Pujehun District Council

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN PUJEHUN COMPLEX SOUTHERN REGION SIERRA LEONE

LATEST UPDATE
DATE: 30TH/1/2025
Pujehun District Council is currently conducting the 17th ordinary rotational council meeting of the Fifth Council today, Thursday, January 30, 2025, at the Council Hall in Pujehun. Further details will be shared at the conclusion of the session.
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FROM IEC UNIT PDC

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX
SOUTHERN REGION
SIERRA LEONE
WEST AFRICA

LATEST UPDATE
3/12/2024

The Pujehun District Council is currently undertaking an extensive construction project involving 21 culverts, embankments, and clearing vegetation up to 6 meters from the sides of the culverts. This initiative, funded by the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA), is being carried out in Kpanga Chiefdom, Pujehun District.

The project has been divided into two lots to ensure timely completion. Lot 1 comprises the construction of 13 single-box culverts, while Lot 2 includes 8 culverts, four of which are single-box and the other four double-box. The construction spans from Massam Kpanka to Kpasamba and has been assigned to two different contractors to expedite progress. Seamless Construction and General Services Ltd is managing Lot 1, while Dewood Transport (SL) Ltd is handling Lot 2.

Currently, 16 of the 21 culverts have been completed, and work on the remaining five is ongoing, with an expected completion date by the end of December 2024. The Pujehun District Council’s engineer is closely supervising and monitoring the project to ensure high-quality work is delivered within the stipulated timeline.

The road project, spanning approximately 14 kilometers, is expected to significantly benefit several communities in the area. These communities have faced challenges in accessibility, particularly during the rainy season, for motorbikes, vehicles, and pedestrians.

A comprehensive report on the project’s completion will be provided after all 21 culverts are finalized.
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FROM IEC UNIT PDC

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX
SOUTHERN REGION
SIERRA LEONE
WEST AFRICA

NEWS UPDATE
1ST DECEMBER 2024

Pujehun District held its final DDCC meeting of 2024 on Friday, November 29th, at the District Council conference hall in an impressive manner.

The Minister for MoPED attended the meeting, using the DDCC platform to promote the MTNDP for 2024 to 2030. The DDCC serves as an effective structure, with its inclusive membership providing the ideal space to disseminate development information to the people. This information focuses on the Big 5 Game Changers outlined in the National Development Plan, with Feed Salone being the government’s flagship program.

In her keynote address, the Minister highlighted that the plan is people-centered, addressing the needs and aspirations of Pujehun district and beyond. She emphasized the Feed Salone program as the cornerstone of national economic development, noting its potential to create significant employment opportunities for youths nationwide. She also pointed out that Pujehun has a critical role to play, given its vast agricultural and economic potential.

The Minister praised Pujehun district for identifying five key development priorities for government intervention. These priorities include:

Big 5.1: Feed Salone - Introducing Agricultural Mechanization

Big 5.2: Human Capital Development - Provision of Essential Drugs & Medical Supplies

Big 5.3: Youth Employment Scheme - Establishing Vocational Institutions in Chiefdom Headquarters

Big 5.4: Infrastructure & Technology - Enhancing Public Infrastructure

Big 5.5: Transforming Public Sector Architecture - Providing Logistical Support for Service Delivery

The highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the MTNDP brochure to the Pujehun District Council.

Madam Kenye Barley was accompanied by Assistant Director Banya, SAM Gibril from RDD, and Director Ansumana from MBSSE, representing the DDCC National Secretariat.

Following the introduction of the minister of planning and economic development's visit, which was followed by the keynote address, the minister left for another session. Mr. John Briama from the Capacity Building team delivered a PowerPoint presentation on the role of the MLGCA in local councils, while Madam Matida from the Decentralization Secretariat's M&E department explained the monitoring aspect of the development project guidelines.

The meeting culminated in presentations from various sectors, detailing key activities carried out by their respective units, including completed and ongoing projects, as well as the successes and challenges encountered in the district's implementation efforts. This was followed by another PowerPoint presentation from NGO leaders regarding their initiatives within the different Chiefdoms of Pujehun District. Action points were identified from both the sectors and NGOs, with the expectation that they would be addressed before the next DDCC meeting in 2025.

For further information, contact the information and communication unit at Pujehun district Council on Email: [email protected], or
Contact the IEC Unit on 079649497/077591772 .
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FROM THE IEC UNIT PDC

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX
SIERRA LEONE
SOUTHERN REGION
WEST AFRICA
LATEST UPDATE

DATE: 21ST NOVEMBER 2024
A symbolic handover ceremony for a newly constructed primary school building took place in Serabu Town KpangaChiefdom, Pujehun District, attended by the Chief Administrator and the Information and Communication Officer of the Pujehun District Council. The event marked the completion of a six-classroom school block, built by Health Care Without Borders – Sierra Leone, at St. Paul's Primary School in Serabu. The building, which includes office space, electricity, fans in each classroom, and a children's playground, was funded by the Sierra Leone government.with support from THAAKAT FOUNDATIONT a Charity based organisation in United States of America. The standout feature of the school is the modern classrooms, each equipped with overhead fans, and the well-maintained playground, covered with attractive zinc roofing, which is rare in the Pujehun District and Sierra Leone as a whole.

The official handover of the school structure to the community and school administration was scheduled for today, November 21, 2024. During the event, stakeholders emphasized the importance of properly maintaining the facilities. The Country Director of Health Care Without Borders, Mr. Philip Saffa Momoh, expressed gratitude to the community and the Pujehun District Council for their support in completing the project.

The Chief Administrator praised Mr. Momoh for his efforts and urged the local community to take responsibility for the security, cleanliness, and proper use of the school. He also assured continued cooperation with Health Care Without Borders to support further development in Pujehun District.

Community stakeholders committed to adhering to the advice given by various speakers, and, although the Chairman of the Pujehun District Council could not attend due to health reasons, he sent his blessings to the Serabu community and Health Care Without Borders.

Mr. Momoh further promised to extend similar facilities to five more communities within the district. The program concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially hand over the school to the Serabu community

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FROM IEC UNIT PDC

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX
SOUTHERN REGION
SIERRA LEONE
WEST AFRICA

LATEST NEWS UPDATE

DATE: 19TH/11/2024

On the 19th day of November 2024, a delegation from Freetown was headed by the Resident representatives or ECOWAS in the Republic of Sierea Leone H.E Amb , Arouna Moussa, and team among were Mr Komba Momoh, Deputy Development Secretary/ Head of ECOWAS national office, Saidu Mongboi, Accountant ECOWAS, Qusman Drammeh, Sosio Economist.

The purpose of the visit was to familiarise with the ECOWAS team with the council .and strengthen more collaboration with the Pujehun District Council as well as to share with the Council some of the new interventions the ECOWAS organisation is about to bring to it members state.

The H.E Amb. Harouna Mousssa shared with the Council his key notes in the Republic of Sierra Leone on ECOWAS vision 2050.

The ECOWAS new vision sets the strategic objectives of the boderless region sustainable and integration into the global into the global market coupled with the commitment of ECOWAS of people rather than of state.

He said ECOWAS vision 2025 dream is " A fully integrated community of people in a peaceful, prosperious region with strong institutions and respect for fundamental freedoms and working towards inclusive and sustainable development," based on the baseline scenario called " Africa Torch" , the aspirations of the ECOWAS populations, and results of the retrospective study an d the residual and hopeful objectives of the ECOWAS vision 2050.Said vision is built on five pillars and cross cutting themes that will define the strategic orientation for the design of a priority programmes.

This approach has been forther developed under each pillar.

Pillar one is peace, security, and stability.
Pillar two is Governance and Rule of Law.
Pillar three is Economic Integration interconnectivity.
Pillar Four is Transformations, Inclusive and Sustainable Development .
Pillar Five Social inclusion.

The cross cutting themes are
- Women- Gender
- Youth Empowerment
- Digitalisation
- Climate change and resilience
- capacity building..
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ECOWAS vision 2050 is an ambitious long-term roadmap working towards inclusive and sustainable development and economic and Socio growth in West Africa. The ECOWAS region aspires to be a fully integrated community of people in a peaceful, prosperous region where citizens are safe, have opportunities, and where strong institutions and respect for fundamental freedom are at the core and Government.

Honorable Ambassador Harouna also emphasized that the Pujehun District Council should develop a realistic project proposal for the intervention, ensuring that it benefits the majority of people in the district, rather than just a select few. He added that once the proposal is received, it will be their responsibility to forward it to the ECOWAS Executive for further consideration. He stressed that these initiatives will have a regional impact, and should be approached with seriousness, with the aim of transforming the lives of Pujehun’s residents.

In conclusion, Chief Administrator of Pujehun District Council, Mr. Sahr E. Yambasu, expressed his deep gratitude to Ambassador Harouna and his team for the valuable information shared and for strengthening the collaboration between ECOWAS and the people of Sierra Leone. He assured the team that the Council would draft a realistic project proposal that would benefit all Chiefdoms in Pujehun district. He highlighted ECOWAS’s long-standing role and its past interventions in Sierra Leone, such as during the civil war and the restoration of democracy under former President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. He expressed his satisfaction with ECOWAS’s evolving approach to interventions, focusing not just on political matters but also on improving the lives of people. He reiterated the Council’s commitment to the proposed intervention and to working towards its successful implementation.

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX
SOUTHERN REGION
SIERRA LEONE

LATEST HAPPENING
17TH SEPTEMBER ,2024
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The Sierra Leone government, through the Ministry of Finance, has secured funding from the World Bank for the Accountable Governance for Basic Service Delivery Project (AGBSDP). These funds will be used by the Pujehun District Council for the following initiatives:

(A) *Bengani* *PHU* :
- Rehabilitation and expansion of the facility
- Reconstruction of a two-bedroom staff quarter
- Construction of an INO hand-dug well with hand pump and submersible pump
- Solar installation for the main building and staff quarter
- Construction of a pour-flush outside toilet
- Preliminary construction of a two-compartment pour-flush latrine
- Environmental and social safety measures
- Construction of a laundry facility in Mano Sakeim Chiefdom

(B) Massam Kpanka PHU:
- Rehabilitation and expansion of the facility
- Reconstruction of a two-bedroom staff quarter
- Rehabilitation of an INO hand-dug well with hand pump and submersible pump
- Solar installation for the main building and staff quarter
- Construction of a pour-flush outside toilet
- Preliminary construction of a two-compartment pour-flush latrine
- Construction of a laundry facility in Kpanka Chiefdom

*C) Basic Furniture:**
- Provision of basic furniture for both Bengani and Massam Kpanka PHUs, including staff quarters.

A bid opening session took place this morning at 10:00 AM in the Pujehun District Council’s mini conference room. The Chief Administrator led the session, emphasizing the importance of a fair, transparent process. Representatives from the Project Management Unit, NPPA, ACC, CSOs, and the media were present.

*KEY* *STATEMENTS*
Project Management Unit Emphasized their role in overseeing project implementation and ensuring that funds, which are taxpayer money, are used correctly. They stressed the importance of quality and sustainability.
- **NPPA Representative**: Highlighted their mandate to oversee public sector procurement and the need for bidders to adhere to the Public Procurement Act. They emphasized understanding procurement regulations and procedures.

*ACC* *Representative* Stressed the importance of maintaining integrity and transparency in the bidding process, advising against unauthorized changes to bid documents.
*District* *Medical* *Officer* Expressed gratitude for the funding and noted the significance of improved infrastructure for quality service delivery.

Out of nine bidders, eight submitted their bids on time; one was late and set aside for procedural reasons.
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FROM IEC UNIT
PDC

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX SOUTHERN REGION
SIERRA LEONE
WEST AFRICA

LATEST HAPPENING
11TH SEPTEMBER 2024
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The information and communication specialist, the environmental social safety officer, and the monitoring and evaluation officer of Pujehun district is attending a two days workshop organised by the women's Network for Environmental Sustainability climate change Advocacy and policy Dialogue at Family Kingdom Hall in Freetown schedule for the 11th and 12th September 2024. In attendance are stakeholders from Pujehun, Western rural district, the media, and MDAs. The session was chaired by Dr Thamas Lecturer University of Sierra Leone ( FBC). day one session was facilitated by representatives from the Ministry of Environment EPA, PI CREEF .

The session entails a PowerPoint presentation on the following topics:

A. Implementating Sierra Leone national climate change policy to a sustainable future.

B NDC and NAP advancing Sierra Leone climate action insights into the updated NDC and its implementation of the national adaptation plan. (NDC)

C Navigating Sierra Leone just enough transition strategy and implementation for sustainable energy future.

(D) Advocacy overview techniques and tools.

The main purpose of the session is basically based on CLIMATE CHANCE ADAPTATION AND SUSTAINABILITY ENERGY PROJECT- BASELINE STUDY REPORT.

The baseline study of climate change and resilience-building in vulnerable communities in the Pujehun and Western-Area Rural districts in Sierea Leone- Ploicy brief shows that only 8% of the Vaama community in the Pujehun District has some knowledge of climate change and its impact.
Background and Rationale.
Sierra Leone was recently on the short list of vulnerable countries to the impact of climate change, occasioned by increased global greenhouse gas emissions. In response to the threat posed by extreme climate events to the food security, water, and energy sectors. The government of Sierra Leone initiated a series of actions, including developing a national adaption plan, which, among other activities, aims at reducing vulnerability by half by the year 2030.
To complement government efforts in combating climate change and in response to the global call for climate justice, the women's network for sustainability development(WoNES) and Christian Aid-Sierra Leone have designed a climate change adaption and sustainable energy(CCASE) project that aims to help vulnerable communities in Pujehun and western area rural districts better adapt and build resilience to increased incidences of flooding, strong coastal winds, sea level rise, low crop yield, and other climate phenomena that threatens their livelihood.
Approach.
This baseline study was commissioned to understand the current state of climate change adaption and resilience building in twelve vulnerable communities in the Pujehun and western area rural districts. The target groups for the study include heads of household, women's groups, disabled persons, youths, and school children, whose knowledge of climate adaption was solicited in a perception survey, focus group discussion, key informant interviews, and direct field observations.
Results
The results indicate that farming is the main occupation of communities in the Pujehun district while fishing, and to a lesser extent, trading are the main livelihood activities in the western area rural district. These economic activities are threatened by changes in rainfall patterns and strong coastal winds, which reduce crop yield and fish catches, respectively. Both communities demonstrate a fair knowledge of climate change and its impact through workshops and awareness raising programmes broadcast on the radio, strangely though only 8% of the vaama community in the Pujehun district has some knowledge of climate change and its impact. Basic social services were found to be inadequate and seem to affect women and girls the most.
Policy and recommendations

1. The policy recommendations include a blend of software and hardware interventions. A key software intervention by government agencies would involve an aggressive public education of the affected communities on adaptation and community- led resilience buding initiatives.

2. Young women and girls take it upon themselves to fetch drinking water, usually from remote and unconventional sources, which increases their vulnerability to water related illnesses and physical attacks by their male counterparts. To thwart the threat of social and gender-based violence(SGBV), there is a strong need for adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene(WASH) facilities within a radius of 250 meters, especially in highly vulnerable communities.

3. Increase the resilience of vulnerable communities by encouraging the use of clay bricks, instead of metal sheets, for housing construction, especially along the coastal plain where strong winds are experienced. It will also take the pressure off beach sand used widely for housing construction, sand mining along coasal plain remains a serious threat to coastal erosion, exacerbated by climate change.
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FROM THE.
IEC SPECIALIST
PDC.

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PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL PUJEHUN
PUJEHUN COMPLEX
SOUTHERN REGION
SIERRA LEONE
WEST AFRICA

NEWS UPDATE
8TH SEPT 2024.

On this day 7th September2024 , the Welfare Society a non governmental organisation for the Disability, initiated a project called Mi Chance for Learn, organised a symbolic handling over of School and learning materials aiming to increase the enrollment of children with disabilities in primary schools in Pujehun district, as well as to improve retention rates.

The project also seeks to raise awareness about disability issues and the rights of individuals with disabilities in the district. This donation includes providing school supplies containing two peers of school uniform , a peer of shoes , school bags, motor cycles, and other necessities to over twenty disabled primary school children.

Representatives from various institutions, including the Pujehun district Council information specialist (IEC), the Education committee chair person , and social welfare,the school quality assurance officer attended the program to show their support.

Mr. Abu of WESOFOD who led the process, thanked TROCare organization and the government of Sierra Leone for their assistance to disabled children. He emphasized the importance of children dressing neatly for school, as it would encourage them to stay in school and fee belonging among colleagues.

The program manager expressed gratitude for the opportunity to support the children and urged parents to use the items provided for their intended purpose.

All stakeholders and institutional representatives stressed the need to properly care for the donated items and to support and give more courage to the children to continue their education for a better future as they didn't apply for been who they are.
Sustainability of the project were also mentioned as a key factor when the project shall have closed down. Stakeholders and institutional organisations who were presented also promised to device or strategies future strategical plans for those children more especially those that will be willing to continue with their education.

Hapiness and joy were expressed in the faces of the Children and parents for the kindly support.
The session was climaxed with vote of thanks by one of the beneficiary parent who warmly received the startup materials with Hapiness and appreciation.

The program ended up with a symbolic handling over of all items brought in and were donated to each children one at a time until all of them received the complete packages.

A group photos was taken for pictorial evidence purposes to ensure transparency and accountability as it is one of the essential qualities of WESOFOD organisation that they always stand for to mentain integrity and solidarity .

FROM IEC SPECIALIST
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**NEWS UPDATE**
Pujehun District Council
Pujehun Council Complex
Southern Province, Sierra Leone
30th August 2024

Today, 30th August 2024, a team from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, headed by Mrs. Balu Kamara, Assistant Director of Rural Development, visited the district to strengthen sector coordination.

The Deputy Chief Administrator led the process, welcoming participants and delivering a brief statement on behalf of the Chairman and Chief Administrator, who were absent due to unavoidable circumstances.

The Deputy Chief Administrator then facilitated the introduction of Madam Balu Kamara, who provided an overview of the meeting's purpose. Madam Balu welcomed everyone and conveyed greetings from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. She outlined the Ministry's mandate to coordinate national development, address implementation challenges, and develop home-grown solutions.

She highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to improve relationships between local councils and NGOs, and the contributions of NGOs such as Save the Children and RADA in strengthening sector relationships, including those in education, health, and agriculture. Madam Balu noted that coordination meetings among district functional heads and NGOs have been ongoing and emphasized the need for continued collaboration.

Madam Balu also addressed the need for enhanced collaboration between the Council's relevant committees and sectors. She acknowledged that committees like the Development Planning Committee and Agriculture Committee are responsible for overseeing sector coordination and that such meetings are crucial for addressing district functionality and NGO involvement.

She presented the Ministry's terms of reference, acknowledging that local sectors might have their own documents but may lack formalization. The Ministry's terms of reference are intended to be refined with input from service providers and district heads to create a working document for strengthening engagement and improving service delivery.

Madam Balu clarified that the terms of reference aim to resolve issues with functional relationships within Council committees and sectors. She outlined that action points and an action plan would be developed to address these challenges.

The meeting concluded with the signing of an MOU to formalize the relationship, based on the agreed terms of reference. The MOU will be drawn up with input from sector heads and NGO leaders, who have the authority to sign on behalf of their institutions.

The session included presentations from all sectors and NGO leaders on their activities, challenges, successes, and recommendations, followed by feedback from the Council’s committee chairperson to validate the updates.

**FROM THE INFORMATION SPECIALIST PDC**