Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh has engaged key stakeholders on critical issues affecting chieftaincy governance and local administration, including de-amalgamation of chiefdoms, prolonged regent chieftaincy, court cases, redistricting, and capacity building.
In his opening statement, Dr. Sengeh noted that chieftaincy and local governance matters regularly feature in National Security Council meetings and presidential briefings, underscoring their national importance. He observed that recent de-amalgamation processes have generated tensions, particularly around land ownership, boundaries, and relations among neighboring paramount chiefs. Emphasizing the custodial role of paramount chiefs over land, culture, and community life, he called for dialogue-based solutions and clearer procedures to address prolonged regent chieftaincy and chieftaincy-related court cases.
Speaking on behalf of the traditional leadership, the Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs, P.C. Fasuluku Sonsiamas III, welcomed the engagement and reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to peaceful collaboration with Government to strengthen traditional governance and resolve chieftaincy-related challenges.
The meeting featured a presentation by the Director of Local Government, Brima Newman Combey, who outlined Government’s Redistricting Exercise as a key pillar of the decentralization and governance reform agenda. He explained that Cabinet has approved the redrawing of district and chiefdom boundaries, the creation of new localities in the Western Area, the continuation of chiefdom de-amalgamation, and a nationwide consultative process, culminating in a comprehensive Redistricting Report.
Key outcomes include the establishment of five local councils in the Western Area and the creation of Kpanguima and Bandajuma Districts to improve service delivery, governance reach, representation, and development coordination in underserved areas.
The engagement reinforces peace, traditional governance, and effective decentralization, directly supporting the Big Five Game Changers by bringing governance closer to the people and strengthening service delivery nationwide.
