By Lawrence Williams
The country has shown significant progress in transparency and accountability in its budget process, as revealed in the 2023 Open Budget Survey released by Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) on Wednesday. The country’s transparency score increased by 10 points above the global average, from 45% in 2021 to 55% in 2023. This improvement has also seen Sierra Leone climb 17 points in the global rankings, moving from 64th in 2021 to 47th in 2023 out of 125 countries surveyed.
This rise in transparency places Sierra Leone ahead of several African countries, including Liberia (52%), Ghana (46%), and Nigeria (31%). The publication of the Citizens’ Budget, the Enacted Budget, and In-Year Reports, in compliance with the 2016 Public Financial Management Act and its 2018 regulations, has significantly contributed to the country’s improved scores in the survey.
However, despite these achievements, Sierra Leone still falls below the pass mark of 60%.
BAN’s Coordinator Abu Bakarr Kamara highlighted the need for the government to enhance budget information disclosure by publishing of the pre-budget statement online at least one month before submitting the executive’s budget proposal to parliament and the mid-year review three months after the end of the six-month period.
Furthermore, citizen participation in the budget process has decreased, with only 20% taking part in 2023 compared to 31% in 2021. The International Budget Partnership noted a significant drop in citizen involvement in budget formulation from 70% in 2021 to 33% in 2023.
Despite this, 17% of citizens participated in the budget execution stage, with 33% selecting issues for the Audit Service Sierra Leone to audit.
Sierra Leone has seen an improvement in audit oversight, with the score increasing to 78% in 2023 from 72% in 2021. However, legislative oversight has fallen by 3 points, from 33% in 2021 to 30% in 2023.
Anjali Garg, head of the Open Budget Survey, emphasised the importance of open budget practices in building public trust and ensuring resources reach those most in need. She highlighted countries like South Africa and Mexico as examples of where progress is possible with political will.
The Open Budget Survey serves as a critical assessment of transparency, oversight, and public participation in public budgets, providing valuable insights into the budget processes of countries around the world. Sierra Leone’s progress in the 2023 survey reflects a positive step towards greater transparency and accountability in its budgeting practices.