Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi, has disclosed that the Government has approved US$21 million to support 15,000 extreme-poor households in the country.

This disclosure followed the extreme hardship in the country after an increase was made in fuel pump prices which directly affects the prices of goods and services causing an additional burden to households.

According to the Deputy Information Minister, the US$21 million will be made available to cover Cash Transfers and Economic Inclusion Support to the extreme-poor households throughout the country.

In addition to that, it is stated that the Government Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment Project funded by the World Bank has also commenced operations.

According to the Budget , six million dollars (US$6 million) will be provided to promote Productive Labour Intensive Public Works and Life Skills Support for 13,000 youths in rural and urban communities.

This Project is to further deliver grants and training on life skills in entrepreneurship and information technology at the estimated cost of US$6 million to 8,000 youths in urban areas, including women and persons with disabilities as part of the Employment and Entrepreneurship Support for Youth.

It is also stated that the World Bank has provided US$50 million under its Crisis Response Window to support short to medium-term interventions to cushion the impact of the food crises on the people.

“This is being implemented as part of the Regional Food Systems Resilience Project to support various interventions to ensure food security.” It says.

Previously in 2020 to 2022, the Government through the help of the World Bank and European Union, provided Emergency cash transfers to the poor and vulnerable people of the West African nation.

Over 46,000 Sierra Leoneans was said to have benefited from the Emergency Cash Transfer, with 10,000 persons with disability suppited during the period.