The German Technical Cooperation/Food Security and Reconciliation (GTZ/FSR) is carrying out training session for Ward Committee members on project implementation in Koidu town for Kono district and Kailahun town for Kailahun district.
Speaking to participants the programme officer, Rex Kenneh, said the workshop was part of the preparations to help the Ward Committee members to implement their own development programmes in their communities.
He stated that, “the new development approach is to allow community people to initiate their own development programmes so as to get meaningful outputs at all times”.
The director of the Local Government and Community Development who doubles as the chairman Steering Committee for GTZ/FSR, Mr A. J. P. Lebbie, stressed that, “the government is engaged in working on the reform and decentralization programme that involves the local communities in development work.”
He acknowledged the importance of the Ward Development Committee (WDC) with regards to development to their wards, so that they could effectively carry out development activities in their communities.
Mr Lebbie informed that in doing so “it is necessary to involve all the community members particularly the various population groups”.
He told them that planning for their own community development was very crucial, and that they should take it as the first milestone in the chain of their developing their communities.
The director fully supported the work done by GTZ/FSR and expressed government’s thanks and appreciations to the organization for undertaking such activities with the people themselves.
He advised participants to work hard and come up with realistic Ward Development Committees, “which are to serve as the bases for the development of the district council development plan”.
Twenty-three participants were in attendance in Kono and 39 in Kailahun which included councillors, chairmen, secretaries of WDCs and three participants from their sister project in Guinea.
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