Sierra Leone Telegraph: December 17, 2022:
According to the new World Bank, Sierra Leone faces many challenges in improving the welfare of its population, but increasing investment in education provision and quality skills will help more Sierra Leoneans to formally Access to opportunities can lead to improved living standards and reduced poverty. Sierra Leone’s Poverty Assessment was launched two days ago by him in Freetown.
The report reviews the country’s track record in reducing poverty and improving the lives and well-being of its citizens.
In 2018, Sierra Leone’s official poverty rate was 57% of the population. Incidence of poverty varies widely across the country, ranging from 23% in Greater Freetowns to 49% in other urban areas and 74% in rural areas. The geographical spread of poverty is wide, with the Northern Province having the highest poverty rate (77%) and the Freetown area having the lowest rate (23%), the report notes.
“If education is a barrier to accessing opportunities, especially in capitals and other cities, increased investment in the sector across the country will help ensure that citizens are equipped with the knowledge and skills for work. It could be a plausible path forward, said Abdu Muwonge, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone.
A key finding from the analysis is that while Sierra Leone faces multiple challenges in meeting the welfare needs of its citizens, there are also untapped opportunities for investment in secondary cities. The report seeks to explain why some parts of the country are poorer than others and the role urbanization can play in reducing poverty.
As in other low-income countries, growth does not always reduce poverty, and GDP per capita does not tell the whole story, says the report.
“Many countries have achieved lower poverty rates than predicted by their GDP per capita, probably because they have good economic and social policies and effective institutions. Middle-income countries (in many cases where economies are embarking on structural transformation paths) appear to be particularly successful in achieving lower poverty rates, perhaps through increased productivity.
“A major driver of poverty reduction over the past decade has been strong urban growth, as evidenced by significant poverty reductions. An estimated 43% of Sierra Leone’s population lives in urban areas.”
The report notes that the number of private sector jobs has increased in urban areas, but many of them are non-wage, low-productivity jobs in retail, and to a lesser degree in transportation, construction and food service. ing.
Population growth is exacerbating pressures on urban economies as the number of young people entering the workforce is rapidly increasing. Low investment in urban infrastructure can constrain economic growth in cities and towns and, consequently, welfare improvements.
The report states that as short to medium term policy priorities, the government should: (a) invest in human capital; (b) increase productivity by investing in secondary cities; and (c) boost growth. It reveals opportunities to promote and improve well-being. ) Improve rural welfare by increasing communication and connectivity between rural rural areas and secondary cities. (d) Continue to aim for universal provision of basic services, including in small villages; (e) agricultural development and improvement; Poverty reduction as about 80% of the rural population depends on agriculture.
The authors believe that this approach can create externalities that benefit both rural and urban populations in a financially responsible manner.
“Secondary cities offer opportunities for non-agricultural employment and can lead to income diversification and increased productivity. Given that we are engaged in agriculture, these gains hold promise for poverty reduction,” said Paul Corral, senior economist at the World Bank and co-author of the report.
You can read the report here:
Sierra Leone Poverty Assessment FINAL
