The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh will on Friday 17th September deliver the keynote address and launch the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Budget preparation process at the Policy Hearings to be held at the Ministry of Finance, Treasury Building Main Conference Hall in Freetown.

The Policy Hearings provide an opportunity for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including Local Councils to discuss and review the updates on sectoral policies as contained in the Medium-term National Development Plan. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only ministers of Deputies and the Vote Controllers should attend(2 per Ministry).

The Bilateral Budget Discussions for all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will commenced on Monday 20th September to 8th October 2021 9:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.

These Discussions will enable stakeholders to discuss and agree on policies that will guide revenue generation and resource allocations to various MDAs.

The Ministry of Finance also in a public notice stated that all Vote Controllers are expected to follow all COVID-19 safety protocols during these discussions.

Furthermore, all MDAs are encouraged to submit 50 copies of their strategic plan and budget proposals to the Budget Bureau two (2) days before their scheduled date and all presentations should be done via PowerPoints.

Representatives of the Development Partners, Non-Governmental Organisations, District Budget Oversight Committees (DBOCs), and Governance/Accountability Civil Society Organisations/Non-State Actors are invited to participate via zoom as well as follow through on various local radio, television stations, and newspapers.

The Vice President is expected to lay the foundation for the policy direction for the financial 2022.