By Ishmail Saidu Kanu
The Government of Sierra Leone has attained an overall performance rating of 78 percent in the 2025 Ministerial Performance Contract (PMC) assessment, according to a report issued by the Office of the Chief Minister.
The report indicates that 89 Cabinet Papers and 145 ministerial agreements were approved during the review period, with the majority of ministries satisfying the prescribed minimum thresholds of five cabinet papers and two ministerial agreements respectively.
Compliance with the Service Delivery Charter was recorded at 53.1 percent, with 19 ministries meeting or exceeding the benchmark of 50 percent compliance.
The report further mentions relatively strong compliance levels in procurement procedures, audit processes, strategic planning, and annual work planning, which ranged between 70 percent and 76.9 percent.
With respect to financial performance, the report states that Appropriation-in-Aid reported across ministries amounted to approximately USD 0.88 billion, while domestic revenue mobilisation reached NLe 21.1 billion.
The assessment also recorded increased interaction between government institutions and citizens, noting 1,355 citizen engagement activities and 133 service delivery innovations implemented by various ministries.
In evaluating performance outcomes, 62 percent of ministerial targets were fully achieved, 22 percent partially achieved, and 16 percent not achieved.
Among the sectoral groupings, the Economic Management Cluster recorded the highest average performance score of 83.1 percent.
This cluster comprises key ministries including the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, among others.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security emerged as the highest-performing institution with a 100 percent score, followed by the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation with 93.7 percent, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with 92.8 percent.
Other ministries that demonstrated strong performance include the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources.
The report classifies ministerial performance under several categories. Ten ministries were rated “Very Good” for attaining scores above 85 percent, while several others were rated “Good” with scores ranging between 70 and 84 percent.
Additional ministries were classified as “Fairly Good” or “Satisfactory.” Notably, no ministry was assessed as performing poorly.
Notwithstanding the positive outcomes, the report identifies several operational challenges including late submission of reports, incomplete documentation, and frequent changes of Performance Management Focal Persons, which affected compliance with reporting requirements.
Furthermore, some ministries raised concerns regarding limited financial and human resources, which they contend constrain effective service delivery and the implementation of the performance contracting framework.
To address these concerns, the report recommends strengthening institutional capacity, enhancing accountability mechanisms, and establishing a Performance Management Information System (PMIS) to facilitate efficient reporting, monitoring, and evaluation.
The Office of the Chief Minister has also indicated plans to pursue the enactment of a national Performance Management Policy and supporting legislation aimed at institutionalising the performance contracting framework across the public sector.
Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh stated that the performance contracting mechanism remains an essential instrument for ensuring that ministries deliver on national priorities articulated in the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2024–2030.
He further noted that the framework is in line with the government’s development agenda known as the “Big Five Game Changers Agenda,” which prioritises food security, human capital development, youth empowerment, technology and infrastructure, and effective public sector governance.
Dr. Sengeh concluded that the findings of the assessment underscore the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and improved service delivery for the people of Sierra Leone.
