Ministry of Finance Trains MDAs’ Staff on Public Debt Management
Osman Tolo Sesay The Ministry of Finance has concluded a three-day capacity-building workshop for economists, budget officers, and accountants from key government institutions aimed at strengthening public debt management practices across Sierra Leone.
The training, which ran from July 1 to July 3 at the Family Kingdom Conference Hall in Aberdeen, brought together officials from the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, and Defence, alongside staff from the Ministry of Finance.
The initiative forms part of the Enhancing Efficiency in Public Debt Management Institutional Support Project (EEPDMISP), funded by the African Development Bank.
Participants were taken through comprehensive sessions covering public debt fundamentals, stakeholder roles in debt management, Sierra Leone’s debt dynamics, borrowing risks, legal frameworks, and the broader economic and social implications of public indebtedness. The workshop also addressed critical issues of debt transparency and accountability in government borrowing practices.
Charles Conteh, Deputy Director of the Public Debt Management Division, underscored the importance of equipping government officials with robust knowledge to navigate the complexities of public debt. He noted that the training would enhance the participants’ capacity to identify risks associated with poor debt management and borrowing, which are essential for informed fiscal policy design and analysis.Mr. Conteh expressed gratitude to the African Development Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone for the grant that made the training possible. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to expanding such initiatives, revealing plans to extend similar training to Local Council staff, who play an instrumental role in managing government-funded projects at the sub-national level.
The Ministry of Finance reiterated its dcommitmentto fpromotinga culture of fiscal discipline and prudent debt management as part of broader efforts to safeguard the nation’s economic stability and long-term development gobjectives