Sierra Leone has failed to meet the benchmarks for the Millennium Challenge Corporation [MCC], hence causing the West African country to miss out on vital funding, which has now been deferred. The MCC sets specific standards for qualification of any country for funding.
Among the benchmarks, Sierra Leone passed those of inflation, regulatory quality, trade policy, access to credit and business start-up, girls’ primary education completion rate, political rights, civil liberties, freedom of information and the rule of law. On the flip side, the country failed on fiscal policy, land rights and access, health and primary education and expenditures, natural resources protection, immunization rates and child health. The issue of government ineffectiveness was also counted among the failings of the Sierra Leonean government.
The government of President Ernest Bai Koroma had made the MCC a major target with a view to bolstering its ailing economy. The country’s post-war economy is in dire straits and is largely donor-dependent.
This failure to meet the MCC benchmarks has sparked off a nationwide debate about the performance level of the government. Many see corruption as a major impediment to the growth of the economy and overall state development. The country’s anti-graft body, the Anti Corruption Commission [ACC] is largely ineffectual and is seen to be losing the battle against graft. It has lost a string of high-profile cases and its methodology is now being questioned by members of the public.
Even though the government introduced a free healthcare system three years ago, service delivery is still very poor. Pregnant and lactating mothers, as well as children under five, are supposed to have free access to health care. But, reports have shown that this is not the case. Drugs are sold openly by healthcare workers and fees illegally charged for persons who qualified for the free health care.
Funds recently provided by donor partners, running into millions of dollars, meant for immunization and other areas of health service delivery were pilfered by officials of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. No one has since been held accountable. In fact, the suspects, who were mostly medical doctors, have all been set free.
Also, there’s been a boom in the country’s mining sector, with multi-national companies investing in large-scale projects. But this has come with a major price. Land disputes, environmental degradation and the question of whether or not the government and people really benefit from the exploitation of minerals in the country have all occupied center stage.
As for land rights and access, the problem has been unending. The Ministry of Lands is inundated with cases of land disputes and the problem of land tenure is still unresolved in the provinces. The country’s constitution is now under review and it is believed that the land issue will feature prominently in the debate.
Meanwhile, the majority of Sierra Leoneans are no doubt disappointed at the dismal performance of their country, in so far as the MCC goes. They urge the government to do more if the country is to stand any chance of qualification for the MCC in future. There has been no immediate comment from the government.
Source: Newswatch Sierra Leone.
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