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The Development Secretary at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Ambrose James, has emphasized the importance of proper financial management as part of the 2025 UNICEF–MoPED Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfer (HACT) training for national and sub-national implementing partners.
Speaking at the event at Brookfields Hotel, Mr. James highlighted that in a context where fiscal space is constrained and overseas development assistance is shrinking, efficient, transparent, and accountable management of resources is crucial.
Addressing participants including government officials, UNICEF representatives, development partners, CSOs, NGOs, media, and private sector actors, Mr. James described HACT as more than a financial management tool. He noted that it is a confidence-building mechanism between government, development partners, and implementing institutions. “HACT ensures that cash transfers to partners are well-utilized, achieve their intended purposes, and avoid leakages or inefficiencies,” he said. He reminded participants that the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP 2024–2030) prioritizes using every resource prudently, aligning them with national priorities, and directing them to areas that will impact the lives of citizens, especially vulnerable groups including children, women, and persons with disabilities.
Mr. James highlighted that over the years, HACT has guided development partners, including UNICEF, in supporting critical sectors such as health, education, child protection, nutrition, and WASH, ensuring alignment with district development plans and national strategies. While the framework provides efficiency and accountability, he acknowledged challenges in applying it effectively, including weak institutional capacity in some MDAs, local councils, and CSOs, inadequate skills in financial reporting, monitoring, and auditing, coordination gaps between government and partners, and limited community awareness on accountability requirements. He encouraged participants to use the training to strengthen their capacities, promote transparency, and apply lessons learned to ensure resources achieve maximum impact.
Following Mr. James, UNICEF Deputy Representative Liv Elin Indreiten addressed participants, noting the critical role of finance and administrative staff in ensuring accountability and results. “Like many of you, I work behind the scenes reviewing finances, guiding colleagues, and ensuring reporting is accurate. That is why HACT is so important—it is about how we manage resources and what is expected of us,” she said. Ms. Indreiten also emphasized that the country programme (2025–2030) is aligned with the MTNDP and the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, stressing that donors and taxpayers expect clear reporting and visible results. She reminded participants that every document, including fund liquidations, must be properly recorded and traceable to maintain transparency and trust.
Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Augustine Foday Ngobie, highlighted the ACC’s mandate to ensure that resources provided by government and development partners are used strictly for the benefit of intended beneficiaries. He outlined the commission’s strategies, including public education, systems and processes review, and enforcement, and warned against superficial reporting and mismanagement that undermines donor confidence. “The ACC is not here only to investigate or prosecute but also to prevent corruption. This training equips both you and us to ensure transparency and accountability in cash transfer and other interventions,” he said.
Alice N. James, National SLANGO Coordinator, welcomed participants on behalf of the Board of Directors and membership, stressing the privilege of being selected as UNICEF implementing partners. She encouraged members to be honest about their capacities, observe proper procedures, and value the trust placed in them. “Over the next two days, I encourage everyone to be attentive, ask critical questions, and avail themselves to learning. Even if you think you already know, there is always something new to take away from every training,” she said.
Finally, Eric Massallay, National NGO Affairs Director, as Chairman of the occasion, underscored the importance of partnership in translating plans into results. He noted that government alone cannot achieve all development targets and that collaboration with partners is essential for sustainability. He reminded participants that transparency and accountability are central to building trust and delivering results on the ground, calling on all attendees to move from “delivery to empowerment” in their work.
The training, which brought together over 600 participants from government, CSOs, NGOs, and development partners, aims to enhance financial management, strengthen accountability, and build institutional capacity to ensure that resources reach the intended beneficiaries, particularly children, women, and vulnerable communities across Sierra Leone.
