Bangura Urges Finance Ministry Leadership to Be Bold in 2026 Policy Implementation
By: Osman Marah
Minister of Finance Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura has called on the Senior Management Team of the Ministry of Finance to demonstrate bold and robust leadership in implementing economic and public financial management policies in 2026.
He made the appeal during the Ministry’s Senior Management Retreat held from January 14 to 17, 2026, at the Fabulous Resort in York Village, where he stressed that decisive leadership is critical to achieving government policy objectives.
Minister Bangura commended management and staff for closing 2025 on a positive note, contrasting it with the challenges faced in 2024, including slippages under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
“We decided in 2025 that we would not repeat those mistakes. We became sharp and focused to ensure we sustained, maintained, and delivered on the programme,” he said.
According to the Minister, the strong performance in 2025 was driven by strict adherence to commitments made to development partners, supported by the professionalism and resilience of ministry staff who took difficult decisions under challenging circumstances.
He urged all departments to proactively meet their 2026 targets and sustain the momentum gained in 2025, noting that key macroeconomic indicators have now been achieved.
Outlining his priorities for 2026, Minister Bangura highlighted revenue and tax policy reforms, climate finance, expenditure management, budget execution, and innovative financing mechanisms to enhance service delivery.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry’s leadership, Matthew Dingie said the Ministry of Finance bears primary responsibility for mobilising resources to fund government programmes and projects. He said this mandate informed the retreat’s theme: “Repositioning the Ministry of Finance to Enhance Domestic Revenue Mobilisation for Sustainable Economic Stability and Service Delivery.”
Dingie encouraged directors to design policies and programmes for 2026 that align with the government’s Big Five Agenda.
Deputy Minister of Finance I, Kadiatu Allie, described the retreat as a platform for reviewing achievements and challenges while identifying areas for improvement. She said the discussions were expected to strengthen leadership in accountability and transparency, assess progress in budget credibility, debt management, and revenue mobilisation, and deepen financial and macroeconomic reforms.
She also called for improved expenditure management and more impactful social spending in key sectors, including education, health, agriculture, and local councils.
