Sports Manifesto Achievements: SLPP’s Pledges vs. Performance – A Comparative Analysis of the 2018 Manifesto and Reported Achievements
By the Sierra Leone Live Team
Welcome to Sierra Leone Live’s deep dive into the comparison and analysis of the Sports sector in our country, focusing on the promises made by the SLPP government in their 2018 manifesto titled “New Direction” and their achievements after five years in office. Sports play a vital role in uniting our nation, and it’s essential to hold our leaders accountable for their promises towards the development of this sector. We’ll be providing an unbiased, data-driven analysis, comparing the intentions of the SLPP as outlined in their 2018 manifesto with the progress they reported in 2023.
To help you, the citizens, gauge the success of the SLPP government in meeting its sports manifesto targets, Sierra Leone Live is accompanying this analysis with a set of 25 questions. These questions guide your evaluation process, encouraging you to consider accomplishments and areas for improvement holistically.
- Review of the policy and legal environment for sports development.
This is not directly mentioned in the Achievements document. Without specific reference, it’s unclear if the policy and legal environment for sports were reviewed. - Increase in budgetary support for sporting activities, especially football, athletics, cricket, volleyball, and basketball:The Achievements document specifically mentions that the government increased budgetary support for these activities. This shows a direct alignment with the manifesto’s promise.
- Establishment of a Sports Development Fund, financed from various sources, including corporate establishments, international sporting organizations, and the government:
SLPP did not specifically mention this in the achievements. Therefore, it is unclear if this fund was established and how it was financed. - Implementation of a comprehensive capacity-building programme for all sporting disciplines:The Achievements document does not specifically mention this point. It’s unclear if such a program was implemented.
- Reactivation of school and community sporting activities to identify and develop talents for national and international competitions:This point is directly confirmed in the Achievements document, which states that school and community sporting activities have been reactivated to identify and develop talents.
- Resumption of national competition for all sporting activities:This point is implied in the Achievements document through the reactivation of the National Premier League in Football and the introduction of the Female Premier League in 2022. However, it is not explicitly stated if this applies to all sporting activities.
- Establishment of sports academies and provision of facilities for sports development and recreation around the country:SLPP did not specifically mention this in the Achievements document. Therefore, it is unclear if sports academies were established and the additional facilities provided.
- Development of administrative, technical, and support services for sports:The Achievements document confirms that administrative, technical, and support services for sports have been developed.
- Building standard stadium facilities in all regions and Western Rural to enhance the capacity of Sierra Leone:The Achievements document does not mention this point. Therefore, it is not clear if SLPP built standard stadium facilities across all regions.
Additional Achievements (not specified in the 2018 Manifesto):
- Ensured Sierra Leone’s participation in major international competitions, including the AFCON Tournament in Cameroon 2021 and the WAFU Under 20 Boys and Girls in Senegal 2021.
- undertaken a successful institutional rearrangement of sports and football governance institutions, enhancing stability within the institutions.
- The government entirely financed and supported University athletes and officials in both the Africa and West Africa University Games in Ethiopia and Nigeria, respectively.
Out of the nine promises made in the 2018 New Direction Manifesto, three are clearly achieved, as per the 2023 document (increased budgetary support, reactivation of community sports, and development of administrative, technical, and support services). There are partial alignments for two points (capacity building program and national competition), but these are not explicitly confirmed. Four points (review of policy, Sports Development Fund, sports academies, and stadiums) do not have corresponding achievements reported in the 2023 document. There are also additional achievements that were not specified in the 2018 manifesto.
Thank you for taking the time to engage in this review of our government’s actions in the sports sector. Your dedication to holding our leaders accountable for their promises is vital to the progress and development of our nation. We encourage you to refer to the survey provided in a separate post to answer the 25 questions we have prepared based on our analysis. By partaking in this process, you are actively taking part in shaping the future of sports in Sierra Leone. Thank you once again for your active involvement and let’s together drive our nation towards a prosperous future.
Here are the 25 Questions:
https://sierraleonelive.com/slpps-2018-sports-manifesto-25-key-questions-on-implementation-and-achievements/
