Abdurahman Conteh, ministry of finance representative, said that the process was organized by the ministry to promote participatory governance and to ensure people took part in the different sectors of the budget.

Conteh encouraged participants to make meaningful contributions to the discussion process and that whatever their input was the ministry would present it to the house of parliament.  He confirmed that budget was very important in executing the development projects of any community.

Margaret Kargbo, deputy chairperson, Western Area rural district council, told participants that their contributions were required in the budget process because they would directly affect the preparation of undertakings for 2017.

“This is the planning stage for our project that is in the pipeline and we need to plan together, that is why this particular engagement is very important to this district,” she said.

The highlight of the hearing was the education budget presentation for the 2016 and 2017, where they had to state all what was done with the money they received for 2016 budget before presenting the 2017 budget plan.

Samuel Macaulay, finance officer with the education sector, presented the education budget and highlighted what were some of the projects they had undertaken, noting the renovation of the Adonkia School, built the library at Goderich community and maintenance of generator and vehicles.

In their 2017 budget the education sector was asking Le425 million to execute their projects successfully.

Challenging the budget, Abdul Bangura, a participant said that the Adonkia School that the education sector official claimed they had renovated wasn’t true and that the school was in a very deplorable state and that there was a huge increase in the 2017 budget amidst austerity.