NGOs Face Fresh Government Review Over Funding, Implementation and Accountability
Sia Lucy Kannah The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), through its Directorate of NGO Affairs, has held its monthly Open Information Session to review the work, impact and contribution of NGOs operating in Sierra Leone.
The session, held at the Ministry’s Conference Room, brought together representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Members of Parliament, development partners, SLANGO and beneficiaries for direct engagement with five NGO partners — Imagine Worldwide, Sightsavers, Welbodi Partnership, Welthungerhilfe and SEND Sierra Leone.
The organisations presented on their mandates, programmes, achievements, funding, implementation challenges and priorities. The engagement was led by the Acting Development Secretary, Usman Cherry Conteh.
Delivering the keynote address, Acting Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, said the Open Information Session was important in ensuring that NGO operations and their contributions to national development remain visible, transparent and accountable.
He said the session provided an opportunity for Government, Parliament, development partners, the media and beneficiaries to hear directly about programmes being implemented across the country and their impact on communities. He encouraged participants to engage constructively with the presentations and stressed the need to strengthen coordination, transparency and alignment of development interventions with Sierra Leone’s national development priorities.
Hon. Abdul Latif Sesay, Chairman of the NGO, NACSA and Public Investment Committee, welcomed the engagement and highlighted the importance of parliamentary oversight, particularly in ensuring that Members of Parliament have firsthand knowledge of development projects and interventions in their communities.
Other MDA representatives raised practical issues concerning programme coordination, reporting, resource mobilisation, infrastructure, sustainability and alignment with Government priorities.
Discussions also examined challenges affecting programme implementation, including staffing constraints, infrastructure limitations, poor connectivity, equipment maintenance, theft of project assets, and the need for stronger domestic financing and improved coordination among development actors.
Beneficiaries also shared firsthand experiences of how NGO-supported programmes have affected their lives and communities.
In a statement delivered on behalf of the Directorate of NGO Affairs, the Deputy Director described the Open Information Session as part of Government’s commitment to openness, transparency and mutual accountability in the NGO sector. He noted that NGOs have worked alongside Government and communities for decades to address development challenges and support communities, adding that the sessions provide an opportunity to assess progress, identify challenges and strengthen collaboration.
He encouraged participating organisations to view the information presented as part of their accountability to both Government and the communities they serve.
The Acting Minister reaffirmed Government’s commitment to maintaining an open and constructive relationship with NGOs and other development actors, stressing that continued dialogue, accountability and coordination are essential to achieving meaningful and sustainable development outcomes.
The Open Information Session forms part of MoPED’s ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability and coordination while ensuring that NGO programmes remain aligned with Sierra Leone’s national development priorities.