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Prosperity Agenda Needs U.S. Five Billion!

Posted on July 16, 2013 at 04:42:19 PM AEDT

President Ernest Bai Koroma on Friday launched the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper III – coined by his administration as the ‘Agenda for Prosperity’ (AfP)- at the Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown. The working document is expected to propel the development process of Sierra Leone for the next five years.

The document, according to the Chairman of the AfP working team, Alimamy Bangura, requires five billion United States dollars for its full implementation. Government, he said, has already generated three billion dollars to fast-track the process.

The document, subtitled “The Road To Middle Income Status”, is built on eight pillars, including diversified economic growth, effective management of natural resources, accelerating human development, international competitiveness, labour and employment, social protection, among others.

The AfP was designed for Sierra Leone to overcome challenges to its economic development from a relatively undiversified nature of the economy with high unemployment.

While launching the document, President Koroma said the AfP was developed on the strong aspirations of Sierra Leoneans who have been yearning for development and economic growth.

He said his government has constructed roads, created an enabling environment for foreign investment, established the free healthcare scheme for lactating mothers and children under the age of five years, and promoted women’s empowerment, among others. All these, he said, are key components of the AfP.

“We have provided double funds for education, enough resources for the Local Government Ministry more than any other government before, and we are still committed to do more under the Agenda for Prosperity,” said Mr. Koroma.”After Sierra Leone’s 50thindependence anniversary, I constituted a committee on development and transformation, charged with the responsibility to take stock of the progress we have made as an independent nation after the last 50 years and to chart the way forward for the next fifty years.”

The committee, President Koroma added, organized the ‘Sierra Leone Conference on Development and Transformation’, which came out with a number of outcomes, key among them is “the aspiration of Sierra Leone to become a middle income country by 2035”.

The AfP, Koroma continued, is building on the successes of the ‘Agenda for Change’ and will lay the foundation for achieving a sustainable future for all Sierra Leoneans.

“My government is committed to accelerating the eradication of hunger and malnutrition with a strengthened focus on women and children, from conception to two years of age,” he said.

Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. KaifalaMarah, said it is the responsibility of every Sierra Leonean to contribute to the implementation of the AfP.He said for the past one year, assiduous work had been undertaken to ensure the process was inclusive.

“The preparation of this document was very inclusive; we involved paramount chiefs, women, youths and disabled people,” reported Dr. Marah.”This report we are launching was championed and dedicated by President Koroma to ensure that our public reform processes are carried out well.”

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