By Bampia James Bundu:

Strategic Communications Unit,

Ministry of Information and Communications

The Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kaikai, has engaged journalists from the print and electronic media on the Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP), at the conference room of the Ministry of information and Communications, 8th Floor, Youyi Building, on Thursday, 7th January 2021.

 Dr. Francis Kaikai reiterated that the Mid Term National Development Plan is a key project of President Julius Maada Bio's government which comprises eight Clusters and 43 Policy areas.

He explained that while putting the document together, his ministry  engaged about 2 miillion stakeholders nationwide  including: Mayors, Chairmen and core staff of Local Councils, Paramount Chiefs and Councilors, Village Headmen and Tribal Heads, Women, Grassroots, Youth, Disable Representatives, Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, Religious Leaders, CBOs and a host of others.

Dr Kaikai said that the engagement was to ensure that community stakeholders understand the basics of the Plan, define community priorities within the national plan to support in the next 2 to 3 years and to become aware of their lead roles in the implementation of programs and projects informed by the national plan.

The minister stated that the objective of the plan was to enhance grassroots understanding of the National Plan and to put them at the center of its implementation.

He added that after thorough consultations with stakeholders across the country, they were able to identify the immediate needs of the people which were factored into the plan.

He disclosed that in making the process more consultative and inclusive, they had to take along other government ministers to speak to the people about the government's development plans for the people in their respective Chiefdoms and Districts.

Dr Kaikai acknowledged and appreciated the leadership role played by the Ministry of Information and Communications, among others, throughout the consultative process and assured that the plan will help inform government about the immediate development needs of the people in each of the 16 districts.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Madam Mamadi Gobeh-Kamara, updated the media on the activities of the government over the past weeks.

A questions, answers and clarifications session climaxed the press conference.