2014年-世界发展银行全球_Decentralization_Accountability_and_Local_Services_in_Sierra_Leone___Situation_Analysis_Key_Challenges_and_Opportunities_for_Reform_59页_1mb

Summary of "Decentralization, Accountability and Local Services in Sierra Leone: Situation Analysis, Key Challenges and Opportunities for Reform"

Introduction

Sierra Leone has pursued a decentralization policy since the end of its civil war in 2002, aiming to improve the equitable and inclusive delivery of public services. The policy has been driven by the need to address regional inequities that contributed to the conflict. Despite progress, the country faces significant challenges in implementing and sustaining this reform. This report provides an analysis of the current situation, key challenges, and opportunities for reform in fiscal decentralization, human resource decentralization, local governance, and service delivery.

Key Challenges and Opportunities

1. Fiscal Decentralization

• Situation Analysis: Local Councils (LCs) currently manage only 6.9% of public expenditures, primarily for core administration and operation/maintenance of local services. Most sectoral spending, including education and health, is still controlled by central ministries.
• Key Challenges:
  • Designing and implementing a second-generation grants system based on client-based expenditure norms.
  • Strengthening local own-source revenue systems, including clarifying the revenue relationship between LCs and traditional Chiefdom Authorities.
• Opportunities for Reform:
  • Developing a transparent and equitable intergovernmental fiscal transfer system.
  • Establishing a clear timeline for the full devolution of financial responsibilities to LCs.
  • Enhancing accountability by linking local revenues to service delivery and citizen engagement.

2. Human Resource Decentralization

• Situation Analysis: Human resource management remains largely centralized, with sectoral staff at the local level still employed and funded by central ministries. This has limited the capacity of LCs to manage their own human resources.
• Key Challenges:
  • Limited devolution of human resource management responsibilities to LCs.
  • Technical hurdles in managing local staff and front-line service providers.
• Opportunities for Reform:
  • Transferring wage allocations for local staff from line ministries to a separate budget vote.
  • Strengthening the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) as an oversight body.
  • Capacitating LC elected officials and staff to take a more active role in managing human resources.

3. Local Governance and Administration

• Situation Analysis: Local Councils have limited authority and discretion in managing their affairs, which hampers their effectiveness. There is a lack of transparency and accountability in decision-making.
• Key Challenges:
  • Strengthening the capacity of local officials to manage governance systems.
  • Developing stronger ties between legislative and executive branches of LCs.
  • Ensuring citizen engagement and demand for responsive governance.
• Opportunities for Reform:
  • Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of LCs, Ward Development Committees, and traditional authorities.
  • Enhancing communication channels between citizens and decision-makers.
  • Encouraging citizen groups and civil society to hold local officials accountable.

4. Effective Local Services

• Situation Analysis: Effective service delivery remains a challenge, with central ministries still playing a dominant role in funding and managing local services.
• Key Challenges:
  • Weak local financial management systems.
  • Lack of local capacity to manage and evaluate service delivery outcomes.
• Opportunities for Reform:
  • Implementing stronger systems for collecting and analyzing frontline service delivery data.
  • Holding sector department heads accountable for outcomes within their departments.
  • Encouraging LC assemblies to use service delivery information for oversight and accountability.

Conclusions and Next Steps

• Progress Made: Sierra Leone has made significant strides in decentralization, with 56 out of 80 scheduled functions devolved to LCs by 2008.
• Remaining Gaps: The devolution of financial resources and human resource management remains incomplete. Central ministries continue to control most local service delivery functions.
• Recommendations:
  • Develop a clear timeline and roadmap for the full devolution of functions and resources.
  • Strengthen the role of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and Local Government Finance Department (LGFD) in promoting local service delivery.
  • Encourage donors and international stakeholders to support decentralization efforts.
  • Integrate decentralization into Sierra Leone’s broader development agenda to ensure sustainable progress.

Supporting Data and Analysis

• Figure 1: Shows a positive correlation between the share of public sector resources spent at the local level and government effectiveness.
• Figure 2: Illustrates the composition of local public sector expenditures, highlighting the dominance of central ministries in funding local services.
• Figure 3: Indicates that only 46.3% of public expenditures are directed towards local service delivery, despite the devolution of many functions.

Acknowledgments

The report was prepared with the support of the World Bank’s Poverty Reduction and Economic Management (PREM) and Human Development Networks, under the leadership of Serdar Yilmaz and Emily Weedon. It also benefited from the input of various stakeholders, including the Sierra Leonean government and development partners. Special thanks are given to Mrs. Diana Konomanyi and Mr. Alhassan Joseph Kanu for their contributions.