Partnership strategies across ministries, departments and agencies are a feature of the President’s Recovery Priorities process, which is enhancing service quality and delivery by accelerating progress across several sectors simultaneously.
For example, as part of an inter-ministerial effort to increase the competitiveness of 1,000 SMEs, the Ministry of Trade & Industry is working with the Ministry of Agriculture to add value and find new markets for Sierra Leone’s farm products. Increasing the quantity of locally sourced rice in institutional feeding is one of the strategies. This promotes the development of local agriculture and related industries, boosting incomes, particularly in the districts. Additionally, it reduces the country’s expenditure on imported rice.
Improving WASH in 360 schools across the country will support Sierra Leone’s drive to improve learning outcomes by providing hygiene and toilet facilities that are fit for purpose. A joint recovery effort from the Ministries of Water Resources and Education with support from UK Aid and UNICEF, will bring about sustainable access to basic sanitation that has the potential to save thousands of lives.
The Ministries of Education and Agriculture are both essential to the new national school feeding programme which commenced in December. This gives primary school children in government and government assisted schools a cooked meal twice a week. Its decentralised design will be responsive to local dietary preferences, and foster community involvement. Its emphasis on local procurement will provide additional markets for Sierra Leone’s farmers thus promoting increased agricultural production.
In the area of social protection the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, and the Ministry of Health are working together to ensure continuous care for EVD affected persons and survivors. There are over 4,000 EVD affected people across the nation and the compilation of a comprehensive and sustainable database of verified EVD survivors will support their access to the free healthcare services provided by the Ministry of Health, and the psychosocial support and livelihood skills training provided by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs.
Efforts by the Ministry of Energy to promote solar energy in rural health facilities supports the health sector’s drive to reduce mortality rates of pregnant women and children under five. The installation of solar fridges and freezers in hard to reach health units across the country is improving cold chain management and helping realise the full benefit of immunisation. More of these will be installed as the work of recovery continues.
The Energy Revolution – a campaign to give 250,000 households the opportunity to benefit from affordable solar household systems – is picking up pace. This will support the Ministry of Energy’s target to double access to electricity. Work being done with the Freetown Port to improve efficiency and effectiveness directly contributes to the Energy Revolution’s roll out by making it easier and faster to clear goods.
The Pay No Bribe campaign is helping develop a culture of public service delivery with integrity by allowing citizens to report instances of bribery across priority sectors.
According to President’s Delivery Team Lead, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr the President’s Recovery Priorities “The strategic collaboration between the MDAs leading the President’s Recovery Priorities is essential for success and we have found that the advantages of information exchange and joint problem solving, as well as integrated planning and Increased access to a wider range of skills, knowledge and specialisms deliver better public services.”
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