VP Juldeh Jalloh Announces Plan to Recruit 800 Native Administrative Officers Nationwide.

Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh announced a government plan to recruit approximately 800 Native Administrative Officers nationwide, strengthening security presence and improving local governance across Sierra Leone's chiefdoms.

Vice President announced a high-level regional consultation in Makeni, engaging Paramount Chiefs, local councils, ministers, and key stakeholders, to strengthen decentralisation and improve local governance delivery.

The consultation, supported by the World Bank, provided a platform for local governance actors to identify service delivery challenges and propose practical measures to strengthen governance development at the t community level.

At the gathering, Vice President Jalloh said proposed recruitment followed Paramount Chiefs' recommendations for increased chiefdom security presence.

"Paramount Chiefs raised the police officer issue at the chiefdom level; we are recruiting approximately 800 chiefdom police officers nationwide," Jalloh stated.

He explained the recruitment process involved consultation with chiefdom administrations and relevant stakeholders, ensuring deployment responds to community security needs and realities.

"We want recruitment and deployment done in consultation with chiefdom administrations, properly understanding security gaps and best addressing them," he said.

Vice President emphasised that chiefdom security strengthening represented an important local governance, peace, and development component.

"Effective decentralisation requires functional institutions and local security. Communities must feel safe; local institutions need support performing responsibilities," Jalloh said.

Proposed 800 Native Administrative officer recruitment forms part of the government's broader efforts to strengthen chiefdom administration and improve state institution responsiveness at the siat the veness community level.

During consultation, the National Council of Paramount Chiefs presented recommendations strengthening chiefdom administration: addressing inter-chiefdom boundary disputes, improving mobility administrative support, enhancing revenue mobilisation, involving Paramount Chiefs in development initiatives, increasing chiefdom security presence.

Vice President Jalloh welcomed the recommendations, reaffirming the government's commitment to working with chiefdom administrations to address the raised concerns.

"Paramount Chiefs' recommendations prove important, coming from directly involved local governance individuals. We take these recommendations seriously, advancing the decentralisation reform process," he said.

Regional consultations are intended to ensure decentralisation reforms reflect community realities and priorities nationwide.

The government intends to use regional engagement outcomes to inform a two-day national symposium developing a decentralisation reform operational framework. District-level community engagements will follow, explaining implemented reforms.

Makeni consultation represents a further government step in deepening decentralisation, strengthening local institutions, and ensuring communities play a great role in local governance development.

Correspondent- Aminata Turay

Office of the Vice President

See less