Decentralization in Sierra Leone - Research for Development

Decentralization in Sierra LeoneConclusions - Regional variations in local governanceA factor that came out clearly in the research was that each of the four survey districts has adistinctive social and economic configuration and power relationships, all of which affectlocal councils’ interactions with their publics.Bo District has always been close to the state. It has a long history of commercialagriculture (mainly coffee, cacao and palm oil) and grassroots investment in moderneducation. This last factor came out strongly in the FGDs held in the district:participants often focussed on the mechanics of council contracting and resourcedisbursement and subjected all service providers to critical scrutiny.Bombali District, by way of contrast, remains one Sierra Leone’s poorest districts. Itis a district of isolated agrarian communities, many of which have very limited accessto services and which remain heavily reliant on chiefs for day to day governance.Local councillors in Bombali tend be more socially embedded in their wards thantheir counterparts in other districts and thus more inclined to champion localdevelopment needs.Kono District has been a centre of artisanal and industrial diamond mining for morethan half a century. Chiefs became powerful brokers in the mining economy,authorizing the local settlement of rich and poor migrants and serving as middlemenbetween mining investors and landowners. While some FGD participants in Konoexpressed reverence for the institution of chieftaincy, others tended to view chiefs aspowerful political actors who have to be brought on board if development efforts inthe district are going to be successful.WARD represents the rural areas of the capital district (Western Area), but has noparamount chiefs. The post-war influx of population into the Freetown area hasspilled over into WARD and generated considerable demand for land for housing andmarket gardening. Fishing is also a major village industry. Economic opportunity andgeographical mobility in WARD translates into a high density of CSOs and CBOs.However, many of these groups tend to seek out resources and information at thecentre, whether directly or through patrons, rather than engaging with the localcouncil.While decentralization in Sierra Leone is a national programme, there is a case fortargeting specific types of support to different districts, e.g. direct project funding inBo, support to councillors’ mobility and planning capacity in Bombali, support to amulti-agency approach (i.e. above the level of chiefdoms and local councils) todevelopment in Kono and improving the interface and interaction between CSOs andlocal councils in WARD.Fanthorpe Consultancy Ltd Page 6