Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has said the Government is practicing the “politics of painful choices” as difficult global economic conditions continue to affect small economies such as Sierra Leone.

Speaking at the opening of the National Symposium on Policy Coherence, Coordination and State Effectiveness in Freetown on Thursday, August 20, 2026, the Vice President said limited resources and competing national priorities were compelling the Government to make difficult trade-offs.

He stressed that improving the Government’s ability to translate national priorities into meaningful results for citizens is essential to Sierra Leone’s development.

“Today, I had the pleasure of opening the National Symposium on Policy Standardization in Sierra Leone, focused on strengthening policy coherence,” Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh said. “Improving the effectiveness of translating Government’s priorities into meaningful results for the people of Sierra Leone is vital.”

The Vice President explained that Sierra Leone’s challenge is not necessarily a shortage of policies, but the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies to coordinate effectively in implementing them.

He said major national priorities, including food security, youth employment and healthcare, require coordinated Government action because they involve the responsibilities of several public institutions.

Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, urged public institutions to move away from working in isolation and ensure that policy decisions are guided by reliable evidence and the realities confronting citizens.

He cited unreliable electricity affecting hospitals and medical equipment as an example of how weaknesses in one sector could undermine service delivery in another. He said addressing such challenges require cooperation among institutions responsible for health, energy, finance, infrastructure and local Government.

The Vice President linked stronger policy coordination to President Dr. Julius Maada Bio’s public-sector reform agenda which seeks to build a more efficient, professional, responsive and results-oriented public service.

He encouraged public servants to measure success by the results delivered to citizens instead of focusing only on the production of policy documents or the launching of Government programmes.

Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, further called for Government policies to have clearly defined institutional responsibilities, realistic financing, practical implementation plans, measurable outcomes and regular monitoring and review.

He warned that limited resources and competing priorities meant the Government could not afford policy duplication, institutional fragmentation or the inefficient use of public funds.

According to him, stronger collaboration would help public institutions maximize available resources, prevent conflicting programmes and improve the implementation of Sierra Leone’s national development agenda.

The National Symposium brought together senior Government officials, policymakers, public servants and other stakeholders to discuss ways of strengthening policy coherence and improving the effectiveness of the State.

Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, urged participants to develop practical recommendations that would enhance cooperation across Government and ensure that national policies produce visible improvements in the lives of Sierra Leoneans. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/archives/63676