Communications Unit-MCC
September 30, 2025
To promote transparency and accountability in development, the Makeni City Council, in collaboration with its devolved sectors, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance, Yesterday convened the 2026 Bilateral Budget Discussion for the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) at the D’Light Center in Makeni.
The session, which forms part of the annual budget planning process, was formally opened by the Chief Administrator of Makeni City Council, who called the meeting to order.
In his welcome address, the Mayor of Makeni extended heartfelt gratitude to God for another year of fruitful engagement and thanked all participants for their commitment to improving service delivery. He expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Finance delegation for making the effort to hear directly from the people of Makeni, and he urged sector representatives to clearly present projects which they implemented and also strong proposals in areas that require improvement for the benefit of the municipality.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Abdulai M Jalloh underscored the importance of the bilateral budget discussions, encouraging participants to carefully articulate their priorities. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to listening and working with councils and devolved sectors to strengthen development outcomes in Makeni and beyond.
Throughout the day, various devolved sectors, MDAs, and the Council itself presented their five key deliverables and priorities for the 2026 fiscal year. These presentations were critically reviewed by representatives of the Budget Oversight Committee, civil society organizations, and non-state actors. While some critiques were raised, consensus was ultimately reached on key budgetary allocations, underscoring a spirit of collaboration for the common good.
The Chief Administrator, who chaired the event, facilitated an open session for questions and clarifications. Following extensive discussions, the proposed budgets were approved. In a final move to validate the approval process, civil society activist Mr. Banato formally moved the motion for adoption, which was seconded by Mr. Sulaiman Sixties, bringing the deliberations to a successful close.
@Potential Kpus, Information, Education and Communications officer-MCC
