The ministry of Internal Affairs Local Government and Rural Development (MIALGRD), in collaboration with the Justice Sector Development Programme (JSDP) in Sierra Leone, has commenced training at the Hotel 5:10, Off Bai Bureh Road, Kissy.
The training started Wednesday and will end on Friday. The objective of the training is to build the capacity of the ministry’s staff in planning processes.
Government launched the Justice Sector Reform Strategy and Investment Plan (JSRSlP) 2008 to 2010 in February 2008. In it, government commits itself to restoring the rule of law, preventing further conflict, improving safety and security. Providing access to affordable and equitable justice for people, particularly the poor, vulnerable and marginalized groups, is now a priority.
The JSRSIP envisages several activities to improve justice service delivery. These included the development of institutional strategic plans for MIALGRD & MSWGCA that are harmonized with the JSRSIP and to build capacity in Justice Sector Institutions.
Before the merger of the elements of Internal Affairs and Local Government/community development under one ministry (MIALGRD) in 2007, the entities had separate priorities. In March, the minister of Internal Affairs, Local Government and Rural Development signed a Management Contract with the President of Sierra Leone, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma. Within this contract the minister has undertaken to ensure the application of modern management practices in the ministry. There is now the need to significantly strengthen the ministry’s capacity to fulfill its obligations under the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy and the JSRSIP and fulfill the terms of the Management Contract. To this end, staff needed to be aware of planning processes and be equipped with adequate planning skills in order that they can contribute effectively to the strategic, business and operational planning, hence the ongoing training. Participants are mainly senior officials from the different units within the recently-merged MIALGRD, some with direct involvement in the ministry’s overall planning and development. These include assistant Chief Immigration Officer, Chief Fire Officer of the National Fire Force, the Chief Registrar of the National Registration Secretariat, the Director of Corporate Services, Sierra Leone Police and the deputy Superintendent of Prisons. Ms. Sarah Lewis, the Coordinator of the Justice Sector Coordination Office, within the ministry of Justice, which drives forward the day to day implementation of the JSRSIP, is also present in the workshop. Topics during the workshop include a session on the Ministry’s Management Contract with President Bai Koroma, presented by Mr. A.R. Turay, Coordinator Strategy and Policy Unit, Office of the President; in order for participants to understand how the Ministry’s work relates to the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and other national development planning mechanisms. Mr. Tassima Jah, Director, Budget Bureau, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, will lead the session on Planning in the Government Budget Cycle. Part of the workshop time would be dedicated to delving into the role and function of the Ministry and that of subordinate units.
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