The Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams has on the 17th October, 2023 launched the Operational Handbook for the District Development Coordination Committee (DDCC) in kenema city.

The operational handbook also got the outlines and different working instructions as well which incorporated the initiation of the DDCC National Secretariat under MoPED, with a focus on facilitating regional orientation, peer review, experience sharing, and DDCC implementation in Sierra Leone’s East and South regions.

The event gathered different related officials including the Chairpersons, Local Council Mayors, Paramount Chiefs, Council Councillors, Development Partners, and representatives from various institutions, congregated to reinforce the operational capacities of the three DDCC District Secretariats in the Eastern region – Kenema, Kono, and Kailahun respectively.

The Project Coordinator of the World Bank’s Accountable Governance for Basic Service Delivery, Adams Tommy, emphasized the need for innovative financing mechanisms to ensure the DDCC’s sustainability post-2028. He urged heightened collaboration between sectors and councils, emphasizing the significance of the platform in driving district-level development.

The deputy minister emphasized the role of the platform in the upcoming national development plan underscoring the need for alignment with the “Big Five Strategic Game Changers” and stressed the importance of self-sustainability and institutionalization within the DDCC, adding that, the World Bank’s Accountable Governance for Basic Service Delivery role, urges DDCC self-sustainability, praises UNICEF for initial support.

He maintained self-sufficiency for DDCCs, urging innovative integration into council operations and budgets. He said each DDCC should draft a sustainability plan for continued operation after external support.