By Our Reporter
A five-member World Bank Mission has undertaken an inspection visit of NaCSA projects in four districts in the Western Area, and the Southern Region.
Led by the World Bank Africa region sector Manager, Eva Jarawan, the team, including Sierra Leone Task Force Manager Guiseppe Zampaglione, visted projects in the Western Rural Area, Bo, Moyamba and Pujehun districts,
The visit is part of routine supervision missions and contacts with beneficiary communities to get a first hand impression about project implementation issues.
The inspection started at Devil Hole, in the Western Rural District, where the joint World Bank/ NaCSA team visited the Gravity-fed water system project.
The Vice-Chairman of the Project Management Committee(PMC), Pa Momoh Mansaray informed the team that there was complete lack of pipe-borne water in the community before NaCSA’s intervention. The water project, he said will not only serve Devil Hole but other communities in the area.
The completed community Health Post at Crossing in the Koya Rural area was also visited, where the Nurse-in-Charge, Janet Moseray, disclosed that the Health Post serves under-fives, pregnant women, school children, the aged, Amputees and war wounded, all of whom receive medical treatment on a cost-recovery basis.
At Vaama Kassewe in the Moyamba District where a three classroom block and other components are under construction, the PMC Chairman, Mohamed Kobba explained the implementation strategies to the team, highlighting the lessons learnt and constraints.
He lauded the Direct Community Financing, (DCF) approach, noting that it empowers communities to take ownership and control of their development aspirations. He expressed gratitude to NaCSA and the World Bank for rebuilding their community.
In Gbaiima Songa in the Bo District where NaCSA is constructing a community market, the team was met by NaCSA Community Development Officer, Aminata Vandi who briefed the team about implementation of the project.
The Councillor, Bo District Council Ward I, Christiana Pessima told the NacSA and World Bank officials that the market will encourage women to have a cooperative approach to selling their wares.
She further explained the role of the Councils in taking development to their different wards and encouraged the people to pay their dues as it is their civic duty and promotes development.
The team also visited the reconstruction site of the Futa Pejeh Court Barrie, in the Pejeh Chiefdom, Pujehun District, where Chiefdom speaker Pa Thomas Baimba justified his community’s choice of a court Barrie, as a symbol of authority and the restoration of law, order and good governance.
Meeting the NacSA Commissioner Alhaji Kanja Sesay before undertaking the field visit earlier, the World Bank team leader Eva Jarawan reviewed the status of implementation of the on-going National Social Action Project, (NSAP), the achievements on the project targets for 2006, the problems and challenges and the plans for 2007.
She expressed satisfaction at the status of the projects, especially the capacity Building initiatives with Local councils and communities.
Commissioner Kanja Sesay explained the process of implementation, stating that the allocation of projects is based on the principles of relative vulnerability.
He said the working relationship with councils is cordial and assured the team that the political environment and security is conducive to more projects being generated.
At the end of the exercise the World Bank Mission leader, Eva Jarawan expressed satisfaction with the projects and lauded the participation of the communities in their implementation.
The NaCSA team was headed by the Director, Community Development Programme, John Paul Ngebeh.
NacSA is jointly funded by the World Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone, with the beneficiary communities taking the lead in implementing projects and contributing about 10% of the total cost in the form of sand, stones, bush sticks and unskilled labour.
Photo: World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz.
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