The Government joined its national and international partners to make a concerted effort towards recovery. Based on needs assessment conducted in every District, a National Recovery Strategy was developed, the aim being twofold:
1. To address the essential needs of the country immediately
2. To lay the foundation for sustainable development
The recovery strategy was divided into four priority intervention areas, where tangible progress has been made in the areas mentioned below
The restoration of Civil Authority
Provincial and District officials representing the various Line Ministries are in post and working. Elections to fill eight vacant Paramount Chief positions have been held, with all Chiefs in their Chiefdoms and destroyed communities.
Rebuilding communities
All the internally displaced have been resettled with the final closing of all the IDP camps. The District however remains a safe heaven for Liberian refugees. Reintegration of ex-combatant is still ongoing, but there is a need to make additional efforts to address the tension between host communities and ex-combatant. Social services such as health and education are being provided, though not to the pre-war levels.
Peace building and Human Rights
Protection and Human Rights is the major function of the Judiciary, but it can only perform this function if the legal system is adequately strong, well organized and independent. In the absence of such a system, civil society should supplement that role of the Judiciary. Therefore, the formation of active Human Rights Committees in the District is a step in the right direction. They can educate society about its rights; provide easy, friendly and inexpensive access to justice for victims of human rights violations.
The restoration of the Economy
The economy of this District rests on two pillars, agriculture and diamond mining. Agricultural inputs have been provided, though belatedly, thus hampering the production of rice, our staple food. The number of people legally engaged in diamond mining activities is increasing gradually, thus providing badly needed revenue for the Government. Diamond mining area development fund scheme has been established, and funds under this scheme have been given to diamond mining Chiefdoms for development purposes.
Even though progress has been made as explained above, problems still remain which need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Most common among these problems are:
- Poor conditions of the roads, making most parts of the District inaccessible
- Lack of latrines and safe drinking water in all the Chiefdoms
- Uneven spread of social services in the District
- Late delivery of agricultural inputs and lack of credit facilities for farmers
- Lack of shelter assistance to resettled communities, to rebuild their destroyed town and villages
- Lack of office space, equipments, logistics and training for staff of most Line Ministries
- Over centralization of decision making and resources in Freetown/slow and difficult flow of such resources to the District, thus slowing the recovery process
- Endemic poverty, despite the District’s wealth of natural resources
This report will highlight in detail the progress made so far in the District, in each of the key intervention areas and the problems encountered in the recovery process. Recommendations are also made for the way forward, with a view to bridge the gap between relief and sustainable long-term development.
Source:
DRC Report for Joint NRC / DRC meeting
Kenema, 11 November 2003
Kenema district, one of Sierra Leone's economic backbone commands a very significant position in the country itself. The district is located in the Eastern province of Sierra Leone bordering Kailahun district in the east, Kono district in the northeast, Tonkolili district in the north, Bo district in the west, and Pujehun district in the southwest. The district headquarters which is Kenema town is also the chiefdom and provincial headquarters of Nongowa chiefdom and Eastern province respectively.
District Statistics
Population
Population 2004 (SSL) 350,059
Male Population 2004 (SSL) 179,196
Female Population 2004 (SSL) 170,863
Land Area (sq. KM) 79
No. of Chiefdoms/Ward 2004 (SSL) 16
No. of Enumeration Areas 2004 (SSL) 792
No. of Provisional Households 2004 (SSL) 63,490
Service Delivery as per 2004 Data Packs
No. of primary schools 407
Primary School Enrolment 98'091
No. of Secondary Schools 22
Secondary School Enrolment 12'466
No. of PHUs 80
Hospital IPD Capacity 360
Electricity (NPA) Yes
Telesystem Yes
Post Office (SALPOST) Yes
Avg. Road Condition poor
Infrastructure Damage Index (composite)*
Composite Damage Index 2.721
District Ranking (most damaged to least) 8
* The Infrastructure Composite Index comprise damage index over PHUs, Primary Schools, Local Government structures (court barries and Lock-ups) and condition of Roads reported on a scale from 1 (good condition) to 4 (destroyed), as reported by the members of the District recovery Committee (District Medical Officers, Inspectors of Schools, District Officers and SLRA/NaCSA officers) in June 2003, and as presented in the Data Pack Series. The Damage indexes are equally weighted in the composite index.
