55

§  Review of Public Health ordinance of 1960

§  Revived he ambulance services nationwide

§  Improved on the drug cold-chain through the supply of refrigerators to PHUs

§  Free health care expanded to Ebola survivors and Persons Living with Disability

§  The National Acion Plan For Health Security

5 Minister of Justice and Attorney- General-Dr. Priscilla Schwartz  

60

§  Actualising the Commission of Enquiry

§  Putting in place plans to establish the ACC Court

§  Recruitment of magistrates and judges in all districts

§  Fast-tracking court cases

§  The approved a repeal of the 54-year-old criminal & seditious libel law

6 Minister of Primary and Secondary Education-Mr. Alpha Timbo  

 

60

§  Launched the Free Education Programme

§  Oversaw the Supply of 26 million textbooks and other school materials to school pupils

§  Approved over 100 schools countrywide and absorbed alarge number of teachers into the payroll

§  Additional teachers nation wide to schools around the country

§  Improvement in services condition for all teachers

§  Proper monitoring system in the distribution of school materials

.
7 Minister of Water ResourcesDr. Jonathan Tengbeh  

75

§  Orugu and Congo water supply project feasibility study in progress and will be completed in December 2019.

§  45 industrial boreholes project commissioned for Kono, Moyamba, segbwema and Daru commissioned.

§  200 boreholes projects across the country is 80 percent complete.

§  Cabinet has concluded on GUMA Act 2017 with it removal from NCP to MWR.

§  The National Water Resources management Agency set up and appointed 3 Directors .

§  Freetown Dry season water supply project 2019 was a success with no major water scarcity.

§  Funding had been sourced for water supply of house and social amenity connections in Bo, Kenema and Makeni.

§  MWR in collaboration with EWRC has developed 8 water related regulations completed .Programme had been prepared for rehabilitation of the Kailahun, Moyamba, kabala, Pujehun, magbura and kambia water supply system.

8 Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation-Ms. Nabila Tunis 60 §  Building relationships with new countries and strengthening existing diplomatic ties

§  The diplomatic community emphasising the importance of open dialogue and reciprocal partnership.

§  promoting UK-SL trade & highlighting the wealth of investment opportunities in SierraLeone InvestSalone

§   SierraLeone with Turkey strengthen relations Sierra Leone projects in construction and agriculture.

9 Minister of Planning and Economic Development-Dr Francis Kaikai.  

55

§  Spearheaded the development of the national development plan

§  The setting up of the National Monitoring and Evaluation Agency (NaMEA)

10 Minister of Information and Communication-Mr. Mohamed Swarray  

 

60

§  Worked toward improving the information policy

§  Improved national fibre optic capability

§  Regulation of all mobile operator

§  Weekly ministerial briefing for the public

§  Established of the strategy unit

§  Provision of reliable and timely public information

§  consolidation of the national fibre optic backbone infrastructure

§  Already Engaged the Exim Bank of China for a Concessionary Loan of USD 30m to complete the National Fibre Backbone Infrastructure and to address gaps and weaknesses in the existing network. The Bank recently sent a delegation to Sierra Leone to engage government for credit effectiveness

11 Minister of Energy and Power-AlhajiKanja Ibrahim Sesay  

55

§  Improved electricity supply in the Freetown  and the regional headquarter towns

§  Commissioned a number of solar electrification projects

Setting up a streering committee in the energy sector.

12 Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs-Ms. BainduDansama  

50

§   Initiated the Anti-Rape Bill

§  Organised a successful and controversy-free Hajj Pilgrimage

§  Proposed Anti-stigmatization Bill

§  UN Resolution 1325/1820 capacity assessment

13 Minister of SportsMr.IbrahimNyelenkeh  

55

§  Reestablish the national league and first and second division football

§  Creating youth employment

§  Ameding the relationship and bridging the gap between the ministry and  SLFA

§  Appointment of the national team coaches

14 Minister of Transportation and AviationMr. Kabineh Kallon  

55

§  Improvements in  the aviation sector

§  Ferry rehabilitation

§  Improving vehicles registration, driving licenses and road safety

§  Provision of the new schools buses

§  Improvement of high government vichles mentainance

§  Monitoring and transparency in liciense processes and vichle registration.

§  Improvement in service delivery at the international airport

15 Minister of Internal AffairsMr Edward Soloku  

55

§  Boosted national security

§  Combating ganstarism and all clik in the country

§  The facilitation of visa free and the promotion of Economic growth

§  Strengthen peace and national cohesion post Bintumani 111 Conference

16 Minister of LabourMr. Adekunle King  

55

§  Repatriation of job seekers  from foreign countries

§  National Labour Migration Policy

§  Putting in place systems to enforce labour regulations

§  Nationwide visit to all mining workers for better working conditions.

§  Championing the right of all domestics workers

§  Paid led to the restoration of S.Lvoting rights in the ILO after 32 years and S.L was recognised in Geneva and ILO

§  A total of 600 factories have been registered

§  In 2018 despite the challenges of the economy the Ministry generated le 5 394 027 999.0 work permit

§  Fees for work permit reviewed for 2019 fiscal year 25 % increase

§  Minimum pension increased from 10,000 to le 250,000

§  Construction of ramps at the office for physically challenged

§  The aforementioned strike actions resolved by the building

17 Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructural Development-Mr. Peter BayukuConteh  

60

§  Supervising the commissioning and construction of new roads and bridges:

§  Regularising the allocation of government buildings and assets

§  Commissioning the new Lumley and Juba bridge

§  Championing and monitoring the EU road

§  project and also all uncompleted road contruction

§  signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)  with CSE construction company on the completion of the Lumley – Tokeh Road Project.

18 Minister of Marine Resources and Fisheries-Mrs Emma Kowa  

50

§  reinforcing  the regulation on offshore fisheries

§  fisheries best practice and implications for sierra leone

§  institutional support for fisheries management

§  Enhance the capacity of ministry staff and stakeholders to promote sound fisheries management development

§  Support the development of aquaculture and inland fisheries

19 Minister of Political and Public Affairs-Amb. FodayYumkella  

40

§  Mediating between all political parties

§  The promotion of national cohesion, peace

§  The collaboration with the Office of the Diaspora Affairs.

20 Minister of Local Government and Rural DevelopmentMr. Tamba Lamina  

45

§  Supervised chieftaincy and by-elections

§  Supervising national cleaning exercise

§  Coordination within the local council in all district and cities

§  Good collaboration with all 149 chiefdoms

§  Establish the Wages and Compensation Commission (WCC)

21 Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Education-Mr. AiahKpakima  

45

§  Free online university application

§  Application Commissioning of universities in the Bonthe and Kono Districts.

§  Payment of universities’ salaries

§  Identify gaps and set up the 2019 road map in line with the new direction agenda.

22 Minister of Lands and Country Planning-

Dr Dennis M. Sandy

 

65

§  Working on the recovery of government lands

§  Working on  correcting lands documentation

§  National Resettlement Policy Developed ready for cabinet approval

§  Njala Land Dispute resolved

§  Ministry’s contribution to national revenue increased Revenue – 4.4 Billion Leones

§  Equitable access to land, particularly gender sensitive

§  Sanity in the administration and management in the Ministry – Lease, Freehold and survey work going on in a sanitized manner

§  Development Control and Planning improved due to the relocation of the Housing Division back to the Ministry

§  Transfer of Building Inspectors from their New England Ville Office to the Ministry

23 Minister of Trade and IndustryDr .Eaward Hinga Sandy 50 §  Promote Local Content Policy

§  Improved quality of goods by through the enforcement of standards

§  Setting up of Directorate to look at Policy Planning & Research, Foreign Trade and Domestic Commerce & Industry

Good management system to enhance proper trade within the country

24 Ministry of Youth and Employment-MrMohamed O. Bangura  

45

 

 

§  Launching of car washes  to promote youth employment

§  Engaging on youth seminer and employment opportunity

§  Youth summit within the country

25 Minister of Minerals Resources- Mr. RadoYokie 60 §  Review of mining act

§  Strong mentioned to help government in revenue collection.

§  Review of all mining companies liscene and contract

§  New feasibilities studies on going.

 

 

 

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