By: Tommy Sidikie, Reporter
The Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA), Amara Kallon, has reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to revitalizing the public service sector in Sierra Leone. This declaration was made during a comprehensive presentation in Parliament on November 8, 2024, where the Minister highlighted the positive strides MoPAPA has taken towards this goal.
Minister Kallon’s address followed President Bio’s remarks during the State Opening of the Second Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone. He noted that MoPAPA was established to oversee and coordinate the revitalization of the public service architecture, emphasizing the ministry’s crucial role in the developmental aspirations of the government and the people. The objective is to streamline and professionalize public service to enhance service delivery, promote accountability, and foster a workforce dedicated to the values of integrity and transparency.
Kallon outlined MoPAPA’s vision for an efficient, inclusive, and accountable public service, asserting the ministry’s commitment to providing political and strategic leadership in this endeavor. Since its inception in 2023, MoPAPA has engaged in three distinct phases aimed at revamping the public service, including the development of a strategic master plan and resource mobilization.
As part of these efforts, the ministry has conducted multi-stakeholder dialogues to assess the public service needs and held symposiums with universities nationwide to gather further insights. Kallon announced that MoPAPA, in collaboration with its partners, has completed the development and validation of the strategic master plan and is now awaiting President Bio’s approval for its launch.
The Minister highlighted eight key pillars of the master plan, which include structural alignments and rationalization of mandates, human resource management and manpower planning, e-governance, and pay and incentives. He also indicated that MoPAPA is committed to reviewing the civil service codes, rules, and regulations established in 2011, with hopes for cabinet approval in the near future.
Kallon recalled that an Executive Clearance was issued in 2014 for the development of the Public Service Policy and Act, which was not realized. However, he noted that MoPAPA has taken the lead in revisiting this document, which will soon be tabled in Cabinet for approval. He expressed optimism that by 2025, the first Public Service Bill would be presented to Parliament, paving the way for a new Public Service Act aimed at regulating the public service architecture in Sierra Leone.
