District representatives invited to Freetown to give input on second phase of the President's Re

Following February’s community engagement regional tour to give feedback on the Early Recovery phase of the President’s Recovery Priorities and consult on plans for the second phase, the President’s Chief of Staff has invited District Council Chairmen to Freetown this week to help conclude the planning process. Engaging the input of traditional leaders will also be part of the planning process. After the negative economic impact of the Ebola epidemic and the commodities crash, the President’s Recovery Priorities were initiated by the Government of Sierra Leone to help Sierra Leone’s economy regain the momentum to achieve the Agenda for Prosperity’s vision of middle-income status by 2035. They represent a multi-stakeholder collaboration of initiatives across seven priority sectors – education, energy, governance, health, private sector development, social protection and water and build on the successes of the Early Recovery Plan that concluded on 31st March 2016. The President’s Chief of Staff, Mr. Saidu Conton-Sesay, is responsible for ensuring delivery of the President’s Recovery Priorities. He says: “We are thankful for the leading role played by district, traditional and community leaders and representatives in the planning and delivery of the President’s Recovery Priorities, especially in ensuring accountability by gathering data and addressing issues with service. Community stakeholders have been instrumental in shaping and driving the recovery process and their ongoing support as we move into the second phase of the President’s Recovery Strategy is vital to its success.” February’s community engagement regional tour captured the opinions and experiences of over 300 local leaders on the recently concluded Early Recovery phase, and solicited their input for the next phase - the President’s Recovery Priorities. District Council Chairmen, Paramount Chiefs and other traditional and district leaders attended a series of countrywide meetings held in all four regions.