Government Unveils Groundbreaking Plan to Put Sierra Leone's 190 Chiefdoms at the Centre of National Development

Port Loko District, Sierra Leone – In a major step towards deepening decentralisation and empowering local communities, the Government of Sierra Leone has launched a pilot initiative that will allow chiefdoms to design their own long-term development plans for the first time.

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), working with the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs (MLGCA) and the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources (MMMR), has begun preparing Chiefdom Development Plans (2026–2035) in Maforki and Marampa Chiefdoms. The pilot is expected to serve as the blueprint for similar plans across all 190 chiefdoms nationwide.

The two-day exercise, held from 8–9 July 2026, started with the training of local facilitators and data collectors before expanding into community consultations involving Paramount Chiefs, traditional authorities, local councils, government institutions, civil society organisations, women, youth representatives, the private sector and other key stakeholders.

Launching the consultations in Maforki Chiefdom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Barlay, described the initiative as a transformative shift in Sierra Leone's approach to development planning.

She said that while the country has developed national and district development plans over the years, chiefdom-level planning has remained a missing link. The new initiative, she explained, gives communities the opportunity to identify their own priorities, develop bankable projects and make better use of local resources.

Minister Barlay said Maforki and Marampa were selected because both chiefdoms benefit from the Chiefdom Development Fund established under the Mines and Minerals Development Act, 2023. She noted that structured planning would help ensure these funds are invested strategically, transparently and in projects that deliver lasting economic and social benefits.

Deputy Minister Rev. Dr. Jonathan Titus-Williams, who led consultations in Marampa Chiefdom, urged residents to actively participate in the planning process, stressing that sustainable development is only possible when communities take ownership of their own priorities.

Local leaders welcomed the initiative, describing it as a significant opportunity to place decision-making directly in the hands of communities.

Representing the Paramount Chief of Marampa Chiefdom, Alhaji Alim Swarray said the process would allow every section of the chiefdom to determine its development priorities and strengthen local ownership of projects.

The Paramount Chief of Maforki Chiefdom also commended the Government for adopting a bottom-up planning model, noting that strategic planning is essential to maximise the impact of available development resources.

Director of Local Government and Community Affairs, Mr. Combey, said the exercise demonstrates the Government's commitment to participatory governance by ensuring communities help shape the decisions that affect their future.

The initiative aligns with Sierra Leone's Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063. Information gathered during the consultations will be used to produce draft Chiefdom Development Plans before implementation.

If the pilot proves successful, the model will be rolled out across all 190 chiefdoms, bringing development planning closer to the people than ever before

Source: MoPED