The Ministry of Finance, alongside the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, has initiated the National Policy Hearings for the FY2027 Budget at the Miatta Civic Centre in Brookfields, under the theme “Building Resilience to Create Jobs.” Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh officially opened the hearings, which gathered government officials, development partners, private sector representatives, and other stakeholders to establish the country’s fiscal and development priorities.
In his keynote address, Jalloh highlighted the importance of sound public resource management. He stressed the need for realistic revenue assumptions and warned against creating “wish lists” without realistic funding in mind. He emphasised that a strong private sector is vital for long-term job creation and advocated for lowering business costs, improving access to finance, enhancing infrastructure and energy supply, and promoting local manufacturing.
Dr Ilara Mahdi, Deputy Director of Budget, noted that these hearings are crucial for shaping annual budget proposals to align with national priorities. Budget Director Tasima Jah and Secretary to the President Baba Fortune underscored the necessity for ministry proposals to reflect the national development agenda.
Hon. Keikura, Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, emphasised the importance of legislative oversight for ensuring transparency in public money usage. From the private sector, Chamber of Commerce representative Rashid Conteh praised government efforts to foster business growth, calling for closer collaboration between the government and businesses to boost job creation.
Several ministries outlined their sectoral priorities for growth. Minister of Trade and Industry, Alpha Sesay, highlighted the need for economic diversification, particularly in manufacturing and agriculture. Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Umaru Napoleon Koroma, spoke on the critical role of job creation in reducing poverty.
Planning and Economic Development Minister Madam Kenyeh Barley called for the Medium Term National Development Plan to guide budgetary decisions, acknowledging progress in various sectors but noting ongoing financing challenges.
Development partners, including World Bank Country Manager Isatou Diallo, reaffirmed their commitment to the government’s initiatives, particularly in areas such as human capital investment and fiscal reforms.
Finance Minister Kerefa A.F. Kargbo announced key priorities for FY2027, which align with the government’s wider development goals. These include food security, increasing domestic revenue, job creation, and infrastructure investment. He also mentioned improvements under the IMF program and outlined a new expenditure framework for 2027-2029 to help ministries align their budget proposals with strategic national priorities.
The hearings concluded with presentations from Financial Secretary Matthew Dingie and Deputy Minister of Finance I, Kadiatu Allie, on domestic revenue mobilisation, the Feed Salone Program, and job creation strategies. The next stage of the FY2027 Budget Preparation Process will take place from September 21 to October 3, 2026.
