Peter Sam-Kpakra

On the 22nd October 1993 following his successful completion of the Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Development at the Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, the Netherlands, Mr. Sam-Kpakra was appointed as Administrative Officer (cadet) and remained posted in the same Ministry. He was however attached to the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) National Unit as Assistant to the Head (the Deputy Development Secretary) of that Unit where he served till 1997. In his capacity as Assistant to the Head of the ECOWAS National Unit, Mr. Sam- Kpakra helped to implement, coordinate and monitor the implementation of ECOWAS Acts, Decisions and Resolutions in Sierra Leone.

On the 16th October, 1998, Mr. Sam-Kpakra was promoted Senior Assistant Secretary and at the same time appointed to head the ECOWAS National Unit following the posting of the, Deputy Development Secretary who was manning the post to the Ministry of Defense. As Head of the ECOWAS National Unit in Sierra Leone, Mr. Sam-Kpakra coordinated, liaised and monitored the implementation of ECOWAS Acts, Protocols, Decisions and Resolutions in Sierra Leone under the direct supervision of the Minister of Development and Economic Planning (who is the Minister in charge of ECOWAS matters in Sierra Leone and hence member of the Council of Ministers) and the Development Secretary (The Administrative Head of the Ministry). From October 1998 to May 2005, He directed the affairs of ECOWAS activities in Sierra Leone. Critical to that functions of the Head of the ECOWAS National Unit (Now Office) is to attend the Meetings of the Administration and Finance Commission (AFC) which is held twice every year. As the name implies, the AFC examine and discuss the administrative, finances and budget of the ECOWAS Commission and recommend same for approval to the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. Members of AFC who are usually Heads of ECOWAS National Offices also attend other specialized meetings of the ECOWAS Commission and report to the Council of Ministers. Essentially, the AFC is an offshoot of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

Mr. Sam-Kpakra was posted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the unrest that toppled the legitimate Government for 6 months but was recalled to continue his duties in the Ministry of Then Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

In May 2005, Mr. Sam-Kpakra was posted to the Ministry of Finance as Acting Deputy Secretary, and appointed to hold down the duties of the Deputy Financial Secretary (DFS) in charge of the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), now Multilateral Projects Division (MPD). On the 16 April, 2007, He was again promoted Deputy Secretary and remained posted in the Ministry of Finance in the same capacity as assistant to the Head of the Economic Affairs Division. Following the retirement of the substantive DFS, EAD He was appointed to head the Division in January 2008. The Economic Affairs Division was renamed, Multilateral Projects Division (MPD) in September 2008.

The MPD is responsible to interface between the multilateral Financial institutions (MFIs) and Government MDAs. Specifically, the responsibility of the MPD includes coordination of all development projects financed by MFIs and “bilateral” in the form of Loan or grant to assist government undertake development projects. The MFIs that are active in Sierra Leone included the World Bank, the IMF, the African Development Bank, The Islamic Development Bank, The Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa, the OPEC Fund, the Saudi Fund, the Kuwaiti Fund, the Abu Dhabi Fund, the Indian Exim Bank, the China Exim Bank, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, and the International Fund.

As Head of the MPD, Mr. Sam-Kpakra took part in the identification, appraisal, negotiations, approval, disbursement, implementation, monitoring and post completion report of projects financed by MFIs; took necessary actions to ensure that Loan and Grant Agreement’s (as stated in the Covenant) entered into by the Government of Sierra Leone are approved by Cabinet ratified by the House of Parliament and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice gives his Legal opinion as a prior fulfilment for entering into effect of the Loan/Grant Agreement. Furthermore, he took necessary actions to ensures the payment of counterpart funding for donor-funded projects as provided in the respective covenants signed by Government of Sierra Leone; serves as Secretary to delegations attending the annual meetings of multilateral financing institutions; provides briefs on the status of the implementation of externally funded projects especially those funded by MFIs/bilateral on a quarterly basis or as requested by the Minister/ the Financial Secretary; Reviews project quarterly progress reports and makes recommendations for speedy project implementation where necessary; reviewed and recommends the signing of withdrawal applications for replenishment of special accounts or direct payments for goods and services in respect of donor funded projects; he captures and analyze disbursement figures for the appropriate users like the Government MDAs and the private sector and Research Institutions (on request) for their information on a quarterly basis; organize Portfolio review meetings once every year to evaluate the implementation of all projects financed by MFIs with the objective of ascertaining problem inhibiting project implementation, proffer solution in order to accelerate project implementation; undertake site monitoring of projects under implementation to guide approval or not, for certificates issued to MPD for payments of contractors. And maintains a database
on disbursements and other projects information.

As Head of MPD, Mr. Sam-Kpakra was actually the Focal Person for projects financed by all the MFIs in Sierra Leone.

In April, 2018, the present Government separated the merged Ministry of Finance and Economic Development into two ministries and we now have the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. On the 18th June, 2018, Mr. Sam-Kpakra was promoted to the Post of Senior Permanent Secretary (Grade 12) and on the 17th August 2018, he was again promoted to Grade 13 and posted to the reestablished Ministry of Planning and Economic Development as Development Secretary. It is interesting to note that Mr. Sam-Kpakra became the Head of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, where he started his work as Higher Executive Officer in the Civil Service of Sierra Leone in January 1987.

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development is responsible to promote Formulate, Coordinate, Monitoring and Evaluation of National Development Objectives, Policies and Strategic Plans in pursuing sustainable growth and development in line with international commitments.

Specifically, Mr. Sam-Kpakra is the administrative Head of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. As Head of the Ministry, Mr. Sam-Kpakris the principal adviser to the Minister of Planning and Economic Development on policy issues, coordinates all the administrative, Financial and professional matters in that Ministry.

Mr. Sam-Kpakra is a graduate from Fourah College, University of Sierra Leone where he studied, Politics, History and International Relations. He did his Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Development at the Institute of Social Studies, in the Hague, the Netherlands and his Maters in Project Management at the Atlantic International University in Hawaii and Florida, USA. Mr. Sam-Kpakra also undertook dozens of trainings, workshops and seminars on Project implementation, management, control and evaluation, finances and investment; resource mobilization and monitoring and evaluation of donor funded projects