DIRECTOR OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSURES CCACS OF GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO CHIEFDOM GOVERNANCE

DIRECTOR OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSURES CCACS OF GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO CHIEFDOM GOVERNANCE

Director Brima Newman Combey addressing the CCACs in the meeting

Kailahun Town, Eastern Province, 6 March, 2021. -The Director of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Brima Newman Combey, has assured the Central Chiefdom Administration Clerks (CCACs) of the Government’s commitment to Chiefdom governance.

The Council of CCACs is an organization that was established in March 2019 to advocate on behalf of the chiefdom administrative staff across the country by channeling issues bordering on their welfares to the Local Government Ministry. This Council holds meeting after every quarter in any district chosen by its members where they give full update on their successes and challenges to the Director of Local Government, who serves as their immediate supervisor.

After attentively listening to updates from the fourteen (14) districts CCACs, Director Combey said the chiefdom administrations are an integral part of local governance because they represent the Government at chiefdom level, adding that the Government is fully committed to supporting their operations.

“I have noted all of your concerns ranging from vacancy in the Paramount Chieftaincy position in some chiefdoms, the lack of National Social Security an Insurance Trust (NASSIT)’s identity cards for staff in some chiefdoms, end of service benefits, good working relationships with the Paramount Chiefs, poor road networks, amongst others. I will make these challenges known to the Minister and would get back to you in due course,” he said.

Director Combey highlighted critical issues, which he said the CCACs should incorporate in order to bring serenity into their operations. Amongst other things, he said that the processes involve in tax collection should be streamlined with special reference to assignments, verification and management, adding that there is also a need to set a clear procedure on how tax books are printed in order to avoid discrepancies.

 Director Combey posed with the CCACs

“It’s good that you harmonize how chiefdom local tax and receipt books are printed to promote transparency and accountability in your operations,” he said.

 He admonished the CCACs to be professional by not allowing politics to creep into their operations as they are considered to be civil servants not politicians. 

In his brief statement, the Chairman of the Council of CCACs, Edwin Augustine Bangali, noted that the Association would be grateful if their challenges are looked into by the Government, adding that it is difficult to effectively run the administrative affairs of the Chiefdoms with all the highlighted challenges added to no stipends for the Chiefdom Police, no proper working environment and others.

Frederick V. Kanneh

Information Officer

MLGRD

+23279788989

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.