Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698831147052.pdf (Sierra Leone)
OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL, FREETOWN P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S ____ [HANSARD] ______________ OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT FIRST SESSION - SECOND MEETING THURSDAY, 6TH DECEMBER, 2018 SESSION – 2018/2019 1 OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL, FREETOWN P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S ____ [HANSARD] ______________ OFFICIAL HANSARD REPORT VOLUME: II NUMBER: 41 Second Meeting of the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Proceedings of the Sitting of the House Held Thursday 6th December, 2018.

2 CONTENTS I. PRAYERS II.

CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY, 4TH DECEMBER, 2018 III.

BILL COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY THE APPORPRIATION ACT, 2019 BEING AN ACT TO AUTHORISE EXPENDITURE FROM THE CONSOLIDATED FUND FOR THE SERVICES OF SIERRA LEONE FOR THE YEAR 2019 AND FOR OTHER RELATED MATTERS.
[THIRD ALLOTED DAY] 3 THE CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE Official Hansard Report of the Proceedings of the House _____________________________________________________________ FIFTH SESSION – FIRST MEETING OF THE FOURTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC _____________________________ THURSDAY, 6th December, 2018.

I. PRAYERS [The Table Clerk, Mrs Bintu Weston, Read the Prayers] [The House met at 10:45 a.m. in Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown] [The Speaker, Hon.
Dr Chernor Abass Bundu, in the Chair] The House was called to Order 4 Suspension of S. O.

5[2] II CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY, 4TH DECEMBER, COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR 2018.

THE SPEAKER: I want to give out a notice now!

In the next Session, your sitting positions will change.

They are giving you problems, so I would change the sitting positions.
Honourable Members, we will go through the record of Votes and Proceedings for Parliamentary sitting held on Tuesday, 4th December, 2018.

Let us skip pages 1 to 4 and we will start with page 5.

Any comments, observations or amendments?

Page 5?

Page 6?

Page 7?

Page 8?

Page 9?

Page 10?

Page 11 and Page 12?

Could someone please move for the adoption of record of Votes and Proceedings for Parliamentary sitting held on Tuesday, 4th December, 2018.
HON ALUSINE KANNEH: I so move THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON MOMOH BOCKARIE: I so second Mr Speaker.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed to] [Record of Votes and Proceedings for Parliamentary sitting held on Tuesday, 4th December, 2018 has been adopted] 5 II BILL THE MINISTER OF FINANCE COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY THE APPROPRIATION ACT, 2019 Being an Act to authorise expenditure from the consolidated Fund for the services of Sierra Leone for the year 2019, and for other related matters.
[THIRD ALLOTTED DAY] [The House resolves itself into a Committee] THE CHAIRMAN: We are going to deal with the report of Sub-Committee 4.

Honourable Members, I am sure you know that today is the Third Allotted Day.

Ordinarily, we should have ended the work of the Committee of the whole House either yesterday or today, but from the look of things we might have to continue dealing with the whole tomorrow and hopefully finish tomorrow; but then we need to adjust ourselves to enable us achieve that objective.
So during the debate, Members of Committee 4 should please hold their peace and allow the others who were not Members of Committee 4 to make their contributions.

You cannot be biting the cake down there and then biting it here as well.

So that is one point.

The second point, we have now to apply the economy of time to make sure that as many peple as possible make their contributions, and that is only going to be possible if I shorten the time I allot to Members wishing to take the Floor.
So I would be quite generous this morning by allotting four minutes per speaker and the aim is that we would take up Committees 4 and 5 today and then Committee 6 tomorrow.

Who knows if you adhere to the prescriptions I have made, we may well be able to complete all three Committees today.

So it is up to you if you cooperate with me, we would achieve that objective.

6 HON.
6 HON.

DICKSON ROGERS: Mr Chairman, I think it is not up to us because you are the umpire, you have to regulate the Parliament as long as you want us to do it, we would follow your instructions Mr Chairman.

THE CHAIRMAN: Yes, it would help me if all of you behave.

So let’s get started.


MR LAMIN YANSANEH: Committee of Supply 4 Vote Heads [the Councils] all to stand part of the schedule.

THE CHAIRMAN: Madam Minister, I want us to agree on this procedure.
Each Head that you call must come out, so that the relevant Vote Controller can identify themselves, so that we don’t have to do it all over again as we did yesterday.
DR PATRICIA LAVERLEY [The Deputy Minister of Finance]: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I move that the following Votes stand part of the schedule for Committee of Supply 4: Vote Heads: 110 - 07 Anti-Corruption Commission Le 5,516,221,900 110 - 13 Sierra Leone Insurance Commission Le 526,099,500 THE CHAIRMAN: When they are here I would give you a nodge with the sound hmm.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Okay.


Vote Head; 112 - 01 Public Private Partnership Unit Le 307,942,100 THE CHAIRMAN: They are not here, just proceed.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Okay.
Vote Heads: 117 - 00 Cabinet Secretariat Le 2,301,902,600 7 131 - 00 Revenue Appellate Board Le 653,087,000 138 - 00 Statistics Sierra Leone Le 7,530,390,800 140 - 00 Mass Media Services [SLBC] Le 1,589,041,300 212 - 00 National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency Le 592,146,000 302 - 00 Ministry of Sports Le 9,781,557,800 305 - 00 Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs Le 11,455,040,200 110 - 00 Office of the Secretary to the President Le 18,251,494,100 309 - 00 Dental and Medical Council of Sierra Leone Le 391,109,800 310 - 00 Ministry of Youth Affairs Le 5,208,560,500 THE CHAIRMAN: Are they here?
Absent.

DR PATRICIA LAVERLEY: Okay.

Vote Heads: 313 - 00 National Youth Service Le 3,167,933,800 403 - 00 Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources Le 2,594,143,500 THE CHAIRMAN: Hmmm DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Yes.

Vote Head 403 - 05 National Minerals Agency Le 2,877,205,800 THE CHAIRMAN: Absent.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Okay.

Vote Head 404 - 00 Ministry of Transport and Aviation Le 42,806,805,500 THE CHAIRMAN: Absent.
8 Votes Heads: 413 - 00 Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission Le 1,230,432,800 701 - 01 Bonthe District Council Le 3,263,402,571 701 - 01 Karene District Council Le 3,957,563,878 701 - 01 Koinadugu District Council Le 5,667,322,526 THE CHAIRMAN: Absent.

Vote Head 701 - 01 Moyamba District Council Le 6,343,414,076 THE CHAIRMAN: Absent.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Absent, okay!


THE CHAIRMAN: Honourable Members, the question is that, the Votes as pronounced by the Deputy Minister of Finance stand part of the schedule.

MR LAMIN YANSANEH [The Table Clerk]: I therefore call on the Chairman, Committee of Supply No.4, to present the report.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Vote heads pronounced by the Deputy Minister stand part of the schedule] HON.
NENEH LEBBIE[Chairperson Sub-Committee 4]: Thank you Mr Chairman, I will take note of that.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, considering the report before us, report of the Sub-Appropraition Committee 4 on the recurrent and development budget estimate for the Financial Year 2019.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, pages 1, 2, 3 and 4 as stated, I want to move for us to consider the General Findings and Recommendations with your leave sir.
INTRODUCTION 9 Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in conformity with Section 112 [6] of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone [Act No.
6 of 1991], and Standing Orders 64 [3] and 66 [1] of the revised Standing Orders of the Sierra Leone Parliament, I hereby, on behalf of the Membership of Appropriation Sub-Committee 4, present the Report of the Committee on the Budget hearings of the Recurrent and Development Expenditure Estimates of Ministries, Departments and Agencies [MDAs] under its purview for the Financial Year [FY] 2019.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, it is important to note that the 2019 Report Appropriation Sub-Committee 4 is presented in line with Government’s New Direction.

MEMBERS: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the under-mentioned Honourable Members were assigned to the Appropriation Sub-Committee 4 to scrutinize the budget estimates of MDAs and Local Councils assigned to them for the period under review: 1.

Hon.

Nenneh Lebbie - SLPP - Chairman 2.

Hon.

Francis Saa Bhendu C4C - Deputy 3.

Hon.


Amadu Kanu- APC - Member 4.

Hon.

Amadu Alpha Bah –APC - Member 5.

Hon.

Mohamed Billoh Shaw –SLPP - Member 6.

Hon.

Paul Samba Conteh- APC - Member 7.

Hon.

Abubakar Fofanah- APC - Member 8.

Hon.

Osman Wurie Jalloh –SLPP - Member 9.

Hon.

Quintin Salia Konneh - INDP.

- Member 10.

Hon.

Mark Mahmoud Kalakoh –APC - Member 11.

Hon.

Alimany O. Kamara –SLPP - Member 12.

Hon.

Ibrahim Bun Kamara (Dr.)- APC - Member 13.

Hon.


Yei Rebecca Kamara- C4C - Member 14.

Hon.

Rugiatu Rosy Kanu-APC - Member 15.

Hon.

Roland Foday Kargbo (Dr) APC - Member 10 16.

Hon.

Ambrose Maada Lebbie –SLPP - Member 17.

Hon.

Ahmed Manasary- APC - Member 18.

Hon.

Peter Musa Moigua –SLPP - Member 19.

Hon.

Latif Abdul Sesay –APC - Member 20.

Hon.

Daniel Abdulia Sesay (Dr) APC - Member 21.

Hon.

Issic Tom Tocker –APC - Member 22.

Hon.

P.C Kandeh Wusu Sesay1 - Member 23.

Hon.


P.C Alie Badara Sheriff III - Member 24.

SUPPORT STAFF The following support staff were assigned to the Committee: Mr Ibrahim Jalloh 1.

Mr Mohamed Koroma 2.

Mr Osman Kokofele 3.

Miss Nancy Magbity 4.

Mr Sulaiman Bah [PRO] 5.

Mr Chairman, Honnourable Members, the Committee sat from Wednesday, 21st to Tuesday, 27th November, 2018 to scrutinize budget allocations of the under mentioned MDAs.

Table 1.
Recommended Vote Heads for Approval VOTE DIVISION VOTE DESCRIPTION TOTAL SUM VOTED 110 110 110 112 117 131 00 07 13 01 00 00 LE Office Of The Secretary To President 18,251,494,100.00 Anti-Corruption Commission 5,516,221,900.00 Sierra Leone Insurance Commission 526,099,500.00 Public Private Partnership Unit 307,942,400.00 Cabinet Secretariat 2,301,902,600.00 Revenue Appellate Board Statistics-Sierra Leone 7,530,390,800.00 Mass Media Services-SLBC 1,589,041,300.00 National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency 592,146,000.00 Ministry of Sports 9,781,557,800.00 Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children 11,455,040,200.00 Affairs Dental and Medical Council of Sierra Leone 391,109,800.00 Ministry of Youth Affairs 5,208,560,500.00 National Youth Service 3,167,933,800.00 Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources 2,594,143,500.00 National Minerals Agency 2,877,205,800.00 Ministry of Transport and Aviation 42,806,805,500.00 Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory 1,230,432,800.00 Commission Bonthe District Council 3,263,402,571.00 Karene District Council 3,957,563,878.00 Koinadugu District Council 5,667,322,526.00 Moyamba District Council 6,343,414,076.00 1.
PROCEDURE Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, one of the traditional functions of Parliament is budget scrutiny, which gives Parliament the power and authority to review previous expenditures of MDAs for Monies allocated to them and approved by Parliament for the purpose of implementing Government Policies and Programmes, as well as, to obtain 12 First-Hand information on how they intend to utilize budgetary proposals for the following Financial Year.
The objective, among other things, is to ensure that Monies allocated to them and approved by Parliament are used for the intended purposes.

In Parliamentary language, it is referred to as “Parliament’s Power of the Purse” as contained in Section 112, sub sections [1 to 5] of the Constitution of Sierra Leone [Act No.

6 of 1991] and Section 3, clauses a & b of the Public Financial Management Act 2016.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the 2019 Statement of Economic and Financial Policies for the FY 2019 with the theme “Fiscal Consolidation for Human Capital Development” is guided by His Excellency, Brigadier [Rt.]

Julius Maada Bio’s New Direction Peoples’ Manifesto with its principles of Disciplined Leadership, Integrity, Efficiency, Professionalism and Delivery [Page 1 Paragraph 2 of the 2018 Presidential Address to Parliament on Thursday 10th May 2018].
To achieve its objectives, the Committee distributed questionnaire to the various MDAs under its purview with the view to ascertaining whether their 2018 Financial Year allocations were judiciously utilized, and to justify how they intend to utilize their 2019 budgetary allocations.
Vote Controllers and their account officers were also summoned to come along with their Vote Service Ledgers and other Accounting Documents containing relevant information on their Revenue [where applicable] and expenditures for 2018 F Y.

To this end, the Committee adhered to certain provisions of the Government Budgeting and Accountability Act 2005; the Financial Administration Regulations of 1998; the Public Financial Management [PFM] Act 2016 and the Fiscal Management Control Act 2017.
Besides, the Committee was also guided in its proceedings by the Presidential Address delivered by His Excellency, Brigadier [Rt.]

Julius Maada Bio on the occasion of the State Opening of the 1st Session of the 5th Parliament of the 2nd Republic held on Thursday, 10th May, 2018, and the Executive Order No.2.

2.
2.

OBJECTIVES OF THE EXERCISE 13 The budget hearing was done against the backdrop of the following objectives: To ensure that Vote Controllers account for their 2018 budgetary allocations and other forms of support received by their MDAs for the FY 2018; I.

To enable Vote Controllers justify how they intend to utilise their 2019 budget allocations, taking into consideration the theme of the 2019 budget; II.
To ascertain whether the submissions of the Above-Mentioned MDAs and Local Councils for the 2019 budget allocations are in consistent with their work plans presented to the Committee; III.

To enhance the debate on the Appropriation in the Committee of Supply; and IV.

To enhance Transparency and Accountability in the Management of Public Funds.

3.
3.

GENERAL FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in performing its functions, the Committee strictly adhered to its Constitutional Mandate and in the process observed the following: I.

That the majority of MDAs examined by the Committee did not receive the total budget allocations approved on their behalf by Parliament.
In cases where attempt is made to provide MDAs with allocations, disbursements are either made late or not sufficient enough to enable the MDAs perform to the expectation of the general public.

The Committee therefore recommends that the Ministry of Finance make available in a timely manner, all allocations approved by Parliament on behalf of the MDAs; II.
That the regular transfers of Vote Controllers and Finance Officers across MDAs without suitable replacement continues to negatively impact their performances.

The Committee therefore recommends that the Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service take serious note of this anomaly and take necessary corrective measures; III.

That most MDAs are in conformity with the Treasury Single Account [TSA] and Executive Order No.2.
The Committee further recommends that the Ministry of Finance and its related partners increase their monitoring mechanisms to ensure more compliance; 14 IV.

That donations received by MDAs are not reported to Parliament as required under Section 118 [7] of the 1991 Constitution [Act No.6].
The Committee recommends that the Appropriate Committee in Parliament look into this issue with utmost seriousness with the view of ensuring that the said Constitutional Provision is strictly adhered to; V. That Revenue Generating MDAs, particularly Councils, are facing difficulties with Chiefdom Administration Authorities as to who should collect Revenue in their Communities/Localities, and who gets what percentage.
The Committee recommends therefore that the Appropriate Parliamentary Committee note this observation with utmost seriousness; and VI.

That most MDAs owed substantial amount of Money for Services provided to them by other MDAs like the Ministry of Energy, Guma Vally Water Company, SALWACO, SIERRATEL, among others.

Therefore, the Committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance put in place mechanisms to ensure that the MDAs involve offset their arrears without further delay.
The Committee further recommends that these service providing institutions Install Prepaid/Metering System to MDAs wishing to utilize their services.

SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS AND FINDINGS Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, below are the specific observations and findings on the MDAs and Local Councils that were assigned to Committee 4: A.

Vote 110 07 Anti-Corruption Commission; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Anti-Corruption Commission was created by an Act of Parliament in 2000 and as amended in 2008.
For FY 2018, the Ministry of Finance gave a budget allocation of Le 20,900,803,139.00 to the Commission.

On this allocation, the Commission received from the Government of Sierra Leone [GoSL] Regular Budget of Le 20,707,294,461.00; Donor funds at the tune of Le 193,508,678.00 and other sources at the tune of Le 4,690,531,344.00.

In total therefore, the Commission received Le 25,591,334,483.00.
According to the Commissioner, donor funds were provided by UK DIFD and UNICEF for the “Pay no Bribe Campaign”, monitor the Social Safety Net and address grievances on corruption 15 related issues.

As at 30th September 2018, the Commission spent Le 23,375,557,457.00.

Having thoroughly examined the supporting documents presented by the Commission on its 2018 budget expenditure, the Committee was satisfied that the expenditure was justifiable.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, to meet its 2019 expenditure, the Commission’s budget submission to the Ministry of Finance was Le 7,313,200,000.00.

However, the Ministry of Finance allocated an amount of Le 5,516,221,900.00 to the Commission for 2019 FY.

The Committee recommends that the 2019 budget allocation to the Commission be approved.

B.

Vote 110 13 Sierra Leone Insurance Commission; THE CHAIRMAN: Before that, why don’t you read out the recommendation that your Committee made.
The Committee recommends that the 2019 budget allocation to the Commission be approved.

That is what I said as stated.

C. Vote 110 13 Sierra Leone Insurance Commission; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee critically scrutinized the manner in which the Commission expended its 2017 and 2018 budgetary allocations, and to seek convincing justification on how it intends to expend, in a responsible manner, its proposed allocation for 2019 Financial Year.
In the ensuing scrutiny, the Committee noted some concerns to which clarifications were provided by the Commission.

For instance, the Committee was concerned about the huge Money expended in 2017 by the Commission on such activities like Official Reception, Entertainment and Hospitality.

In response, the Commission explained that the said Money was mainly used to cover expenditure for conferences and or seminars involving International and Regional Partners.
In like manner, the Committee observed that the Commission expended huge Financial Resources on Insurance in 2018, as 16 opposed similar expenditure in 2017.

Again, the Commission justified the said expenditure on the basis that the disparity was as a result of the increase on both the benefits and age of in and out patients.

For the periods under review, the Ministry of Finance proposed Le 2,632,000,000.00 and Le 2,673,000,000.00 as budgetary allocations to the Commission for 2017 and 2018, respectively.
However, the Commission confirmed that it received in 2017 Financial Year, the sum of Le 3,079,686,528.00 including, Staff and Board Allowances, Insurance Registration Fees [1%], other charges and its role over balance of 2016 Financial Year.

According to evidence presented to the Committee, the Commission expended Le 2,121,336,464.00 from its total amount received and maintained a Cash Balance of Le 958,350,064.00 as at 31st December, 2017.
For 2018 FY, the Commission has so far received a budget of Le1,248,840,539.00 including its role over balance in 2017 and its 2018 budget allocation.

Of the said amount, the Commission has expended Le 1,261,803,214.00 and maintained as at September, 2018, a Negative Cash Balance of Le 12,962,675.00 due to an outstanding cheque that was awaiting payment.

For 2019 FY, the Commission made a budgetary submission of Le 3, 11,000,000.00.
But following critical review by the Ministry of Finance, the Commission obtained a budgetary allocation of Le 526,099,500.00.

Commenting on the reduction from its original budgetary submission, the Commission informed the Committee that the decrease would adversely affect, among others, the completion of its On-going Construction Project of a Permanent office space at Tower Hill.
To address the above challenge, among others, the Commission pleaded that the Ministry of Finance review its decision on the Treasury Single Account [TSA] to enable it retain its 1% fees charges as contained in its Act and taking into account the following factors: that it is not a revenue generating institution, and the intention of the framers of the Act to allow the institution to retain the 1% referred to above.
17 In general, the Committee was relatively satisfied with the manner in which the Commission utilized its 2017 and part of 2018 budgetary allocations, as well as its proposal to expend its budgetary allocation for the 2019 FY.
For the recommendation: Mindful of the proposed activities of the Commission, the Committee views the 2019 budgetary allocation to the Commission as grossly inadequate and therefore recommends that the institution be considered by the Ministry of Finance for a supplementary budget during the course of the Fiscal year.

D. Vote 112 01 Public Private Partnership Unit; Absent, so I skip that one.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Public Private Partnership Unit [PPPU] was established in the Public Private Partnership Act by an Act 2010, and in particular Section 32 of the said Act.

The PPPU was formally operationalised in 2013.

The Unit is mandated to carry out several functions and one of which is to co-ordinate with and provide assistance to contracting authorities in respect of all PPPU projects.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Finance allocated to PPPU Le 610,700,000.00 for FY 2018.

However, the Unit received and expended Le 299,575,900.00.

Considering the important role of the Unit is to augment the “New Direction’s Agenda”, the Vote Controller pleaded with Members to recommend to the Ministry of Finance to release the Unit’s remaining allocation, to adequately meet its 2019 expenditure, the Unit budget submission to the Ministry of Finance was Le 995,200,000.00.
However, the Unit was given a budget ceiling of Le 307,942,400.00 and the same amount was actually allocated.

The Committee considered the Units allocation for 2019 inadequate and recommends a supplementary budget allocation.

E. Vote 117 00 Cabinet Secretariat; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Cabinet Secretariat [CabSec], is a colonial establishment to service Executive Decision-Making during the Colonial era.
18 Notwithstanding, Administrative changes following Independence, CabSec, under the leadership of the Head of Civil Service, continues to exist as a key part of the Office of the President in supporting the decision-making functions of the Executive Branch of the Government of Sierra Leone.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in 2018 FY, the Ministry of Finance approved budget to Cabinet Secretariat was Le 2,553,825,100.00.

However, the Secretariat received Le 1,400,619,437.00 and expended 1,217,058,302.24.
As per the closing bank balance of 30th September presented to the Committee, Le 183,561,134.76 is yet to be expended.

For 2019 FY, Cabinet Secretariat made a budget submission to the Ministry of Finance of Le 5,052,303,200.00, but the actual allocation was Le 2,301,902,600.00.
According to the Vote Controller, the following areas will be affected by the decrease in the original budget submission: Convening Cabinet meetings [official Reception and Hospitality]; Stationery; Telephone and communication; Office stores and supplies; Stationery; Vehicles and maintenance; Local training; and Fuel & oil.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the committee noted the above concerns raised by the Vote Controller and recommends the approval of the Secretariat’s budget allocation for FY 2019.
F. Vote 131 00 Revenue Appellate Board; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the above mentioned Commission is Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Appeal Tribunal.

It is mandated to serve, among other things, as the 19 first ever Level Administrative appeal body under the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 2000 and the Goods and Services Tax Act, 2009.
The Income Tax Act, 2000 empowers the Commission to hear and determined appeals from Tax Payers and make orders such as Reducing or Remitting Assessments for Reconsideration by the National Revenue Authority [NRA].

The Goods and Services Tax [GST], on the other hand, empowers the Commission to deal with disputes on GST Invoices, Returns, Registration and Cancellation of Registration.
Against this background, the Commission’s Mission is to provide convenient, equitable, independent and judicial-like determinations of disputed tax matters.

Its vision therefore is to ensure that it fulfills its role as an accessible, fair, efficient and accountable national institution that responds appropriately to the needs of tax payers and continually improve on services delivered to the general public.
For the Financial Years under review, the Ministry of Finance allocated to this Commission the sum of Le 470,000,000.00 and Le 625,000,000.06 in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Of these allocations, the Commission received Le 469,975,000.00 in 2017 and Le 100,000,000.00 in 2018.

The Committee, however, observed that the Commission expended beyond its actual allocations for both Financial Years, especially in 2018.
In 2018 for instance, the Committee observed that in addition to its actual allocation, the Commission expended Le 358,091,500.00.

Responding to scrutiny questions, the Commission disclosed that the money in question was as a result of role over from its 2017 budgetary allocation which was only disbursed in November and December, 2017.

Like other Ministries, Departments and Agencies [MDAs], the Commission submitted its budget submission to the Ministry of Finance.
After thorough review, the Ministry allocated Le 653,085,000.00 to meet its operational cost.

The Committee therefore, considers the 2019 budget allocation to the Commission under review as adequate and recommends its approval.
20 G. Vote 138 – 00, Statistics Sierra Leone; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, Statistics Sierra Leone came into existence as a body, corporate pursuant to the Statistics Act of 2002 and it serves as the central Authority for the Collection, Processing, Analysis and Dissemination of Accurate, Clear, Relevant, Timely and High quality statistical information on Social, Demographic, Economic and Financial activities to serve the needs of users, including Government and the General public as contained in Section 10 subsection 1.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the original budget submission of Statistics Sierra Leone to the Ministry of Finance for FY 2018, was Le 17,300,000,000.00 but Le 11,957,100,000.00 was however approved and allocated.

From January to September 2018, Statistics Sierra Leone has received Le 2,474,895,000.00 from Government and Le 2,922,738,311.00 from donors given a total amount received to Le 5,397,633,311.00.

Of this amount received, the office has expended Le 3,856,397,592.00.
With regards to donor funding, the Statistician General [SG] disclosed that donor funds were expended on the statistical activities for which they were provided as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with funding Agencies.

Bank balance as at 30th September, accounted for the Le 1,541235,719.00.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the original budget submission of Statistics Sierra Leone to the Ministry of Finance for FY 2019, was Le 12,860,750,000.00 but has been allocated with Le 7,530,390,800.00.

The Office incurred a decrease of Le 5,330,750,000.00.

According to the SG, the reduction will affect Non-Salary Recurrent Expenditure.

The Committee recommends the approval of the allocation to Statistics Sierra Leone for FY 2019.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, on page 12, we have 140 00 Mass Media Services.

I crave the indulgence of this House Mr Chairman, that I go through this one for specific reasons Sir.
H. Vote 140 00 Mass Media Services-SLBC; 21 Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation [SLBC] was established by an Act of Parliament in 2010 as a Public Service Broadcaster to provide Public Service, Independent and Impartial Broadcasting services through the provision of efficient information, education and entertainment that reflect all shades of opinion throughout Sierra Leone, pursuant to Section 10 sub section 1.
The SLBC is a merger between the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Services [SLBS], the Earliest English Language Radio Broadcast Service in West Africa and the United Nations Radio [UN Radio].

Nevertheless, the corporation is one of the sub agencies of the Ministry of Information and Communications.

As such, Government regular budget allocations to this institution are usually channeled through the said Ministry.
However, the Committee’s findings revealed that since it commenced operation, the Corporation has never benefitted from any Government regular budget allocations, and that is serious Mr Chairman.

Over the years, the Corporation has mainly depended on “Own Source Revenue” to meet its operational costs.
For records purposes, the Corporation admitted receipt of Le 262,539,450.00 from Government and the National Democratic Institute [NDI] for the procurement of broadcasting equipment, incentive to freelancers, transport and daily service allowance to cover the 2018 general elections.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in addition to the money reported above, the Corporation further received and expended Le 615,879,110.00 which was mainly generated from “Own Source Revenue”.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in conformity with the New Direction’s Principles of Disciplined Leadership, Integrity, Efficiency, Professionalism and Delivery [Page 1, paragraph 2 of the President’s Speech to Parliament], the Ministry of Finance allocated to the Corporation Le 1,589,041,300.00 out of a budget submission of Le 31,671,615,000.00 for FY 2019.

According to the Vote Controller, the Corporation appreciates Government for such allocation.
However, the Vote Controller pleaded with Members to recommend for additional allocation, so that the Corporation will overcome most of its challenges and compete with other Radio and TV stations across the 22 country.
His appeal was supported by Honourable Members, taking into account proposals by the Corporation to undertake capital expenditure to digitalise its operations in line with the World Electronics Systems Resolution and the construction of six regional offices in Bo, Kenema, Kailahun, Makeni Kono and Magburaka.

In addition, the Corporation has a public debt obligation at the Rokel Commercial Bank to the tune of Le 3,227,787,210.00.

Of this amount, Le 3,039,071,210.00 was used to procure Satellite-Up-Links.
In line with the New Direction’s principle of Efficiency in the performance of MDAs, the Committee viewed the allocation to SLBC as inadequate and therefore recommends a supplementary budget allocation.

I.

212 - 00 National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency [NDLEA]; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency is a creation of the National Drugs Control Act 2008.
The Agency is charged with the responsibility to control and prevent the abuse of Narcotic Drugs; implementing the provisions of International Drug Control Conventions and other related matters.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Finance allocated to NDLEA Le 1,234,625,400.00 for FY 2018, but only received Le 80,000,000.00 for 1st and 2nd quarters and expended the same amount.
The Committee observed that this has rendered the Agency ineffective in carrying out its responsibility which is to control and manage the growing menace of illicit drug activities.

Therefore, the Committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance release the Agency’s 2018, remaining allocation to cover 3rd and 4th quarters expenditures.

For FY 2019, the Agency made a budget submission of Le 1,717,200,000.00 and was given an actual allocation of Le 592,146,000.00.
Considering the critical role the Agency plays in the fight against the use and abuse of Narcotic Drugs and its effect on the youth population in Sierra Leone, the Committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance makes provisions for a Supplementary allocation to the Agency.

23 J.

Vote 302 00 Ministry of Sports; Mr Chairman, I have some portions here which I want to go through quickly before I move on to another phase for proper records.
In this case Mr Chairman, I want to refer to the second paragraph, line 7 which starts from probing.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Sports is specifically mandated to monitor all legally accepted sporting activities in the country.

The Ministry of Finance approved budget to the Ministry of Sports for FY 2018, was Le 7,099,000,000.00.

However, the MDA was allocated Le 8,707,880,107.00 and received Le 8,856,110,107.00, exceeding approved and allocated budget.
According to the Votes Controller, the difference of Le148, 230,000.00 was an extra budget provided to them by the Ministry of Finance to enhance sports support that were not originally captured in the 2018 budget.

In addition, the Ministry received from other sources [games tickets] Le 10,206,000.00.
Probing into the revenue expected to be generated from the Stadium Hostels and the renting of the National Stadium, the Committee was dismayed to note that the Hostels are occupied by “respectable” people for many years without paying for their occupancy at the expense of the State.

THE CHAIRMAN: Respectable is in inverted commas [Laughter].

HON.

NENEH LEBBIE: Yes, because we expect them to behave in a respectable manner.

I am sure, they have not kept on to that.

THE CHAIRMAN: Indeed!

HON.


NENEH LEBBIE: In like manner, the Stadium Management, under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports failed to account to its supervising Ministry the revenue it is generating from renting the facility.
Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee viewed this as a potential undermining factor of the New Direction’s Fiscal Management and Control Measures Encapsulated in the Financial Administration Regulations Act 1998, Public Financial Management Act 2016, Executive Order No.

2, Presidential Address delivered by His 24 Excellency, Brigadier [Rt.]
Julius Maada Bio on the occasion of the State Opening of Parliament on Thursday, 10th May, 2018, and the Statement of Economic and Financial Policies for the FY 2019.

Given the seriousness of the issue, the Committee requested the Ministry to furnish Members with a comprehensive list of all occupants, detailing the time of their occupancy and liabilities as well as a list containing all activities hosted at the stadium and payment made for each FY 2018.
The Committee has already received the said documents and promised to make them available to the appropriate Parliamentary Committee for further consideration and necessary action.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, responding to further probing questions, the Votes Controller disclosed on International away matches of the Leone Stars, directly remitted to the Sierra Leone Football Association [SLFA] without reference to the Ministry and in the event, the Ministry request for accountability, SLFA and FIFA referred to it as political interference.

Therefore, the Committee urged the Parliamentary Committee on Sports to look into these matters.
For 2019 FY, the Ministry submitted a budget of Le 30,094,000.000.00 but was allocated Le 9, 781,557,800.00.

According to the Vote Controller, the decrease from their original budget will adversely affect Sporting Activities, Administration and Capital Expenditures.

The Committee considered the allocation to the Ministry adequate and recommends its approval.
K. Vote 305 - 00 Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Childrens’ Affairs; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the mission of the above mentioned Ministry is to, among other things, “Protect and Promote the Rights of Women, Children, Elderly, people with Disabilities and other Marginalised groups through Development, review, Implementation and Monitoring of Favourable Laws and Policies;…raising the profile of marginalised groups Locally, Nationally and Internationally; Challenging Traditional 25 Laws and Practices that allow Discrimination; and facilitating the Development of a National Culture that believes in and promote Equity and Equality”.
Its vision is to “Promote and Protects the Rights of Women, Children, the Aged, Persons with Disabilities and other Vulnerable Groups through Development and review of Policies, Advocacy, Coordination with Stakeholders, Building Capacity and Effective Monitoring and Evaluation in order to enhance Equity for all”.
Consistent with its Mission and Vision, the Ministry has over the years made strides to achieve several objectives including, but not limited to, the review of the National Gender Strategic Plan, formulation of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy, provide Capacity Building Support to Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors, etc.
In conformity with its mandate in the exercise under review, the Committee scrutinized in details, the judicious use of budgetary allocations made to the above Ministry in 2017 and 2018 Financial Years.

In 2017, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 2,612,900,000.00 to this Ministry.

Of that amount, the Ministry only received and expended Le 1,462,979,300.00 during the course of the Financial Year.

In 2018 on the other hand, the Ministry was allocated Le 4,110,234,000.00.
Of this allocation, the Ministry received and expended Le 2, 734,301,531.00.

In addition to the Government budget allocation, the Ministry admitted receipt of Le 7,580,145,500.00 and Le 4,082,002,720.00 as donor funding for various programmes and activities in 2017 and 2018 Fiscal Years, respectively.
According to evidence presented to the Committee by the Ministry, the donor funding was utilized on the following activities, among others, for the periods under review: Community Mobilization and Referral for Sexual Reproductive Health Services; I.

Support to Persons affected by the Ebola Virus Disease Particularly Orphans and Survivors; 26 II.

Provided support for Training of Trainers workshop for staff of the Ministry on Life Skill Manual; and III.
Capacity Building to the Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors, etc.

IV.

Moving further, the Committee observed that the Ministry has a Public Debt to the tune of Le 1,242,625,200.00 in 2018, as debt owed to certain contractors who provided the Ministry with goods and services.

On revenue, the Committee observed that the Ministry generated Le 6,900,000.00 in 2017 and Le 109,900,000.00 in 2018, as against its initial projection of Le 500,000,000.00 for the same period.
The Committee noticed that there was significant improvement in the revenue drive of the Ministry in 2018, as opposed to the previous year.

The improvement, according to the Ministry, was largely due to a wide range of campaigns mounted to inform community based organisations about the commencement of registration.

Mindful of its mandate and the various areas of its interventions across the country, the Ministry submitted a budget proposal to the tune of Le 35,284,900,000.00 for 2019 Fiscal Year.
After carefully reviewing the said submission, the Ministry of Finance, allocated Le 11,455,040,200.00 to this Ministry, subject to its approval by this noble House.

It was therefore observed that in as much the Ministry is pleased with the proposed allocation, it was apparent that the reduction from its original submission would affect the smooth achievement of such activities like administration and support services, the development of ICT software, the provision of diets, etc.
Nevertheless, the Committee views the 2019 budget allocation to this Ministry as adequate and recommends its approval.

L. Vote 309 00 Dental and Medical Council of Sierra Leone; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Medical and Dental Council of Sierra Leone is a statutory body established by the Dental Practitioners and Dental Surgeons as contained in the National Provincial Ruling Council [NPRC] Decree No.

12 of 1994, and as amended by Parliament in 1996 and 2008 respectively.
The Council is mandated to 27 provide Quality Health Care in all health care institutions in the Country by ensuring that Medical Practitioners and Dental Surgeons adhere to acceptable Medical and Dental Standards and Practices.

In the 2018 FY, the Ministry of Finance approved and allocated Le 468,000,000.00 to the Council, but received Le 75,813,750.00 in 3rd quarter of the FY.
In addition, the Council received from other sources which include Registration and Annual Renewal fees for Local and International Doctors and Dentists; Registration, Inspection and Renewal fees for Health Care Institutions; Certificates of Good Standing for Local Doctors; Sale of application forms and code of ethics documents and sale of old vehicle, the sum of Le 387,810,318.00 and $ 42,850.00.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee observed that the Council expended as at 30th September, 2018 Le 595,519,448.00 which is far above the actual money it received from Government.

In response to the above, the Vote Controller explained that the excess in their 2018 expenditure was a result of own source revenue generated in accordance with Section 35 sub section 1 [a to c] of the Act.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Council, pursuant to Section 41 [1] of the Financial Administration Regulations of 1998, set a revenue target of Le 200,000,000.00 for 2018, FY but generated Le 387,810,318.00 and $ 42,850.00 largely due to increase sensitisation and publicity.

The Council’s revenue projection for 2019, is Le 250,000,000.00 For FY 2019, the Council’s original budget submission to the Ministry of Finance was Le 518,600,000.00.
However, Le 391,109,800.00 was allocated to the Council and the Committee considers the allocation adequate and therefore recommends it approval.

M. Vote 310 - 00 Ministry of Youth Affair [Absent] so I skip this one.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Youth Affairs was separated from the Ministry of Sports to identify and address the numerous challenges of young people in Sierra Leone.
It major function is to Formulate and Implement Policies that are 28 geared towards Youth Empowerment, since young people are many and key in National Development.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for 2018 FY, the Ministry’s approved budget was Le 10,094,617,400,000.00 but was given an actual allocation of Le 7,005,000,000.00 For the period under review, the Ministry received from Government regular budget of Le 4,713,999,960.00 and expended Le 3, 069,652,115.00.
As at 30th September, 2018, the Ministry maintained an account balance of Le 1,644,347,845.00.

That aside, the Ministry also received from UNFPA Le 87,600,000,000.00, which was exclusively utilized for Sexual Reproductive Health Programmes and the Celebration of National Youth Week.

The Ministry further received Le 3,056,558,271.52 from Road Maintenance Fund Administration [RMFA] for drainage clearing.
In 2019 FY, the Ministry’s original recurrent budget submission was Le 9,095,600,000.00, but was allocated to Le 5,208,560,500.00.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the Le 3,887,039,500.00 reduction from the Ministry’s original budget will affect the promotion of youth volunteerism and the promotion of Sexual Reproductive Health Education among youths.
In order to address the numerous challenges of young people in Sierra Leone and to achieve the New Direction’s vision for youths, the Committee recommends a supplementary budget allocation to the Ministry.
N. Vote 313 - 00 National Youth Service [NYS]; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in order to stem the multi-faceted challenges of youths in Sierra Leone with particular reference to young graduates, the National Youth Service Act 2016, was promulgated to generally raise a class of Moral, Patriotic, Physical and Psychosocial Capability among Graduate Youths to undertake a year of compulsory National Volunteer Services in Communities and Institutions.
To effectively perform its functions, the Ministry of Finance allocated to the NYS Le 2,655,000,000.00 out of a budget submission of Le 18,766,000,000.00 for FY 29 2018.

For the same year, NYS received GoSL Regular Budget of Le 1,251,300,000.00 and GoSL Supplementary of Le 808,000,000.00.
In addition, the NYS also received donor funding of Le 296,680,000.00 from UNDP, which was expended for the Inauguration of the NYS, the Passing Out Ceremony of its first batch of Volunteers, the Printing of Materials and Orientation Training.

In total therefore, NYS received and expended Le 2,355,980,000.00 and Le 2,001,304,978.00 respectively.

The NYS, as at 30th September, 2018, maintained a Bank Balance of Le 354,675,022.00.
Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, for 2019 FY, the Ministry of Finance allocated to the NYS Le 3,167,933,800.00.

The increment in the NYS budget allocation from Le 2,655,000,000.00 in 2018, to Le 3,167,933,800.00 in 2019 clearly demonstrates the importance His Excellency The President, Brigadier [Rt.]
Julius Maada Bio attached to the youth issues as encapsulated in His Speech to Parliament, “In the New Direction, the Youths’ problem will not only receive our Topmost Priority, but will also be viewed as a Human Development and Security Challenge” [page.20 paragraph 79].

The Committee therefore considers the allocation to NYS adequate and recommends it approval.

O.
O.

Vote 403 - 00 Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources is the overall institution that is charged with the responsibility to manage the affairs of the Minerals Sector in the Country.
Following the Enactment into Law the National Minerals Agency Act 2012, and the subsequent establishment of the National Minerals Agency [NMA], the responsibility of the Ministry, as a parent body, was then minimised to now handle only policy issues relating to the Minerals Ssector, whilst the technical and professional responsibilities now squarely rest with the Agency.
The Committee critically examined the Ministry’s expenditure for the period under review and observed that in 2017 Fiscal Year, the Ministry received Le 998,583,901.00, whilst in 2018 Financial Year, it received Le 1,239,000,000.00.

30 Based on records examined by the Committee, it was observed that both allocations were entirely utilised by the Ministry.
In addition to the above, the Committee further observed that the Ministry also received, though in kind, donor funding to the tune of $ 101,107.39 and $ 1,116,320.90 in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Responding to probing questions on the judicious use of Donor Funding, the Vote Controller of the Ministry disclosed that the said funding was not directly implemented by the Ministry.

Rather, it was directly implemented by the donors through their project implementation unit established in the Ministry.
The funding, according to the Vote Controller, was predominantly used to finance activities like improving Mineral Governance, enhance Geological knowledge, Artisanal Mining and the Project Implementation Cost.

For 2019 FY, the Ministry submitted Le 3,439,200,000.00.

But following further scrutiny by the Ministry of Finance, the said submission was reduced and then provided the Ministry with an allocation of Le 2,594,143,500.00.
This, in the view of the Ministry’s Vote Controller, is inadequate to enable the Ministry meets its objectives in the next Financial Year [2019], taking into account the enormous tasks ahead with specific reference to public expectation on the performance of the Country’s Minerals Sector.
Given the current responsibility of the Ministry as explained above, the Committee therefore observed that the Ministry is not generating revenue as this responsibility, has since the establishment of the NMA, been shifted to the Agency.

Mindful of the contribution of the minerals sector to the economic growth of the country, the Committee therefore recommends that the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources be considered for a supplementary budget during the course of the fiscal year.
P. Vote 403 - 05 National Minerals Agency [NMA]; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, as reported earlier, the National Minerals Agency is the line agency to the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources charged with the 31 responsibility to, among other things, promote the development of the entire Minerals Sector, Pursuant to Part 3, Section 2 [1] of the National Minerals Act, 2012.
The Agency is performing this function, among others, taking into consideration its vision to ensure that Sierra Leoneans acquire maximum benefits from the Country’s rich mineral deposits.
Probing into the Agency’s budgetary allocations in both 2017 and 2018 Financial Years, the Committee observed that the Agency only received allocation for 2017 Financial Year, to the tune of Le 2,290,000,000.00 whilst in 2018, according to records presented before the Committee, no allocation was released to the Agency despite, allocation was approved by the previous Parliament for the Administration of the Institution.
However, the total expenditure of the Agency for the period under review was Le 6,116,327,781.00.

This amount included Le 3,826,327,781.00 derived from the Total Revenue generated by the Agency as Own Source Revenue.

As at end of December, of the same period [2017], the Agency maintained a Bank Balance of Le 10,122,563,458.00.

In 2018, on the other hand, the Agency expended Le 3,936,300,241.00, mainly from revenue it generated during the course of the year.
With respect to Donor fundings, the Agency received $1,697,594 and Le 379,500,000.00 in 2017, and $ 8,108,000 in 2018.

When further examined, the Permanent Secretary of the Mines and Mineral Resources, who also doubled as the Assistant Vote Controller of the Agency disclosed, that the above mentioned funding was directly managed by the Donors through their Project Implementation Unit Established in the Ministry.
In conformity with Section 18 of the NMA Act 2012, and Section 41 [1] of the Financial Administration Regulations of 1998, the Agency collected and transferred into the Consolidated Revenue Fund [CRF] total revenue of Le 6,851,107,378.32 and Le 7,595,911,171.14 for 2017 and 2018 FY, respectively.

For 2019 FY, the Agency submitted to the Ministry of Finance Le 3,814, 500,000.00 as Regular Budgetary Submission.
After critical review of the said submission, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 2,877,205,800.00 to the Agency.

32 Mindful of the Government’s commitment to diversify the Country’s Economy and increase much needed revenue, the Committee therefore views the 2019 budgetary allocation to this Agency as adequate and wish to recommend its approval.

Q.
Q.

Vote 312 00 Ministry of Transport and Aviation; Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee critically examined the 2017 and 2018 FY budget allocations to the above mentioned Ministry with the view to ascertaining how prudent did the Ministry utilised the said allocations.

To achieve the objective, the Committee, in the first instance established the various allocations made to the Ministry for the FY under review.
Hence, the Committee observed that for the period under review, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 9,812,457,815.00 and Le 11,778,710,720.00 for both 2017 and 2018 FY, respectively.

However, based on documents examined by the Committee, as presented to it by the Ministry under review, the Committee further observed that the Ministry undertook expenditure above its actual budget allocations.
When questioned, the Ministry explained that the differences in the allocations and the actual expenditure were as a result of funds they received to undertake maintenance and repairs of all Government Owned Vehicles.

Additionally, the Committee’s budgetary examination revealed that the Ministry has attracted $ 20,000,000.00 World Bank Project to Finance Project on the “Freetown Integrated Urban Transport”.
The Bank, according to findings, has already made available $ 1 million to commence implementation of the project with the following activities, among others: I.

Hiring of consultancy service to undertake Fiduciary Activities; II.

Hiring of a Safeguard Officer [consultant] for the provision of Technical Support to the Steering Committee during the Project Preparation; III.

Hiring of an engineering consultant to provide Technical Support to the Steering Committee in Project Preparation; and IV.
Hiring of a consultant to provide Support in the Management of the Project.

33 V. With regards projects involving capital expenditure, the Committee observed that the Ministry has a backlog project relating to the completion of work on only two jetties.

The said projects, according to the Ministry, would be completed by January, 2019, subject to the disbursement of funds to offset the outstanding payment relating to the said projects.
Furthermore, the Committee also observed that the Ministry has a public debt to the tune of Le 9,101,552,164.00 as debt accrued for the payment of the 100 buses that were procured in 2014.

On how the said debt could be settled, the Vote Controller said, that the repayment plan is at the discretion of the Ministry of Finance.

Following critical review of its budgetary submission for 2019 Financial Year, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 42,806,506,500.00 to this Ministry.
After closely examining the Ministry’s proposed activities for 2019, the Committee views the 2019 budget allocation to this Ministry as adequate and recommends its approval.

R. Vote 413 00 Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Authority; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the above mentioned Institution came into existence through an Act of Parliament called the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission Act, 2011.
Following completion of other Technical Arrangements, the Commission commenced operation in 2015.

As part of its key mandate, the Commission is charged with the responsibility to regulate the prices charged by utility service providers and thus ensure that they provide members of the public with quality services.
In conformity with its mandate, the Committee observed that since it commenced operation, the Commission has been able to review some of the prices of utilities, conducted audits on their operations, etc.

As part of its commitment going forward, the Commission revealed that it has developed ten [10] regulations which would be eventually brought before Parliament for necessary approval.
34 Disappointingly, the Committee’s findings on the 2017 and 2018 budgetary allocations to the Commission revealed that since its commencement of operation, the Commission never benefitted from any Government budgetary allocation, despite certain allocations were approved by the previous Parliament.

The Commission was, however, only receiving salaries from Government, whilst the cost of operation was met through levies charged from utilities like EDSA, EGTC, etc.
For example, according to evidence presented to the Committee, the sum of Le 1,027,000,000.00 and Le 1,037,000,000.00 were allocated to the Commission in both 2017 and 2018, respectively.

But the said allocations, according to the Commission, were never received and utilised for the intended purposes.
The situation, as observed by the Committee, requires further consideration by the appropriate Committee in Parliament, taking into consideration the negligence on the part of the Ministry of Finance, to implement decisions approved by this noble House.

The Committee therefore, recommends that the appropriate Committees here in Parliament should further look into this matter and report accordingly to the plenary.
The Committee further observed that the Commission did not receive any Donor Funding and has no public debt.

With regards Revenue Generation in consonance with Section 25 [1] of the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission Act, 2011 and Section 41 [1] of the Financial Administration Regulations of 1998, the Commission collected revenue at the tune of Le 3,800,000,000.00 in 2017, thereby exceeding its original target of Le 2,600,000,000.00.
The excess, according to the Commission was largely due to favourable conditions during the course of the FY.

On the other hand, the Commission experienced a significant decline in its revenue mobilisation in 2018.

Total revenue generated within ten [10] months for the period under review amounted to Le 1,400,000,000.00.

According to the Commission, the Financial Constraints faced by the regulated entities accounted for the bulk of the factors responsible for the decline in Revenue Generation.
35 For 2019 FY, the Commission submitted to the Ministry of Finance, a budgetary estimates to the tune of Le 2,012,000,000.00.

This allocation was reviewed by the Ministry and subsequently allocated Le 1,230,432,800.00.
S. Vote 701-01: Bonthe District Council; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee critically examined the 2017 and 2018, budgetary allocations and other forms of support received by the Bonthe District Council with the view to ascertaining whether the Council judiciously utilised Monies provided to it during the period under review.
During close review, the Committee observed that in 2017, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 4,017,196,743.00 whilst in 2018, the Ministry allocated Le 4,402,098,978.00 as Government Regular Budget to the Council.

Like most MDAs, the Bonthe District Council did not receive the total budgetary allocations stated above.

In 2017, for instance, the Council only received Le 1,885,468,288.00, whilst in 2018, it received Le 839,420,148.00 from Government Regular Budget.
In addition to the above, in 2017, the Council also received Le 85,000,000.00 as Donor Funding and Le 160,922,000.00 as support from other sources.

In 2018, the Council also received Donor Funding to the tune of Le 185,520,425.

After critical examination, the Committee observed that the Council expended all allocations received in both 2017 and 2018 FY, as well as funds received from Donors.
According to evidence presented before the Committee, the Council utilised Donor Funding to implement activities on Projects/Programmes relating to Education, Reproductive Child Care, Rural Water and Sanitation and a host of others.

Besides the Government Regular Budget and the various forms of other supports highlighted above, the Council also generated Le 377,506,813.00 as Owned Source Revenue.

36 For the FY 2019, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 3,263,402,571.00 to the Bonthe District Council.
Following careful review of its original Budget Submission, the Committee considers the said allocation as adequate and recommends its approval.

T. Vote 701- 01 Karene District Council; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, Karene District Council came into operation as a result of the recent boundary delimitation that witnessed the reintroduction of Karene District, with the Primary Motive to ease Administrative Inconveniences.
As a new establishment, the Council only commenced effective operation in 2018, following the disbursement of some funds by the Government under the supplementary budget approved by this Honourable House in July, 2018.

For the period under review therefore, Le 1,257,001,225.00 was allocated to this Council under the supplementary budget.

The Committee’s findings revealed that the said allocation was received by the Council and so far, the Council has expended the sum of Le 906,572,000.00.
As at 30th September, 2018, the Council maintained a bank balance of Le 350,429,225.00.

In addition, the Council also expended Le 33,315,000.00 through Own Source Revenue generated during the course of the FY in line with Section 45 [1] of the Local Government Act 2004, and Section 41 [1] of the Financial Administrative Regulations of 1998.

For 2019 FY, the Council made a Budgetary Submission of Le 3,957,563,837.00.
This Submission was critically reviewed by the Ministry of Finance and eventually allocated the same amount.

The Committee therefore recommends its approval.

U.

Vote 701-01 Koinadugu District Council [Absent Mr Speaker, so I skip]; Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for 2018 FY, the Ministry of Finance approved a regular budget of Le 10,826,159,254.80 for the Koinadugu District Council which included Own Source Revenue.
Since the commencement of the FY 2018, the Council 37 has so far received Le 1,905,263,101.00 from GoSL Regular Budget.

In addition, the Council also received Supplementary Budget allocation of Le 445,200,000.00.

The Council received Donor Funding from National Commission for Social Action [NaCSA] to the tune of Le 61,318,000.00 and Own Source Revenue of Le 295,710,800.00 out of a target of Le 800,923,095.00 for the year under review.
Accounting for the shortfall in its original revenue target, the Chief Administrator highlighted the following: Negative Attitude of Tax Payers;  Conflict over ownership of Revenue Sources between the Council and Chiefdom Administration;  Inadequate Staff Strength;  Political Interference;   Inadequate Logistics for Field Staff; Inadequate Sensitisation; and  The De-Amalgamation Process [separation of Falaba from Koinadugu].
 Nevertheless, the Council projected a Revenue Target of Le 1,414,795,075.00 for FY 2019.

In totality therefore, the Council has received Le 2,707,491,901.00.

According to the documents presented to the Committee, the Council has expended Le 2,651,991,901.00 and maintained a Bank Balance of Le 55,500,000.00 as at 30th September, 2018.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, according to the Vote Controller, the Donor Funding reported was exclusively, utilised for the maintenance of Feeder Roads within the District.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for FY 2019, the Council’s Original Budget Submission to the Ministry of Finance was Le 6,156,634,271.00 but was allocated Le 5,667,322,526.00.
It was underscored by the Chief Administrator during the hearings that the decrease of Le 489,311,745.00 from the Council’s Original Budget 38 Submission will affects Primary Health Care, Admin expenditure, Fire Prevention, Youth and Sports and Solid Waste.

The Committee admonished the Council to improve on its Revenue Generation and recommends the approval for the Council’s 2019 budget allocation.

THE CHAIRMAN: I hope nobody is going to impassionate.

Is Koinadugu here?
Is Koinadugu here?

there are no impersonators I hope.

V. Vote 701 01 –Moyamba District Council Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Finance allocation made in favour of the Moyamba District Council for FY 2018 was Le 5,540,408,455.12 as follows: Table 2 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter Le 1,385,102,113.78 Le 1,385,102,113.78 Le 1,385,102,113.78 Le 1,385,102,113.78 Total Le 5,540,408,455.12 However, the Council has only received Le 1,849,170,850.00.
In addition, the Council received Le 50,000,000.00 Donor Fund from UNICEF and the said fund was utilised to Monitor UNICEF Projects in the Kaiyamba, Fakunya, Kori, Kamajei, Kowa, Dasse and Ribbi Chiefdoms in the Moyamba District.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, with regards to Own Source Revenue, the Council, in adherence to Section 45 [1] of the Local Government Act, 2004, and Section 41 [1] of the Financial Administration Regulations of 1998, collected Revenue of Le 752,948,011.00 far below a target of Le 1,976,145,594.00.
The Chief Administrator attributed this Abysmal Revenue Generation to the following: 39 Conflict of interest between Chiefdom Administration and Council Administration on Revenue Collection and Sharing;  Attitude of people to not Paying Tax;  Property Rate is hardly come by;  Insufficient Staff;  Limited Publicity and  The Perception of the Community People with regards to Tax.

 In totality therefore, the Council has so far received Le 2,652,118,861.00 for FY 2018.
As at 30th September, 2018, the Council has expended a total amount of Le 1,664,372,351.00 and Bank Balance of Le 987,746,510.00.

The Council set a Revenue Target of Le 1,891,073,386.00 for 2019 FY and the Committee encouraged the Council to step up efforts in its Revenue Mobilization.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Council’s Original Budget Submission to Ministry of Finance for FY 2019, was Le 6,343,414,074.00.
After a thorough scrutiny of the MDA’s budget, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 6,343,414,076.00 to the Council.

Like the Ministry of Finance, the Committee rigorously examined the Council’s budget and concluded that its allocation is adequate and recommends it approval.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I will remise in my duty if I fail to recognise the invaluable contributions of Honourable Members and Staff of my Committee throughout the various hearings held with MDAs, that were under the Committee’s purview.

At this juncture therefore, please permit me to recognise and commend Members and Staff of my Committee for their tremendous support and collaboration in making this report a success.
Against this background, the Committee hereby recommends that the Report of the Appropriation Sub-Committee No.

4 with the exception of those who are absent be 40 adopted by this Honourable House and that the Budget Heads including the Sub-Heads of MDAs and Local Councils listed below in respect of budgetary provisions for the Financial Year 2019, stand part of the schedule.
VOTE DIVISION VOTE DESCRIPTION TOTAL SUM VOTED LE Anti Corruption Commission 5,516,221,900.00 Sierra Leone Insurance Commission 526,099,500.00 Public Private Partnership Unit 307,942,400.00 Cabinet Secretariat 2,301,902,600.00 Revenue Appellate Board 653,085,000.00 Statistics-Sierra Leone 7,530,390,800.00 Mass Media Services-SLBC 1,589,041,300.00 National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency 592,146,000.00 Ministry of Sports 9,781,557,800.00 Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and 11,455,040,200.00 Children Affairs Dental and Medical Council of Sierra Leone 391,109,800.00 Ministry of Youth Affairs 5,208,560,500.00 National Youth Service 3,167,933,800.00 Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources 2,594,143,500.00 National Minerals Agency 2,877,205,800.00 Ministry of Transport and Aviation 42,806,805,500.00 41 413 00 Sierra Leone Electricity and Water 1,230,432,800.00 701 701 701 701 01 01 01 01 Regulatory Commission Bonthe District Council …………………………………… 3,263,402,571.00 Karene District Council 3,957,563,878.00 Koinadugu District Council 5,667,322,526.00 Moyamba District Council 6,343,414,076.00 Faithfully submitted by: Honourable Nenneh Lebbie [Chairman] THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Lady Member and Chairperson of Sub- Committee 4 for a very bolden presentation of the report of Committee 4.
I would now invite Honourable Members to make their contributions to the debate and preference would be given to Honourable Members who were not Members of the Sub-Committee 4.

So please, those of you who have had the bite of the mango down there, hold your peace and allow others to make their contributions.

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Mr Chairman, I am not necessary debating on the Committee’s report.
I want to appeal to you particularly, so for Local Councils who are outside Freetown, they were all here for the Committee hearings.

Unfortunately, we did not tell them and they were supposed to be here for the report.

I want to appeal that we pardon them for this year’s Committee report, but of course next year hopefully, they will be adequately informed.

They have always been in compliance when summon by this Parliament, that is my appeal Sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: Honourable Chairman of the Finance Committee, I heard you.

I am very sympathetic to that appeal.

I can see Honourable Lahai enthusiastically supporting you, because I am sure he would also want us to take Falaba into account, but 42 remember we have the Vote Controller of Bonthe District who had travelled from all the way through hazardous roads and by sea to get here.

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: The Councils present here now were here already, they were having some meetings in Freetown.
THE CHAIRMAN: How can you be sure of that?

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: I spoke to them yesterday, that is just the basic fact.

Thank you Sir.

THE CHAIRMAN: Let’s do a deal, if you want me to accede to that request Honourable Lahai, you promised me that you will be of good behaviour from now henceforth.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: My Chairman, I am a well behaved person and I would continue in that regard.

THE CHAIRMAN: Thank you, but that is an assurance.


The debate is now opened if you know you are a Member of that Sub-Committee, please don’t waste our time.

HON.

SAHR CHARLES: Honourable Sahr Charles of Constituency 028 representing the people of Fiama, Kamara and Gbense Chiefdoms in the Kono District.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want to start by commending Members of Committee 4 for a job well done.
Their report is succinct I believe through the Dynamic Chairmanship of Honourable Nenneh Lebbie and her Vice Chairman Honourable Saa Francis Bhendu, I have no doubt in that team, they are capable of doing something.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, when you look at this report, drawing a clue from the previous reports that we have heard in this Well, it is clear that most of the general observations were untrue.
In the area of the late allocation or disbursement of money to these MDAs is something that is very serious.

The Ministry of Finance needs to look into it seriously, because if these MDAs must achieve their targets for the Financial Year, I believe they cannot achieve it without their votes and therefore we are asking that the Ministry of Finance looks into this one seriously, especially those MDAs that are 43 Non-Revenue Generating, let’s give them priority.
We can understand with those ones that are Generating Revenue or Income Generating MDAs, but those that are not, I believe the Ministry should give them priority in terms of disbursement.

In the area of Senior Officials, Vote Controllers so to speak, from the findings of the various committees, it is clear that this has been something that has hampered the performance of these MDAs when they face the Committee, I don’t want to see it as a problem.
The problem is not about the transfer you can be transferred, but today, whosoever comes must have the proper record that should be our focus.

We should not cry about the transfer that people must not be transferred here and there, it disturbs our work, we should move beyond that.

If you are transferred, I believe whatever office you are leaving, you must leave record.

Record must be put straight.


Whosoever is coming to take after you must have that record, our focus should be concentrated on record instead of crying over transfers.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, In the area of sport, the Ministry of Sports is hardly commending the Committee, I supported the recommendation to look into the management of the National Stadium.
When I heard about the report that over the years no proper account has been given for the management and running of the National Stadium with all the economic activities that have been going on there, I wondered what is going on.

If the Committee has gone further, and has got some documents which I believe being a Member of the Sports Committee, would assure this nation that we would look into it as a Committee and appropriate actions would be taken duly.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, if you look at the area of allocation to the Local Councils, it’s something we want the Ministry of Finance to look into.

Local Councils across the country for now, I believe is the backbone for all the MPs here, because our functions have been limited to representation and oversight.
So, I believe whatever development that is taking place in our Constituencies now fall in the hands of our Councillors, so therefore, we are asking that the Ministry gives consideration to the allocations they make to the Local Councils.

44 Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the SLBC is the Parent Broadcaster in Sierra Leone since its establishment in 2010, it’s still a shame that they have not received any allocation from Government.
It’s high time we start taking issues of this Country serious especially, State owned institutions.

If you see African Young Voices [AYV] all over the place making money, making headways, I believe Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation also has the capacity to do that, if only we give them the support they deserve.

When you hear from the report of the Committee, out of total of Thirty One Billion that was submitted by the Corporation to the Ministry of Finance, what was approved was One Billion.
This is really sad and when you look at the potential of growth for SLBC, it’s so great.

So, I’m adding my voice to the Committee, that the Ministry of Finance gives due consideration to SLBC for any upcoming supplementary Finance Bill that may come.

I will end up by saying that the issue of budget is a very paramount issue, and therefore, as a nation, we must treat this particular event with all seriousness.

It’s sad that the MDAs that are invited to be here are giving excuses.
This is very sad except otherwise, but we are expecting all these Votes Controllers to be here and answer to questions, they need to be here telling us their capacities and if they are capable enough to answer to the concerns coming out from Members of Parliament.

That should be our concerns, it is not the matter of just identifying people to represent, it is something we must treat seriously.
You are dealing with Public Money for God’s sake, therefore on the whole, I want to say that Committee 4 did a very brilliant job, and I want to commend them very much.

Thank you.

THE CHAIRMAN: I want to thank the Honourable Member for the very salient contribution that he has made to the debate.
Whiles the mic is on its way to the Honourable Member, may I on behalf of the House welcome the Pupils and Teachers of International School, who are here to observe proceedings of Parliament, I hope you will have something to learn from the proceedings today, and it will put you in good stead in your studies in school.

You are welcome!

HON.

IBRAHIM KAMARA: Thank you Mr Chairman.


My name is Honourable Ibrahim Kamara of Constituency 063, Karene District, and I am coming from a Constituency that 45 is more democratic than any other Constituency in this Country.

The reason being, I have in my Constituency three Wards and these three Wards are evenly distributed.

I have SLPP Councillor, APC Councillor, and that of NGC.
Having said that, I want to congratulate the Deputy Minister of Finance for your patience and dedication since we started the debate on this Finance Bill, I want to thank you for that.

I am also using the same vein to say big thank you to all representatives of our MDAs that are here this morning.

I am sure, you are respecting the call of the Parliament.
Now let me go to my home, Karene District Mr Chairman, Honourable Members of Parliament, after our last Population and Housing Census, the then Government introduced or created two additional Districts, these include Falaba District and Karene District.

Also, we have 20 Constituencies in addition to what we had at that time, that is why some of my colleagues over there are fortunate to be here.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members of Parliament, without much ado regarding Karene District, I want to heartily commend the Council, the Chairman and his entourage that are here this morning for a wonderful work.

As a new District, they received their first allocation through supplementary budget in 2018, and they judiciously spent what was given to them.
If you look at this report Mr Chairman, we have a remaining balance of Three Hundred and Fifty Million, Four Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand Two Hundred and Twenty Five Leones in the coffer of Karene District.

That shows the Chairman of Karene District and the entire staff are extremely doing well, so I want to commend them for that.

Karene District has performed extremely well this time, they presented a budget about Three Billion Nine Hundred and Fifty Seven Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty Three etc.
Automatically, the Minister of Finance approved all of them without reducing a single cent, that is a clear manifestation that indeed Karene District is in for the right thing.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, let me zoom briefly on the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation [SLBC].
when I am listening always, sitting in my quiet room watching SLBC and there is a kind of advert on SLBC saying, “SLBC is the first West Africa broadcaster”, if you go to SLBC, and when you look at the infrastructure and then 46 you look at the Staff working at SLBC, you will bow down your head in agony.

Dilapidated buildings, their appliances are not up to standard, but if you look at the staff of SLBC, especially the male staff, smartly dressed always.
And if you look at the female staff they are also fine.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members of Parliament, SLBC over the years has suffered unduly.

Let us look at the screen now, that is SLBC at work, they are suffering.

Their own revenue is what they managed to run the entire management, these revenues are raised by their own methods of raising or generating revenue for themselves.

They were not receiving Regular Budgetary allocation from all successive Governments.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, SLBC deserves urgent Financial attention.

I am sure after the budgetary debate, maybe few weeks later, if you go to SLBC, you would see for yourselves and then you would realise the amount they requested for about Thirty One Billion, there was no reason to reduce that amount to One Billion Leones, it’s very unfair to them.

So at this moment, I have more to say but somebody is whispering to me that I must stop here so far.

Thank you very much.


THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution.

I was particularly struck by the statement you made about Karene District considering the fact that those of us who were born in Port Loko District, have become part of Karene District by Legislation.

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: Thank you Mr Chairman.

Mr Chairman, before I contribute to the debate, let me say few things that you need to know.
The lead Clerk for Committee 4, Mohamed Koroma and I communicated not too long ago on the Youth Ministry, it is a very important Ministry in Sierra Leone and for the Youth of this Country.

The Clerk said, he communicated to the Ministry for them to be present here today, but they are absent, that is serious.

Maybe they are here now but they were absent when we called them.
Mr Chairman, let me say few things about the Budget, being the Chairman of the Committee of Internal Affairs, I want to talk about the National Drug Enforcement 47 Agency which is a very important Agency in the Republic of Sierra Leone.

If we are talking about tackling Drug Abusers Mr Chairman, in the Committee 4 report, what is written here is, that the Agency applied for One Billion, Two Hundred and Thirty Four Million, Six Hundred and Twenty Five Leones but what they received was Eighty Million Leones.
This is a joke Mr Chairman, because how will you expect that Agency to run behind the Drug Abusers in the Ghettoes.

So, I am asking the Minister of Finance, craving their indulgence to help that Agency.

THE CHAIRMAN: Is that their role?

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: I am trying to call on their attention to do the necessary thing Sir.
So therefore Mr Chairman, I am not saying much really, because this is just the area that I want to deliberate on, being the Chairman of Committee of Internal Affairs, I believe this Agency should be treated seriously.

I thank you Mr Chairman.

HON.

HASSAN A SESAY: Mr Chairman, there are few things that came up when the budget from Committee 4 was read.

One relating to SLBC and I am just continuing to hammer home things that we ought to know.
Now we are all talking about how AYV is making tremendous progress in the media industry, but yet SLBC is still even though the oldest, yet it’s still lagging behind in terms of quality, in terms of what they do to satisfy the needs of our Population.

Mr Chairman, if they are putting a request of Thirty One Billion and then they are given One Billion Mr Chairman, I don’t know whether we are neglecting them or we don’t know the importance of the media in the Governance Process.
Maybe if they had been given something like Ten Billion, we will understand, but One Billion is ridiculous.

Here was the Minister of Finance yesterday on 98.1 talking about Extra Budgetary Pressures, because of more demands from State House, that is a politically incorrect statement to make in the Public Domain.

You don’t say that, no matter what, there are certain things they might be correct, they might be accurate but politically they are incorrect.
I am sure the Minister must be careful what he says in public.

Now my colleague on the other side was talking about Eighty Million, given to the Drug Enforcement Agency, and then he was talking about chasing them in the Ghettoes.

I want to correct my 48 colleague; I remember when we interviewed the Chairman of the Board, he was talking about putting together a Strategic National Drug Policy.

Going to the Ghettoes is the work of the Police, the work of the law enforcement Agency.
There are bigger issues to deal with drugs than going to chase the boys at the ghettoes.

I think the funds for that are not meant for that purpose I just want my colleague to understand that when we talk about National Drug Policy, it is more encompassing than going to chase the boys at the ghettoes.

How do we prevent drugs like tramadol getting into our internal system to prevent our young people from abusing those drugs?
How do they put together a constructive policy that will prevent the import of drugs like cocaine?

Those are the things that we must pay attention to, so I think those areas are just areas I want to highlight for now, because we know that there is much more for them to do than going to chase the ghetto boys.

That is what the Police can handle anytime, we have the capacity.
The Police have the capacity to do that and I don’t think as long as allocation has been made to the Police Force that is part of their responsibility.

They will handle it, but for the National Drug Enforcement Agency, there is much more for them to do and the monies allocated to them are still small.
So I am asking that the Ministry of Finance try to lift up what they allocate to Drug Enforcement Agency so that they become a more robust institution for the duties that they are supposed to handle in terms of improving our national lives and making sure that these drugs that are dangerous do not get to our young people and thereby demeaning the population as a whole.

I thank you very much Mr Chairman.

[Suspension of S.O.

5[2] HON.


JOSEPH WILLIAMS-LAMIN: Mr Chairman thank you for giving me the podium to express my opinion on this third allotted day on the appropriation of the 2019, budget.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want to add my voice to what my colleagues have said about SLBC.
Indeed it is true of the appalling condition of SLBC, I have been to that building several times and I was wondering what happened to the South Korea funds, because there was so much noise made about that funds by our leader about South Korea.

They said, they are going to revamp SLBC, but to my 49 greatest disappointment when I entered especially the ‘Morning Coffee’ room I merely shed tears; when I saw the poor condition.
When I looked at my colleagues there, he was hitting the Table, a former Minister of that entity during his term of office he did absolutely nothing to that building.

On that note Madam Deputy Finance Minister, please my colleagues have recommended supplementary budget for this institution, I crave your indulgence and your team to please consider SLBC.
They are representing us, even yesterday when our Speaker wanted the whole country to hear what we are saying, he called upon them and they immediately came to our aid to disseminate information to the country.

On that note, I crave your indulgence, to consider something for that institution.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want to quickly go to the Ministry of Social, Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs budget.
This Ministry is running into deficit of Le 1,242,625,200, this is the fabric of the human being.

When you talk about the husband and the wife, when we talk about our existence on planet earth this is the beginning.

This is the home the best institution where husband and wife will nurture their children and on that note Madam Deputy Minister, I crave also your indulgence that the budget of Le 11.45 Bln Leones submitted to your Ministry, let it be swiftly approved.
We only have 49 Social Workers and we want miracles to be done to this nation.

I crave your indulgence that this Ministry be considered especially taking into consideration there is a perfect decorum in this Ministry this time, not as 2017, Hajj, which came with tremendous blame on everybody in this nation.

We want this Ministry to continue, come 2019 Hajj, they would be able to perform their duty to the entire nation not only to one part of this nation.
On this note Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I rest my case that this 2019, budget be approved.

Thank you.

HON.

P.C KANGBAI J. MACAVORAY III: Mr Chairman, colleague Members of Parliament, when I peruse this report, I want to commend the Committee but it needs some comments on page 6 Section 5 when they said the Councils are facing problems with the Chiefdom Authorities.

Mr Chairman, in the other way round, it is the Chiefdoms 50 that are finding problems with the Councils.
Mind you, the Chiefdom Council was formulated by Parliament in 1937.

The Local Government Act came into being in 2004, 67 years difference.

The Chiefdom Council is older than the Local Council Act.

In view of that, it is the Chiefdom Council that have gained prominent over the Councils.

You may recall that the only reliable source of income which the Chiefdoms have is the local tax.

Out of every Five Thousand Leones, One Thousand Leones goes to the Councils as precepts 40% as by law established.
One Hundred Leones goes to every town or Section Chiefs in our respective Chiefdoms.

What is remaining with the Chiefdom is One Thousand Eight Hundred Leones out of every Five Thousand Leones.

Out of the One Thousand Eight Hundred Leones, we have to pay the Chiefdom functionaries.

When I became Paramount Chief in 2002 my own salary was One Hundred Thousand Leones per month that was generated from the Local Tax.
When I was paid for three months for the rest of the nine months, I did not have anything because there was nothing for me to be paid with.

Five years later that amount went to Five Hundred Thousand Leones from the source of the Local Tax.

At this moment as I am talking to you Mr Chairman, every Paramount Chief in this country is paid Two Million Leones per month, that one is not even forthcoming.

So when people begin to cry about Salaries, we are not getting any salary we are getting stipends.
I wonder, the Deputy Minister of Finance is here if ever any budget has ever come to Parliament for the Chiefdoms?

We do not even have Vote Controllers, because we have nothing to control.

When they tell us that Auditors are coming to our Chiefdoms, I laughed.

What are they coming to audit?

Let me tell you about the Local Courts, since the 2011 Act has taken the Local Courts from us, we have no control.
All of you here are coming from Chiefdoms so therefore, it is better for you to give me audience for me to express this unfortunate situation that is happening in our Chiefdoms.

Out of the 190 Chiefdoms, there are other Chiefdoms that do not even have Government Police post, if ever they are there, S.O.

2 “dem nar panbodi Police post”.


Out of the 190 Chiefdoms those 190 are divided into three categories, class A Chiefdoms have 8 Police men they called them the “badas” because they want to make fun of them.

Class B Chiefdoms have 5, class C Chiefdoms have 3.

Last year we received letter from Government, that we should begin to pay our 51 Chiefdom functionaries the minimum wage of Five Hundred Thousand Leones.
We have accepted that and we have begun paying them but we paid them once per year because we don’t have any revenue to pay them and the unfortunate thing is that Mr Chairman, The Treasury Clerks or the Chiefdom functionaries are not on any pension when they retired.

Of course as Paramount Chiefs, we are not on pension, when you die, you are dead for good so we don’t receive pension.
This is the situation I want to put to the Minister for them to see how best this situation could be handled so that they should be giving grants to Chiefdoms.

From 1937, the Chiefdoms had been collecting revenue, but all those revenue areas are now being transferred from us to the Councils.

Therefore, we are not getting anything Mr Minister.

So we are craving your indulgence for you to help us to direct the situation wherein we would also begin to get revenue to boast up our morals in our Chiefdoms.
One thing you need to appreciate here is that with all our problems and sufferings, you have never heard any Chiefdom going on strike.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the issue here is that the structures are set in the Chiefdoms in such a way that there is no provision for strikes.

We had to manage our own situations, so we are craving the indulgence of Parliament and Government particularly the Ministry of Finance, to look into this constraint we have.

Some Paramount Chiefs even ride “okadas”.


The other day, when they asked us why we do not put our medals on?

How could I put my medal on and sit on “okadas”?

How can I take a Chiefdom Police to be moving around with me on “okada”?

Who is going to be very funny?


Now they say whenever somebody defaults paying the Local Tax in our Chiefdoms, when you are brought to Court you pay three times, that is to say when you failed to pay the Five Thousand Leones when you are brought to Court you pay Fifteen Thousand Leones.

That is a Criminal Offence, but where are we going to keep those people?

We do not have cells and these are some of the problems we are facing.
Mr Chairman, we only see the politicians including myself during the campaign period, because we want to come to Parliament and after that they disappeared.

Like in my own Chiefdom, they always ask me why they don’t normally see me in the 52 Constituency?

But I used to tell them that, I am always busy at Parliament and the money I get is so small that I will not always be in the Constituency.
Fortunately for us, the current President is a son of a Paramount Chief and I am quite sure our situation is going to be better now than we were.

Thank you Mr Chairman.

MR CHAIRMAN: I think quite frankly that the Honourable Paramount Chief deserves an applause [Applause].

I want to thank you sir.

I find your contribution as much instructive as it is constructive.

I thank you very much indeed and I do hope that your message would be heeded by the “Powers that be”.

I will take three more speakers.


It has been a while since we heard from a lady, I will recognise the Honourable Emilia, after that Honourable Mohamed Bangura and after Mohamed Bangura, it will be Honourable Kandeh Yumkella.

Honourable Emilia, you have the Floor.

HON.

EMILIA LOLO TONGI: Thank you Mr Speaker, Honourable Members.

Mr Speaker, I want to thank the Honourable lady, after I heard her reading her report, I got the understanding, that it is coming from a lady.
When ladies work they do perfect jobs and I thank you very much my fellow colleague.

I want actually to start by us turning to page 6[v], the revenue generating MDAs particularly Councils are facing difficulties with Chiefdom Administration Authorities as to whom should collect revenue in their communities, localities and who gets what percentage.
The Committee recommends therefore, that appropriate Parliamentary Committee note these observations with utmost seriousness as if she was with me on Saturday when I had my Constituency meeting.

Honourable Members, in my Constituency, we generate a lot of monies.

We have been generating monies from the daily market dues, we generate monies from the Friday markets where we receive Liberians, Guineans as well as the ones we generate from Timber, Coffee, Cocoa that we actually bring down to Freetown.
We also generate monies from Income Tax.

We have like 9/10 of these, but where does these monies go?

I got to understand that in the Chiefdom account, not a single cent was found.

So where are these monies going?

I am now asking Madam Minister who receives these monies and where the Constituency or Chiefdom revenue is going?

I am asking because these monies are collected and sent to those District Headquarters.
53 Let’s find out because we are trying to give them more monies, S.O [2] “take moni ston moni”.

We want to know what is actually happening to our monies.

And as you all know, this is the New Generation, and I believe this new generation is the Right Direction, so Madam Minister please, we are not after the monies that has been allocated to these District Headquarters; as Members of PAC trust me, this time around, we are all here and we are not going to take ordinary explanation.
At the end of next financial year, we want explanations that tally with documents.

Honourable Thomas Paul Segepoh, who is Chairman is ready for this.

I have said it here, the monies you guys are seeing here that looks like telephone number are people’s moneis.

Once it is people’s monies, we have to utilise it correctly and for the right purpose.
As a lady amongst them, my actual body language would tell you that this time, we are really, really going to get and make sure all these “hanky pankey” should stop in these Institutions, it is too much and it’s high time it stops.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, now I want to come to SLBC.

SLBC started when a lot of my colleagues were probably not born.

It was in black and white and monies have been allocated to it.
SLBC has received donors, but can you believe up to now we cannot receive SLBC in Kailahun District?

It was the first Broadcasting station we have in this Country, so let us know where these monies are going.
If we are allocating our monies to SLBC, let it be distributed to the rest of the country, because it has been 57 years or so, some of you were not born when SLBC started operating, so please Madam Minister, the monies allocated to them probably is fine though, people make positive comments about them that they are actually doing the right thing by extending News to us.

We are all Sierra Leoneans even though we are at the extreme end of this Country, we are still Sierra Leoneans.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, For the Drug Enforcement Agency, the enforcement is growing in other areas but it is not growing in Freetown.

You go over there, then you will realise that a lot of these drugs are coming into this country through the border.

I am saying this over and over but you are not actually taking me seriously, but it is high time you did so.

Let us make the Drug Agency has an office 54 over there, because their own Headquarter is in Freetown.
On that note, I would crave the indulgence of my fellow Parliamentarians to please approve these Votes.

I would like to end up by saying a slogan because lots of students and pupils are around and among them are school girls, our girls are going through hell in this Country and for the fact that they are here is an inspiration for them.
I am sure in their small brains and minds, they are thinking oh boy, in the next 15/20 years I would be like Mr Speaker; I would be like Honourable Nenneh; they are thinking of taking your places, but there is something very dangerous that is actually hindering them and that is the men and the bad boys in this Country.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for that reason, Her Excellency, the First Lady has a slogan and this fight is her baby’s fight and I would like as I said Mr chairman, to actually allow me to repeat the slogan here for those girls there; Gentlemen, “Hands-off our girls”, they are your future sisters-in-law, daughters- in-law.

Thank you Mr Chairman for allowing me to say “Hands-off our girls”.

THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Lady for her contribution to the debate.

HON.
HON.

MOHAMED BANGURA: Thank you Mr Chairman.

THE CHAIRMAN: I am going to listen with keen attention to what the Honourable Mohamed Bangura has to say.

So much has been said about the SLBC and once upon a time, he was the Minister with responsible for SLBC.

HON.

MOHAMED BANGURA: Mr Chairman and colleague Honourable Members, the issue of SLBC, should be taken seriously.

My colleague Member of Parliament did say that I was once a Minister there, and I did nothing.
I pity him Mr Chairman because he did not have the opportunity to serve in the Executive.

In this Well I think only the Speaker, Madan Minister and Dr Kandeh Yumkela have had the opportunity to serve in the Executive.

Mr Chairman, SLBC needs to be looked into.

It requested for 31bln and was allocated the sum of 1bl.

It is a shame for the operation of SLBC, it is not even better; it’s a non-starter, I will tell you why.
Yesterday, the Honourable Chairman summoned the SLBC staff to this Well to give us Live Coverage and they came.

Do you 55 know how much money they lost?

They cannot compete with AYV.

For the SLBC, whenever the President has a programme, they go there and cover it live.

THE CHAIRMAN: Order!

Let us give him order.

HON.

MOHAMED BANGURA: Don’t worry Mr Chairman, they are still to learn and they have a lot of things to learn.
Mr Chairman, SLBC needs half of what they asked for at least Le 15bln, if they are to compete.

The operations of Government cannot be broadcasted live without SLBC.

Let me tell you what I did, bearing in mind the 14 Months I served in that Ministry.

14 months under my tenure, I took SLBC to the provinces.
Mr Chairman, Le15bln at least should be given to SLBC, they have to hire Staff, they have to open up offices in the Provinces, no matter what they are now receiving, they are still able to give us Live Coverage; not only here in Parliament, but even with His Excellency the President, including Conventions of Political Parties, I mean the SLPP and the APC.
They cover it live, so more attention needs to be given to them, that is why I am very happy this morning that speaker after speaker have pointed out the fact about SLBC and I hope the Deputy Minister is taking note of SLBC.

Mr Chairman, Stadium Hostel alone has the potential to generate income for the Ministry of Sports.

In the past, you have Government Officials, Party Stalwarts occupying Stadium Hostels and they are still there.
So I am happy Madam Chairperson in your report, you highlighted these things, that if only Stadium Hostels can be renovated, they stand a chance to generate income for the Ministry of Sports.

THE CHAIRMAN: I think the report was over-generous; they refer to them as the ‘Respectables’.

HON.

MOHAMED BANGURA: Mr Chairman, I would tell you for sure that either “Respectable” but the Stadium Hostels has the potential to generate its own income.

THE CHAIRMAN: Provided this so-called “Respectable” people pay.
HON.

MOHAMED BANGURA: Politicians and Party Stalwarts living in Stadium Hostels should leave or pay, that’s the point.

I rest my case Mr Chairman.

56 THE CHAIRMAN: I want to recognise the Honourable Kandeh Yumkela and I will end up with him.

HON.

DR KANDEH K. YUMKELLA: Thank you Honourable Chairman and Colleagues.
It has been a good education for some of us since this is our first budget process to accompany the process right through and I want to commend all the Chairs of the Committees and the Members who have done the hard work.

Listening to four reports now including the one today, I just wanted to highlight a few things that I have seen and that have been echoed in various reports particularly the one today.

The first one is what I call the “fallacy of riches”.
When you look at what the MDAs and Agencies are requesting, the Billions they are asking for, you have the feeling that we have money.

When you begin to look at the disbursement, I am doing a table now for a number of them to write an article you look at what they ask for, what was allocated and what was disbursed, so there is this fallacy that there is a lot of money.
Billions to be given to a Ministry or an Agency, but what is actually given is much less especially the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs.

I see that running through, so it makes me question the budgeting process.

The money the staff get is very little, pittance, they really can’t deliver so they might just be doing overheads, so there is no service delivery.
I see that running through a lot of the budgets that is from the Ministry of Finance, when some of us advocated very strongly for institutional reforms, if we maintain the same sets of institutions without going deeper to check whether they have value for money, whether they are capable to deliver, we are just spreading the cake right through, but we are not delivering services.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, there is need to merge some Institutions, I look at Commissions, Agencies and some Ministries.
Having so many Commissions and Agencies, is a lot of duplications; when I used to deal with budget sometimes, I have to make a tough decision to say X.Y.Z in terms of preference, we either cut the budget or we add more to really drive; I really want to encourage that of course, I see a lot of duplications in some of them.

The second point is, I want to commend Honourable PC and Colleague from Kailahun Constituency 001.
They raised an issue which is affecting 57 us in Kambia, we are amongst one of the biggest revenue generators for this country from Gbalamuya and the Guinea Border Post.

We have tots of Agents there, NRA, you name it, all of them are there collecting revenues.

You come to the Bamoi Luma, they collect revenues every day, it is probably the largest international market.
Yet, we wonder how much of that stays in Kambia District, so the Chief is right, some of these places like Kailahun, Kambia, sometimes Kabala as well, we collect revenues but how much of it stays locally when you look at page 3 of today’s report you look at the allocation to Bonthe District, Karene District Honourable Chairman, these are all not more than $400.

They are not going to make much difference in those locations.
If you convert those monies to dollars, you will really realise either we are so poor in the Country or we just have too many institutions we are spreading the cake and no one is functioning well.

Some need to be merged, these Local Councils cannot function.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I know in some departmental budgets, they have made small allocations.
When we sat at the budget process for Kambia, when I saw how much they were asking for health care, for garbage collection even in Bamoi Luma, I see they can’t function at all; this is just to keep the staff there so we need to make very hard decisions.

Maybe Parliament needs to help the oversight committees if Government cannot take the hard decision.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, If you look at the budget statement, the Minister of Finance says, most of the State-Owned Enterprises are not generating much revenue and some of them have passed off [sell-by date].

We need to look at some and make a decision as a Country, that they ought to go because we need to pay people well to perform their functions.
We need to give some institutions real resources to deliver services effectively otherwise we are just doing business as usual and keeping Institutions the same.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, finally as you know, I never stay long, because I go back and write, but I have been educated.
I have been listening, making notes and writing, just looking at Public Expenditure, Public Sector Management and I am saying to myself we are really recycling some of the old staff; unless somebody quoted Obama 58 the other day here.

I think it was from the front row of the SLPP, that we needed “Strong Institutions”, and we are giving our institutions little monies.

They really cannot be effective, that will kill Government, that will kill Growth and it will kill Development.
I just wanted to caution the Ministry of Finance, if you cannot take those hard decisions as a Government, maybe Mr Chairman will do it in our oversight responsibilities.

If some institutions are merged, we will pay people better and give them the resources they deserve.
So, because of what I see here, we don’t have the monies, they received their monies late, they don’t receive enough, they are just tiding water and as I said at the beginning of the debate, we run around actively, but we stay in the same spot.

Thank you very much.

THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his very incisive comments.
Infact, they do touch and come very close to the borders of responsibility and functionality between the Legislature and the Executive, and we stand ready to be of help at any time.

HON.

DR KANDEH K. YUMKELLA: Please allow me sir!

I forgot something which falls on your desk.

My colleagues here especially Honourable Marah and others have talked about harmonisation of emoluments.

Honourable Minister said to us that they are forming a New Committee on harmonisation of Salaries.
I wanted to understand the relationship between that group and the State Salaries and Pensions Committee, because I know part of our responsibility in Parliament is to look into some of those emolument, because if what we heard about the Children’s Commission, we still have this question as to whether they got Le 30Mln for each Commissioner or whether it was cumulative or not, but I do believe that we also have some powers to look at these emoluments because they are big burden to society.
THE CHAIRMAN: I want to thank the Honourable Member for his contribution, I now recognize the Honourable Member in white as the last speaker to the debate for today.

Please mention your name as you stand to speak.

HON.

BOSTON MUNDA: I want to thank the team for putting together that report.

Mr Chairman, my concern here is with the Anti-Corruption Commission.

You would agree 59 with me that no Government Policies were achieved or succeeded because of the high rate of corruption.
Over the years, we have seen allocations given to the Anti- Corruption Commission, but this time the allocation is Le 5.5Bln.

Mr Chairman, I want to draw the attention of the Minister to please look into the affairs of the Commission.

This morning, we heard the Commissioner on 98.1 advocating, he was appealing that they want to set up independent court and we must give them that support to have the court.
I can tell you vividly Mr Chairman, that over the years, we have seen MDAs that were not submitting their Financial statements and for that reason, they could not effect audit on them.

This is very key for the Commission, we want to make sure that this Commission succeeds in the fight against corruption.

We want to ensure that we put this country on the map.
The President said, he is going to fight Corruption and we are the disciples to fight corruption, so let us give the Anti-Corruption Commission the support, because often a time we have heard that there are cases in the court that have dragged for prosecution, but today we have the Commissioner himself advocating, making special plead that they want their job set and whereby they have their judges so that every prosecution will have time line.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, yesterday we heard the Chairman of the Public Account Committee [PAC], which I happen to be one of them.

He was making special plead to the MDAs to look after the Tax-Payers monies being allocated to them here.

Please, I will re-echo the Chairman’s speech to make sure you look after the Tax-Payers monies as you are the Vote Controllers in this Country.
My concern here is that over the years, the people of this Country have lost confidence in Governance and by extension lost confidence in politicians why?

Because of corruption, the Right Direction and the New Direction is here to restore that confidence in the minds of the people of this Country as we continue to do our oversight.

We want to make sure you comply accordingly.


Therefore Mr Chairman, I want to rest my case by saying to the Deputy Minister of Finance to give kind consideration to the Anti-Corruption Commission I thank you [Applause].

60 THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable for his contribution.

I think those who have reason rather late would have to forebear.

They should have reason much earlier than now but nevertheless, I would recognise a Member of his team, but not you sir.
I would recognise a Member at the back.

HON.

ALUSINE ALU-CONTEH: Thank you Mr Speaker.

I was expecting whenever we are debating, I will always be looking at you, for you to give me the opportunity.

THE CHAIRMAN: You sit at the blind spot of me.

It is difficult to catch my eye from that end.

HON.

ALUSINE ALU-CONTEH: So, what I will do I think, I should be communicating to the Clerks.

THE CHAIRMAN: Just that, do just that and you will succeed.

HON.
HON.

ALUSINE ALU-CONTEH: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, first and foremost, let me thank Committee 4 for the preparation of this document and all that they have gone through to interview the various MDAs.

Again, let me commend the Chairperson, Honourable Nenneh Lebbie for that brilliant job.

Again, Finance is the backbone of any institution and even as an individual, when you take into cognisance to make name or for you to carry out your functions, you can’t just ignore Finance.
Now I want to zoom in to sports, that is my area where I am the Chairperson for the Sports Committee in Parliament.

I have concern for that Committee, it is rather unfortunate that we have been suspended from FIFA.
I am talking about the football discipline, we have been suspended from International Competition but notwithstanding, you have some disciplines that are still taking part in international competitions, so from the amount that I am seeing here in this document 9, the figure that we are seeing is Le 9.7 Bln, to me though the committee had already approved or recommended to the Ministries, to me I think, that figure is very small.
When you take into consideration the other disciplines, not just football, take into consideration our Domestic Leagues, the Premier League, the School Leagues, other Community Leagues, there should be subvention to these Leagues, so that they can stand well.

We are the representatives of 61 our Communities, but we are ignoring that fact, I don’t know why?
To me Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, you have other facilities that I don’t think the Ministry of Sports is able to attend to, like the Stadium Hostels for me what I think the Government should do is to outsource those facilities to people or to Companies to take care of those facilities.

Those facilities to me, we can’t achieve what is supposed to be achieved, because if you go to the Hostels it is terrible even the stadium as a whole.
I want to commend to the Minister and his team for the rehabilitation of the National Stadium, though it was the previous Governments that did all those arrangements but yet still, Governance is continuity.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want to salute the Minister and his team for that good work.

So my advice is Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want the Government to outsource the running of the Stadium and especially the Hostels.
The last time I saw two foreigners, they were saying that they are not paying anything, I asked them how do you get to this place?

They said, somebody asked them to come here and they gave that person just small thing for them to stay there, but if that place is outsourced then we can get the right revenue from the facilities.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want to zoom on the SLBC, I don’t want to dwell on it, it is really pathetic that the National Broadcaster is not living up to the expectation of the General Public; it is not the fault of the Staff, it is not good for private institutions like AYV, Star TV, to be making head way more than the National Broadcaster.

If you go to the news room of SLBC, it is terrible, so my appeal is that the Ministry of Finance should approve at least a start of Le 7bln.

for next year.
for next year.

The improvement that you will see will make the Ministry to add to the allocation.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, another area is the Councils.

I want to appreciate the Minister of Finance for the figures that I am seeing here for the Councils though we have only few Councils from this document, but the area I was talking to the Minister the other day is, the area of Revenue Collection.

It is where the problem is.


At times the burden is on the people, because you will see the Council going out to collect their revenue, as I am talking to you now; the Freetown City Council is out on Mass Revenue 62 Collection.

NRA will be going out to close the shops of those who have shops in the Municipality.

It is too burdensome on the people.

What I think we should do is for NRA and the Council to harmonise those two revenues, so that it won’t be burdensome on the people.
So far so good Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, that is my plea [Applause].

THE CHAIRMAN: Order!

Order!

I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution.

I think you and I consulted.

Let us wait till we reach the end of this debate and then I will recognise you.

I think we have come to the end of this debate.

I would now invite the Deputy Minister to reply to some of the concerns raised.
DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, there was a repeated call for increased allocation to some of the MDAs, those that will come to this Honourable House with increment for 2019.

It will include the Anti-Corruption Commission [ACC] as the Honourable Member mentioned, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation; there was a resounding call from Honourable to increase the allocation to SLBC.
We also took note of the reaction to the allocation for the National Drug Enforcement Agency given the challenges that the Youth faced with Tramadol and other drugs that are abused.

For the Ministry of Sports and the observation in the report on the payment of rent at the National Stadium Hostels, we would explore revenue generating opportunities for Stadium and the Hostels, as well as the possibility of outsourcing those two entities.
For the Local Councils yes, Freetown City Council is indeed doing a lot to generate their own revenues.

However, in the provinces, what some Local Councils are doing, is that they are actually signing an MOUs with the Chiefdom Councils on collecting and sharing their own revenues.

Lots of progress are being made in this regard.


Perhaps some Paramount Chiefs can attest to that, but some local Councils are signing an MOUs with the Chiefdom Councils on how they collect and manage the revenues that they collect.

Mr Chairman, at the Ministry of Finance, the Directorate of the Local Councils Financing Department is working with New Councils on the MOUs and enhancing their own local revenue mobilisation efforts.
63 Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Budget Bureau is primarily responsible for developing the Budget.

The Accountant General’s Department processes the disbursement.

The Public Financial Management Directorate monitors the variance between the Budget that was submitted from the various MDAs and the disbursement.

So we are closely looking at the variance between submissions from the MDAs and the final payment as part of our own reforms.
We just don’t want reduction in the variance between the budget submitted and the actual payment that we received.

With respect to the non-performing state of enterprises, we now have newly established state owned enterprise unit and for those public Enterprises that have persistently recorded losses in their balance sheets, then of course we need to take action on those, because we cannot consistently have state owned enterprises that are non performing.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Finance has also established a Research Unit to undertake deep analyses on some of these issues measuring the variance between Budget submitted and disbursed, with performance of state own enterprises and some other relevant analyses, that we need to do to improve our overall Public Financial Management mandate.

With these remarks Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I would stop my responses to the Honourable Members’ reactions to the MDAs that they looked at.
At this Juncture Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I move that the Votes for the various MDAs reviewed in Committee of Supply Four do stand part of the schedule.

Thank you.

THE CHAIRMAN: I Thank the Honourable Deputy Minister of Finance for her responses to the various comments and questions raised in the course of this debate.

I will now put the question, but before I do, I just want to do a quick cross check of the MDAs that were absent at the beginning to see if they have now done the needful.
I am not so sure about Koinadugu.

Public Private Partnership Unit, are they here?

They are not.

Ministry of Youth Affairs, National Minerals Agency, are they here?

Ministry of Transport and Aviation, they are also not here?

For Bonthe District Council, I noticed somebody raised her hand earlier.

Okay thank you.

I will accept that they were represented.

Koinadugu?

Absent.

Moyamba?

Absent.

Madam Minister, I think you need 64 to amend your Motion.
Madam Minister, I do accede to the earlier request of the Chairman of Finance Committee, we will exempt them this time.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I move that the following… [Interruption] THE CHAIRMAN: Koinadugu only has landmass to traverse, not the sea as well.

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Mr Chairman, the appeal was for all the Councils please Sir.

Like I said earlier, they have been very compliance.

THE CHAIRMAN: I take note of Moyamba and Bonthe.


No, the deal was also for Koinadugu I take note.

But I really want to find out why is Transport and Aviation not here?

And the Ministry of Youth Affairs, you are here?

Okay, Madam Minister, I will accept the Motion raised earlier without amending.
[Question Proposed, Put and Agree to] [The various Votes Heads as pronounced by the Deputy Minister of Finance form part of the schedule] [House Resumes] THE SPEAKER: Before we adjourn, I will now take one or two S.O 23s that I have been apprised of.

HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Mr Speaker, I stand on S.O 23.

I want to draw the attention of this House to the Police Force and the General Public to an issue that is becoming cancerous in our society.
Very recently, the American Embassy made a press release talking about the absence or the inability of our Police Force to provide adequate security.

Mr Chairman, yesterday there was a Football match between Congress and Government Model Secondary School.

What happened in the streets is nothing worth talking about.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for the American Embassy to indict our Police Force that they do not have the capacity to provide security, I think is an insult to us.
What I think must be done is to let the Police Force together with the Military to know.

65 Yesterday, it took the Military to intervene to quell what became something of an all-out war.

The issue of cliques is not about political parties, we must have the capacity to resist these Children from holding us to bondage.

THE SPEAKER: Order!

This is a very important matter.

HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: We cannot do that, no matter what.

School Pupils are school Children.

They must be subjected to control.


We cannot give them up because they are going out causing problems and then we should not hold School Leagues, no.

Mr Speaker, we use to have a combination of the Military and the Police forming a robust security.

If that is what we need to do, let it be done so that we provide enough security.

This is a Festive Season, if the American Embassy is indicting our Police Force, I don’t think we must be happy about that.
Mr Speaker, Just a couple of minutes ago, the Chairman of the Sport Committee was talking about how we must improve Sport, encourage School Leagues which indeed we all know will provide enough speculations for our school children and make sure that they have games that they should be involved in, we cannot let them hold us to ransom.

Let them go back to the drawing board and try to provide a more robust security.
If we need to do that, let us do that, but it is not good, because remember this is a festive season, people are coming and when they come they spend money.

They help to boost our economy which locals and business people will benefit from.

We cannot discourage that just because there is a set of people who do not want it to happen that way.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I think this is something we must call the security forces, the Police, the Military etc.
so that we mount a more robust security system to ensure that people feel more secured and go about their businesses as expected.

Thank you!

THE SPEAKER: I really want to thank the Honourable Member for bringing this matter to our attention.

It is extremely worrisome.

I know it is a very difficult issue and I don’t think we should treat this with any levity or in any haphazard manner.
I would want to recommend that we devote a day, next week especially to debate this very issue about violence in the streets especially amongst young people, considering the fact, he is 66 quite right, I have seen the press release from the American Embassy warning their Nationals visiting this country about how unsafe our streets have become.

That does not really paint our country well outside of this country.
So let us see, our programme now, I hope we would finish this debate on the Budget tomorrow then we adjourn to Tuesday.

Let us set aside Wednesday, next week as a special day for a special debate and to invite all the security forces to the Well of this House.

All the relevant security forces and interested Civil Societies to debate this very issue.

We are now entering the festive season, so it is certainly going to acquire more and more importance.
Before you leave Honourable Members, you raise the issue you cannot leave now until we conclude it.

So if you all agree, Wednesday next week will be set aside as a day for special debate on violence in our streets, especially amongst the young people and how it can be curtailed, if not eliminated altogether.

I am now directing the Clerk to invite the entire security apparatus, the entire security architecture in this country to be fully represented here during that debate.

Any other S.Os?
Any other S.Os?

We have dealt with that one.

HON.

HINDOLO M. GEVAO: Mr Speaker, I was really touched yesterday over the way the Deputy Minister was concerned with our hygiene situation in this House.

Mr Speaker, it is getting serious.


Before we went on vacation, Colleague Members of Parliament on this side had raised that issue, yesterday it was raised during the debate and luckily the Deputy Minister acknowledged it, but Mr Speaker, when I listened to her yesterday, it seems as though our solution will be as little long.

The situation is so serious Mr Speaker, that we need to fix it immediately.
Mr Speaker, nobody in this House can use our private chambers, I don’t want to call it as it is called in the Public, nobody can use it today as there is no water.

Even if you are a man there is no way you can withstand the stench that is coming out of that place today.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we crave the indulgence of the Minister to provide some urgent solution against tomorrow[Interruption]… THE SPEAKER: Is Guma Valley represented here?

We need a bowser of water immediately.

67 HON.


HINDOLO M. GEVAO: Yes Mr Speaker, the Chairman of Finance is also saying that those actually cleaning those places need to do their job properly, because as Members of Parliament, we cannot afford to get sick.

If the Members of Parliament get sick as a result of hygiene problem, then I am afraid Colleagues, can we have some order?

THE SPEAKER: Order!

HON.


HINDOLO MOIWOH GEVAO: Mr Speaker, I am also recommending that the company responsible for the cleaning of this Arm of Government do their job properly.

The place is not being properly cleaned, if they cannot do their jobs, we would look for alternative or move a Motion here in the Well for their contract to be terminated.

We cannot afford to get sick; we are the peoples’ representatives, if our hygiene is not good our people will not be happy.

Thank you Mr Speaker.


THE SPEAKER: Point taken.

It is my understanding that their contract was terminated on the 31st December, 2018.

So we will be looking into that problem.

But in the main time please, let the Clerk take necessary action to ensure that we have a bowser of water delivered.

HON.

JOSEPHINE MAKIEU: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I stand on S.O 23.

Mr Speaker, I have a concern in my Constituency, Constituency 014.
There are so many big vehicles plying the route of my constituency loading timbers and bringing them to Kenema.

We have always told them not to ply that route because they are really spoiling the road.

They have really destroyed that road, and for the past two weeks there was no way for the people to go through their destinations.

So what I did on Friday in my Constituency was that, I managed to get a whole caterpillar to backfield the bad areas.
Two days later, while I was on my way coming, I saw them again in the same place.

So I am really asking for help so that somebody can talk to them, they would know the reasons.

Even when the roads get spoilt they do not even help us, I always make the roads.

That is the problem.

68 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to inform everybody in this Well that Kenema will be hosting a “Cacao show” and you are all invited, which will take place from the 12th-15th December, 2018.
THE SPEAKER: On the first point, I will advise that you address a letter to me for the attention of the Ministry of Transport.

We will continue with S.O 23 when we come back.

Meanwhile, is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now properly represented here?

Let us see them.

I ordered that we lift the restriction on the Votes of Foreign Affairs.

HON.

HAFIJU M. KANJA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as Chairman of Defence, I have asked the Ministry of Defence to provide us one bouncer of water.
It is on the way now.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much.

That is a very kind gesture.

How quickly can we expect the bowser?

HON.

HAFIJU M. KANJA: The bowser will be here in an hours time.

It is coming from Murray Town, so it will be here soonest.

THE SPEAKER: No, we are taking an adjournment now.

It is now nearly 1:30pm, we should resume at 3:00pm and we will consider the report of Sub-Committee 5.

Sub-Committee 5 report is in your pigeon holes.


So make sure you take a good look at it, that is what we hope to deliberate on when we resume.

With that, the House stands adjourned till 3:00pm.

THE HOUSE STANDS DOWN AT 1:35 PM THE HOUSE RESUMES AT 3:00 PM THE SPEAKER: Where is the government side?

THE HOUSE RESOLVES TO COMMITTEE THE CHAIRMAN: Honourable Members, we would now take up the report of Sub- Committee Five.
69 VOTE HEADS: 116-00, 211-00, 127- 00, 206-00, 203-00, 205-01, 312-00, 133-00, 300-04, 405-00, 315-00, 207-00, 311-00, 316-00, 108-00, 110-14, 112-00, 133-00, 422-00, VARIOUS 706-01, 718-01, 705-01, ALL TO STAND PART OF THE SCHEDULE.

THE CHAIRMAN: Madam Minister, we do precisely what we did this morning.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Honourable Chairman, Honourable Members, I move that the following Votes stand part of the schedule for the Committee of supply five.
Vote Head 116-00, Parliament, just to be sure.

Vote Head 116-00, Parliament Le14, 499, 978,800.

Vote Heads 211-00, Immigration Department Le5, 244, 834, 100.

THE CHAIRMAN: Are Immigration staff here?, DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Yes!

THE CHAIRMAN: Okay!

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Vote Head 127-00, Ministry of Planning and Economic Development Le14, 357, 137, 810.

Vote Head 206-00, Sierra Leone Police Le87, 722, 641,400.
Vote Head 203-00, National Civil Registration Authority Le2, 442, 826, 200 Vote Head 205-01, Ministry of Internal Affairs Le1,220, 680, 900 Vote Head 312-00, Teaching Service Commission Le1,755, 906, 300 Vote Head 133-00, Ministry of Information and Communication Le3, 609, 607, 400 Vote Head 300-04, Tertiary Education Commission Le2, 186, 722, 400 Vote Head 405-00, National Tourist Board Le12, 999, 907, 500 Vote Head 315-00, Teaching Hospital Complex Administration Le3, 627, 314, 00 Vote Head 207-00, Sierra Leone Correctional Centre Le52, 362, 725, 800 Vote Head 311-00, Health Service Commission Le1, 190, 896, 500 70 Vote Head 316-00, Civil Service Training College Le954, 556, 300 Vote Head 108-00, Sierra Leone Small Arms Commission Le813, 369, 900 Vote Head 110-14, Local Government Service Commission Le322, 170, 500 Vote Head 122-00, Office of the Vice President Le15, 330, 105, 400 Vote Head 133-04, Government Spokesman Le445, 902, 100 Vote Head 422-00, Sierra Leone Metrological Agency Le1, 182, 375, 00 Guma Valley Water Company.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are they here?

Were you here this morning?

When I enquired whether you are in the Well, I did not get any answer, at that time we wanted water from you.

Any way, we will consult over your Vote, when we wanted water; you did not answer that you were in the Well.

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Honourable Chairman, it is Le9 Bln for Guma Valley Water Company.
Vote Head 706-01, Kono Districts Council Le5, 190, 729, 250 Vote Head 718-01, Pujehun Districts Council Le6, 126, 745, 286 Vote Head 705-01, Koidu New Sembehun Council Le4,427, 124, 888 Mr Chairman, we did not have representatives from National Civil Registration Authority, Vote Head 203, Vote Head 108, Vote Head 122, Vote Head 133, Vote Head 422, Vote Head 706, 718 and 705.
THE CHAIRMAN: Honourable Members, the question is that the Vote Heads as pronounced by the Deputy Minister of Finance stand part of the schedule.

The rules we used this morning will continue to apply to this report as well.

[Question Proposed] HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Thank you very much Mr Chairman.

Report of the Sub- Appropriation Committee Five [5], Chairman Honourable Lahai Marah standing.

71 1.
71 1.

INTRODUCTION Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I rise to present the report of the Appropriation Sub-Committee Group 5 on the budget hearing of the recurrent and development estimates for the Financial Year (FY) 2019.

Mr. Chairman, Honorable Members, the Committee derived its mandate from Section 111 Sub-section 3 and Sub-section 6 of Section 112 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone (Act No.

6 of 1991), in tandem with Standing Orders 64(3) and 66 (1) to scrutinize the Vote Heads assigned to it.
Parliament committed the examination of the under mentioned budgetary heads of the bill entitled “the Appropriation Act 2019”, to the Appropriation Sub-committee 5.

The committee carefully scrutinizes the budget for the FY 2018 allocated to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in order to ascertain whether these funds were judiciously expended and also to justify if their submissions for 2019 budgets are in accordance with “human capital development”.

2.
2.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the following members of parliament and clerks as support staff were assigned to the Appropriation Sub- Committee Group 5 MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT NO NAMES HON.

LAHAI MARAH POSITIONS CHAIRMAN HON.

AARON ARUNA KOROMA DEPUTY CHAIRMAN HON.

NGHAHINTEH MASSAY ARUNA MEMBER HON.

ROSE MARIE BANGURA MEMBER HON.

PC ALI BALANSAMA MARAH III MEMBER HON.

KAINDE ALUSINE ALU CONTEH MEMBER 72 7 8 9 HON.

BOCKARIE ALOYSIOUS ANSUMANA MEMBER HON.


PC PRINCE MAMBU PEWA MEMBER HON.

IBRAHIM CONTEH MEMBER 10 HON.

MUSA BAMBA FORAY JALLOH MEMBER 11 HON.

WURROR TIMBO JALLOH MEMBER 12 HON.

MOHAMED KABIA 13 HON.

IBRAHIM KAMARA 14 HON.

MOMOH KAMARA MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER 15 HON.

BRIMA DANIEL KOROMA MEMBER 16 HON.

JEBBEH ALICE KUMABEH MEMBER 17 HON.

ABU MANSARAY 18 HON.

HASSAN SANKOH 19 HON.

KUSSAN SESAY MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER 20 HON.

WUYATTA BERNADETTE SONGA MEMBER 21 HON.

ISSAC TARAWALLIE 22 HON.


MUSA FOFANA MEMBER MEMBER THE SUPPORT STAFF NO CLERKS POSITIONS 1 2 3 4 MR ABDULAI BAKARR SANNOH LEAD CLERK MR. KARMOH K CONTEH MOHAMED M NGAVAO MR. LAMIN YANSSANEH 73 5 MRS. BINTU WESTON 3.
VOTES HEADS MDAs ACCOUNTS HEADS [INCLUDING SUB-HEADS] FOR 2019 Vote Division 116 00 Parliament Vote Description 00 00 00 Immigration Department Ministry of Planning and Economic Development Sierra Leone Police Total Sum Voted [Le] 14,499,978,800 5,244,834,100 14,357,138,810 87,722,641,400 2,442,826,200 National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) Ministry Internal Affairs Teaching Service Commission (TSC) Ministry of Information Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) National Tourist Board (NTB) Teaching Hospital Complex Admin.
Sierra Leone Correctional Centre Health Service Commission Civil Service Training College Sierra Leone Small Arms Commission Local Government Service Commission Office of the Vice President Govt.
Spokesman Sierra Leone Metrological Agency Guma Valley Water Company Kono District Council Pujehun District Council Kono New Sembehun Council Various 706 718 705 00 01 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 14 00 00 00 01 01 01 4.
PROCEDURE 74 Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Sub Appropriation Committee 5 followed stringent procedures by examining the overheads of the various MDAs.

Questionnaires where sent out to all of them, for information relating to the 2017, 2018 and 2019 budgetary provisions and expenditures.

Pursuant to S.O.

66(1), the Vote Controllers were summoned to come along with their vote service ledgers and other financial documents relating to revenue and expenditures of their MDAS for scrutiny.

5.
5.

OBJECTIVES Mr Chairman, without prejudice to the provisions of S.O.
66(1), the Sub Appropriation Committee 5 queried with the objectives of finding out:  Whether the MDAS adhered to prudent public financial management regulations as means of enhancing accountability in the use of public resources apportioned under the 2018/2019 budgets;  Whether the 2019 budget submitted is in accordance with human capacity development and expenditures are in line with the new direction philosophy  To look at the nature of expenditure rationalisation and revenue mobilisation  The challenges and constraints faced by the MDAs and  Whether budgetary resources were impartially distributed.
6.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, before presenting the individual findings and recommendations for the MDAs and the Local councils, I wish to draw the attention of this House to the following general observations in respect of the MDAs and Local Councils that appeared before Sub Appropriation Committee 5.

75 i. Amongst the various commissions assigned to the committee, the commissions relating to education received the minimum budget.
This is flouting the new direction thinking in archiving free quality education.

ii.

The wages and salaries paid to the local Council Staffs are very much insignificant, especially the Chief Administrators and Finance Officers who control billions of Leones in those councils.

The Committee viewed such payment of wages and salaries as a recipe for corruption.

iii.

The Committee further observed that allocations to the MDAs and Local Councils for 2017 and 2018 FYs where not released on time.
This also created huge unresolved financial obligations with contractors at the end of 2017 FY.

The committee therefore questioned the cash based budgeting system used by the government in which contractual obligations should be met within the accounting period.

iv.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, revenue mobilisation is also a huge challenge.
Some of the local councils are faced with traditional restrictions by the chiefs whom sometimes believe that tax collection in their respective localities should not be done by any other person.

In addition Mr Chairman, institutions and companies that are supposed to be paying property taxes are most times reluctant to meet there tax obligations.

Local councils therefore, are finding it difficult to meet there revenue target.

v. Mr Chairman, Hon.


Members, the fuel policies of various MDAs need to be reviewed.

As it was witnessed by members of the committee that MDAs are allocating fuel to staffs that are not having government vehicles.

vi.

There is an urgent need for the harmonisation of wages and salaries.

There are huge salary disparity amongst various MDAs and commissions of like nature.
Allowances such as: Vehicle allowance, late allowance and other allowance is paid to 76 some vote’s controllers, whilst others occupying similar or same position are denied this facility.

vii.

Mr Chairman, the committee also observed that some expenditure lines in the budget are almost similar and denote the same meaning.

For instance, office and General, Stationery, Computer running cost and imprest needs to be harmonised 7.
SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee is obligated to report to this honourable House the 23 MDAs whose budgets are been scrutinized as follow: Mr Chairman, under this, I will like to deal with specifically with Parliament, Police, Kono District Council and the Local Service Commission, and the rest of the entities; let it remind as stated.

Parliament and Parliamentary Service Commission.


VOTE 116 - 00 THE PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE COMMISSION Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, in 2007 Parliament enacted a bill for the creation of a Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).

It was established with a mandate to provide Parliament with technical and administrative support; as well as perform advisory service to enable Parliament to effectively and efficiently execute its Constitutional and other Mandates.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for FY 2018 the Ministry of Finance approved a budget to the tune of Le 15,317,429,500 for the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) and was allocated Le 14,297,000,000.

(This includes the Constituency Facilitation Fund (CFF) allocation of Le 10,100,000,000).

The Actual amount received for 2018 is as follows: i. ii.
GoSL Regular Budget = Le 5,893,300,045 CFF = Le 10,100,000,000 77 The Commission further received a donor funding from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to the tune of Le 36, 000,000 to support Internship programmes.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, with a budget ceiling of Le 18,276,700,000, The Commission submitted Le 19,473,200,000 to the Ministry of Finance and was allocated to the tune of Le 14,499,978,800.
The Committee notes that the allocation made to parliament is inadequate and impertinent when compared to the budgetary allocation to the office of the Financial Secretary Le 17,305.3.

Mr Chairman, Parliament is a separate Arm of Government, if we are saying the allocation made therefore to Parliament cannot be even compared to an office within the Ministry of Finance; the office of the Financial Secretary, who is taking away the an amount of above Le 17 Bln.
It is something that this House should not tolerate [Applause].

I will continue from that point.

The Ministry of Finance should give Parliament the respect it deserves.

Mr. Chairman Parliament should not be treated as an agency as it is shown in the budget but rather an Arm of Government manning the affairs of Members of Parliament.

Mr Chairman, I need not to go further on this issue.
If you have 146 Members of Parliament, and you Mr Speaker as the number 3 man in this Country, and that Parliament is manning the Affairs of 146 Members, that means Parliament is manning the entire Sierra Leone [Applause].

Just as the President of this Republic is been elected by the people, we were also elected by the people of this Country.

We are not saying let us be just like them, but at least, we deserve respect, we deserve better.

I will continue!
I will continue!

the Committee therefore, recommends that Parliament controls the Nation's Budget and the need for the budget Act is very important for Parliament, and should be given a speedy consideration.

The Committee believes that the budget Act when promulgated, will lay the necessary Legal frame work to give Parliament a new image in ensuring that Parliament is no longer a rubber stamp Parliament as it is [Applause].

I will go over it again Mr Chairman [Undertone].

78 MR CHAIRMAN: Order!

Order!


Order!

Politics aside [Applause].

The Honourable Member is speaking for the entire House.

So please let us listen.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Thank you my abled Chairman, may you continue to live long [Amen].

The reality is, politics in Sierra Leone is destroying us.

We want to see wherein Parliament is taken as Parliament and not on political bases, let us work has Parliament.

When Parliament is independent, Sierra Leone will move from where it is now.
I will go over that Mr Chairman.

Page 8, the Committee therefore, recommends that Parliament controls the Nation’s Budget and the need for the Budget Act should be given a speedy consideration.

The Committee believes that the Budget Act when promulgated, will lay the necessary legal frame work to give Parliament a new image in ensuring, that Parliament is no longer “a rubber stamp” institution, but a legislature that has the “real power of the purse” and to fully participate in the budget process.
MR CHAIRMAN: Honourable Members, for those of you who are trendy, that statement is questionable, with the new trend in the world, and more particularly with the new trend within our own continent of Africa.

But proceed, go further, go beyond it now, you have made your point.

Thank you Mr Chairman.

VOTE 211 – 00 IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT.


Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, The Immigration Department is a revenue generating Department that is charged with the responsibility to enforce laws relating to immigration, and the borders of Sierra Leone.

The Immigration Department is under the Purview of Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In 2018 FY the Ministry of Finance approved to the tune of Le 5,827,574,900 for the operations of the Department, and actually received Le 1,878,100,000 from the Ministry of Finance for the First, Second and part of the third quarters.

The Chief Immigration 79 Officer expressed dissatisfaction over the Ministry’s late disbursement of funds, which he said is adversely affecting the operations of the Department.
He informed the Committee that he took up office in June this year and immediately decided to review all the contracts that were awarded on behalf of the Department.

He made particular reference to NETPAGE whose contract was also reviewed and has been submitted to Cabinet.

In the review it was agreed that 5% loyalty will now go to Government.
Responding to queries on the proceeds derive from the passport sale, the Chief Immigration Officer stated the only money that goes to the Department is the sale of passport forms and that the rest goes to NETPAGE.

Mr Chairman, the Committee observed that the Department is spending huge amount on the printing of Passport forms.

For 2019 FY, a budget of Le 6,953,500,000 was submitted to the Ministry of Finance, but the sum of Le 5,244,834,100 was allocated; registering a decrease of Le 1,708,665,000.
This decrease, according to the Chief Immigration Officer, would affect programme implementation.

The Committee recommends that NETPAGE take over the responsibility of printing passport forms instead of the Department since the proceeds from the passport sale goes to NETPAGE.

VOTE 127-00 MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, Pursuance to section 61 of the 1991 constitution (Act No.

6 of 1991) His Excellency the President, Dr. Rtd.

Brig.
Brig.

Julius Maada Bio separated the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development from the Ministry of Finance in 2018.

For the operations of Ministry in the year under review, the Ministry of Finance approved a supplementary budget of Le 15billion and Le 8.5 billion was allocated.

The actual supplementary amount received for the third quarter only is 5.08 billion.
80 Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, FY 2019 the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development made its maiden budget submission of Le 24,800,000,000 with a budget ceiling of 15,400,000,000.

The actual allocation from Government of Sierra Leone is Le14, 357,138,810.
The committee records the higher amount of le 3,742,185,310 as imprest, answering to interrogations by committee members on the imprest, the Development secretary highlighted that the said amount was given to different department within the Ministry.

VOTE 206-00 SIERRA LEONE POLICE.


Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the mandate of the Sierra Leone Police includes:  the maintenance of law and order;  protection of lives and property;  the detection and prevention of crimes and apprehension of offenders;  enforcement of the law; and  The prosecution of trivial offences.
For the FY 2018, The Sierra Leone Police was allocated as follows;  Recurrent Expenditure = Le 96,503,400,600  Development expenditure = Le 2,2000,000,000 The actual amount received by the Sierra Leone Police for Recurrent expenditure for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2018 is Le 51,766,287,756, and salaries and allowances of Le123,604,886,334 with a sum total of Le 175,371,174,090, whilst nothing was received for development expenditure for the year under assessment.
This he said has greatly affected their tasks.

The allocation is not timely and contractors to certain extent are refusing to pre finance projects because of the delay in meeting our commitment.

He fostered that in a bid to inform, sensitize and connect the public with the ambition of reducing crime rate in the country, the institution has opted to have “Sierra Leone 81 Community and Peace Radio station” with full capacity and frequency expecting to touch every part of the country including Krubola.
But has difficulty in accessing the Frequency from NATCOM.

Mr Chairman, the Sierra Leone Police is about or has already established a Radio Station with full capacity to operate for people living all the way in Krobola, Yawadu, the extreme end of the country, very close to Guinea, for them to enjoy and to know about the operations of the police.

They have gone far, but NATCOM is refusing to give them the frequency to start their operations.
Mr Chairman, I was in Nigeria some months ago, I listened to the Military Radio Station there, and it was very, very interesting, with you Mr Chairman, I have no dought, that immediately, we pass the Sierra Leone Police budget; NATCOM will allow them to start operations.

The Inspector General of Police told the Committee that since August 2018, they have not receive any money form the Ministry of Finance and scarcely continued operations on the scanty revenue generated by the institution.
Mr. Chairman, with a ceiling of Le 116,300,400,000 for 2019 FY the Sierra Police made a budget submission of the following;  Recurrent Expenditure = Le 116,300,400,000  Development Expenditure = Le 10,300,000,000 With the above submission Sierra Leone Police is allocated Le 87, 722,641,400.

Mr. Chairman, due to the timely unavailability of funds, the Sierra Leone Police is constrained in undertaking major operations especially in reaching remote communities.
It was also observed that the institution is finding it difficult to pay contractors for the supply of rice which has created delays in the supply of rice to the force.

The committee therefore recommends that:  The Ministry of Finance should ensure that funds allocated to the police is available on time 82  Ministry of Finance allows the Sierra Leone Police to use the revenue generated without much string attach and deduct the amount during the allocations of funds.
 The 2019 allocation to the Sierra Leone police is small and the Ministry of Finance reconsiders that allocation.

 NATCOM provides the frequency for the Sierra Leone Police to start operating their Radio Station which has been established.

This is very important Mr Chairman, I believe in your office sir, that you will help in this direction.
THE CHAIRMAN: I would have expected a much stronger language for that last bullet point regarding the Radio Station, but we will deal with it when we come to the debate.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Thank you Mr Chairman.

VOTE- 203-00 NATIONAL CIVIL REGISTRATION AUTHORITIES.
Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the National Civil Registration Authority was created by an Act of Parliament in 2016, to provide for the issuance of identity cards, registration of births, Marriages, nullities, deaths, adoption and divorces throughout Sierra Leone, and to provide for other related matters.

The approved budget for National Civil Registration Authority for FY 2018 amounted to the tune of Le 2,714,200.00 and this same amount was allocated.
The actual amount received by the Authority was Le 1,077,300,000 for the year under review.

The Committee noted that the Authority expended more than what was actually received.

Responding to the committee’s query, the Director General stated that, the reason for the excess expenditure was as a result of several activities under taken by the Authority during the election periods.

And that the Ministry of Finance provided financial support since there was no donor funding.
Mr. Chairman, with a budget ceiling of Le 3,238,700,000 For 2019 FY, the Authority Submitted to the Ministry of Finance a budget of Le 8,236,000,000, but the sum of Le 83 2,442,826,200 was allocated, registering a huge decrease of Le 5,793,173,800.

This decrease, according to the Director General would affect the operations of the Authority.
The committee note with serious concern, that the allocation made to the authority is inadequate and therefore urge the Ministry of Finance to consider improving on the authority’s budget going forward.

VOTE 205 -01: MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS Mr Chairman, Hon.
Members, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has the mandate to provide oversight for the following MDAs in the internal and security arrangement of the state: the Sierra Leone Police, National Fire Force, Prisons Department, National Drug enforcement Agency, National Registration Secretariat and Immigration Department.

However the budgetary allocations for the Ministry and all of these departments are done separately.
For 2018 Financial Year, the Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Le 1,460,800,000 for the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

With an allocation of Le 1,291,200.00, the Ministry actually received Le 790,200,000 and expended Le 407,000,000.

The Ministry of Finance is yet to disburse for the 4th quarter.

Mr. Chairman, Hon.
Mr. Chairman, Hon.

Members, The Permanent Secretary reported that they are faced with a lot of challenges; mainly among which is the lack of transportation to effectively monitor its constituent departments.

He added that it is sad to know that the Minister and the Deputy Minister are both using an aging vehicles and himself has no official vehicle.

However, the Committee observed that the Ministry expended huge amount on fuel.
For the 2019 FY, the Ministry made a budget submission of Le 5,719,600,000 and have been allocated Le1, 220,680,900 by the Ministry of Finance.

84 Mr. Chairman, Hon.

Members, The Committee Members acknowledged that indeed the Ministry was continuously under-resourced and that the Ministry of Finance must ensure that the Ministry is adequately financed to be effective and efficient.
VOTE 312-00 SIERRA LEONE TEACHING SERVICE COMMISSION: Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission was established by an Act of Parliament in 2011, to effectively and reliably manage the affairs of Teachers in order to improve their professional status and economic wellbeing in the formal Education Sector.

The Sum of Le 1,471,610,400 was approved for the Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission for FY 2018 but was actually allocated Le 1,105,400,000.
As at October 2018, the actual allocation received from Government of Sierra Leone is Le 1,093,022,000.

However grant was provided under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Fund for operational and programmatic costs.

This fund is managed by World Bank and Implemented by the Ministry of Education through the REDISL Programme.

The vote controller orated that if we need quality Education, we need to pay for it.
She also stated that with the declaration and on-going implementation of the Free Quality Education Policy, the Teaching Service Commission is expected to manage and expand teaching corps, with greater demands on teachers to perform and deliver quality output in accordance with the Professional standards for teachers and school leaders.

The commission is however faced with enormous challenges such as; i. ii.

iii.

iv.

v. Lack of Transportation for monitoring.


Lack of Modern Technological tools and equipment’s to monitor and document Teacher attendance.

The challenge to eliminate ghost teachers and leakages Lack of ongoing professional training Donor partner are limited to selected districts and selected activities.

85 The Sierra Leone Teaching Service Commission submitted a budget of Le 10,454,637,323 for 2019 FY, but was allocated Le 1,755,906,300.
The Committee therefore recommends that the Ministry of Finance improve on the allocations to the teaching service commission as it is the key government priority and the commission is in line with human capital development.
VOTE 133-00 MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the main responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Communications is to inform, educate and sensitize the citizens on the activities of government and to improve on the image of this country in the outside world.

To achieve the aforementioned aims, the Ministry is made up of the following departments:  Directorate of Communication;  Directorate of Information;  Sierra Leone News Agencies (SLENA).
In 2018 FY, the Ministry of Information and Communications was approved a budget of Le 4,506,139,700.00 by the Ministry of Finance and was allocated Le 2,046,100,000.00.

Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry did not receive any allocation for the first quarter of FY 2018.

However they received an allocation for the 2nd,3rd and 4th, quarters as follows; i. ii.

iii.
iii.

2nd quarter Le 678,535,744.00 3rd quarter Le 1,926,411,897.00 4th quarter Le 158,636,912.00 The Committee note that the Ministry has expended more than what was allocated.

Responding to the question of excess expenditure, the Accountant stated that it is possible once it is within the approved budget and he referred to it as “Front Loading” which allows using an amount beyond the allocated budget.

86 Mr Chairman, Hon.


Members, with a budget ceiling of Le5,376,700,000.00 for 2019 FY, the Ministry submitted a budget of Le 6,750,700,000.00 to the Ministry of Finance, but only Le 3,609,607,400.00 was allocated to this Ministry.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the huge decrease would affect areas like Overseas Travels, Digital Migration Policy, cyber security, outreach activities locally and internationally and fuel.
The Committee noted, with serious concern, that the allocation for this Ministry of Information is inadequate; and therefore recommends for a supplementary budget provision, where necessary.

VOTE 300-04 TERTIARY EDUCATION COMMISSION Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has the mandate to register, monitor, supervise and regulate tertiary education institutions and advise Government on all matters relating to higher education.
These mandates of the Commission have been categorized into Five (5) operational Directorates to carry out specific and outlined activities.

In 2018 Financial Year, the Ministry Of Finance approved a budget of Le 4,522,400,000 for the Tertiary Education Commission.

The Commission was allocated with a sum of Le 2,806,400,000 from the Ministry of Finance.

The Vote controller stated that the Commission has only received as follows; i. ii.
1st Quarter Le 550,000,000 2ndQuarter Le 120,000,000 The vote controller informed the Committee that the allocation for the third and fourth quarters is yet to be received.

The Commission also generated the sum of Le 237,675,186.6 from registration and renewal fees of Tertiary Institutions.

The Committee observed that the Commission incurred high cost on vehicles maintenance and fuel.
87 The Committee recommends that a proper policy on fuel usage be established and harmonized right across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure value for money.

Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Commission was unable to meet its revenue target because many of the registered Tertiary Educational Institutions failed to pay their annual renewal fees and the Commission had no legal mandate to close down defaulting institutions.
The Commission therefore requested for an amendment of the Act under which it operates to empower it full mandates.

This will enhance revenue generation and compliance.

The Tertiary Education Commission made a budget submission of Le 4,809, 700,000 for the Financial Year 2019, but was allocated with the sum of Le 2, 186,722, 400 by the Ministry of Finance.
Honourable Members, the Vote controller assured the Committee of their commitment and support to the President’s Flag ship programme of the Free Quality Education.

VOTE 405 00: NATIONAL TOURIST BOARD The National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone was setup as a Semi-Autonomous Body through the enactment of the Tourism Development Act, 1990.

The main trust of this Act was to promote and develop all aspects of Tourism in Sierra Leone.
The Board is therefore charged with responsibilities such as the implementation of Government Tourism policies, developing and promoting sustainable Tourism, facilitating private investment in the Tourism industry, classification, and registration and licensing of all Tourist Establishments in the Country and identification and Development of Tourism products in Sierra Leone.
In the FY 2018, the Board was approved an allocation of Le 5,545,400,000.00 and was actually allocated and received as follows; 88 i. Re-current Expenditure = Le 1,513, 300,000.00 for the first, second and third quarters.

ii.

Tourism Development Expenditure = Le 3,730,000,000.00 for the first, second and third quarters.
The Acting General Manger informed the Committee that the recurrent expenditure was expended on Marketing, promotion, Administration, monitoring and supervision whilst the Tourism Development fund was used for cleaning of Seaweed, beach security and sanitation respectively.

Mr Chairman, with a revenue target of Le 1,731,440,000.00, in the FY 2018, the Board generated Le 1,042,559,715.00 through Registration Fees, Licenses fees, land Development levy, use of beach front, adopt a booth and advert fees.
The major reason for not meeting the revenue target was due to weak revenue generating system and the inability of most Tourist Establishments to meet their obligations.

A transfer of Le 150,000,000.00 was made to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

The Acting General Manger highlighted the following as challenges of the Board; i. ii.

High dependency on the performance of other sectors Relatively weak legislative and regulatory frame work (outdated laws) iii.

Weak public relation etc.


Honourable Members, For the FY 2019, the Board submitted a budget to the tune of Le 6,616,700,000 for Recurrent Expenditure and 15,000,000,000 but Le 12,999,907,000.00 was actually allocated for Re-current and Le 6,900,000,000.00 for Tourism Development.

The committee lurid to the hearing of the General Manager that Sierra Leoneans don’t have the patient anymore to keep on waiting for results We want to see our tourism industry flourishing.
We acknowledge the Ministry of Finance for such a pleasing support to this sector, the committee recommends that the National Tourist Board 89 should also focus on the development of the sector as the committee note the high sum on recurrent expenditure.

Recurrent expenditure is not bad but we want to see more on recurrent expenditure as well.

What the National Tourist Board is doing is like spending more money on advertising, promotion and the like.
While developing the Sector, the Tourism itself, to certain point is being neglected.

So we are advising that they should develop the Sector first, before spending much more money on advertisement, promotion and so on.

So we want the National Tourist Board to spend more money on development than on recurrent expenditure.

Note that Madam Minister.

VOTE 315-00 TEACHING HOSPITALS COMPLEX ADMINISTRATION Chairman, Hon.
Members, the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex was established by an act of Parliament in 2016.

The Act therefore signalled a new beginning, and a bright future for healthcare service delivery in Sierra Leone.

The University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex (USLTHC) is a combination of six major and five minor hospitals, spread over Freetown and the provinces in the country.
These include Connaught, Princess Christian, Ola During, Jui, Kissy, Lakka, Makeni, Bo, Kenema, Choithram Memorial Hospitals and the Emergency Surgical Centre.

Below are the mandates of the Teaching Hospitals: i.

Provide an advanced health service that meets the highest international clinical and ethical standards of care.

ii.

Undertake research into health issues for the purpose of advancing medical knowledge and improving the health conditions of the people of Sierra Leone; and iii.
Serve as an institution for both undergraduate and postgraduate training in the medical and allied health profession; The University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals Complex (USLTHC) FY 2018 approved budget by the Ministry of Finance to the tune of Le 4,966,750,000,000.00 but was 90 allocated the sum of Le 1,500,000,000.00 for First and second quarters only.

The vote controller informed the Committee that allocation is yet to be received for the 3rd and 4th quarters respectively.
For 2019 FY, the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospital Complex submitted a budget of Le 1,809,900,000.00 but was allocated the sum of Le 3,627,314,000.00.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, considering that the country is poised to establish and sustain a resilient health system; the Committee viewed the allocation to the teaching hospital as adequate, but advised the Vote Controller to embark on prudent utilization of resources.
VOTE 207 - 00 SIERRA LEONE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES (PRISONS) Mr Chairman Honourable Members, Prisons Department, and now the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) is created by an Act of Parliament in September 2014 to induce provisions for the organization and management of Correctional Centers and for other related matters.

Mr Chairman, the approved budget for the Sierra Leone Correctional Services for FY 2018 stands at Le 60,788,616,900.
The Department was allocated same amount as approved but actually received an amount of Le 39,605,149,900.00.

In the FY 2019 the Sierra Leone Correctional Services made a budget submission of Le 69,430,400,000.00 to the Ministry of Finance in line with their budget ceiling.

The actual allocation for the FY 2019 is Le 52, 369,725,800.00 for re-current budget and Le 7,100,000,000.00 for development Budget.
The Sierra Leone Correctional Services has sources of income generation but still could not meet its revenue targets due to delays in the release of allocation by the Ministry of Finance.

In order for the SLCS to be effective in their revenue mobilization, the committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance should provide their allocation on time.

91 VOTE 311-00 HEALTH SERVICE COMMISSION-SIERRA LEONE Mr Chairman, Hon.
Members, the Sierra Leone Health Service Commission (SLHSC) was set up by an Act of Parliament in 2011 to assist the Ministry of Health in the delivery of affordable and improved healthcare.

In 2018 FY the Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Le 1,317,300,000 for the Commission and was allocated Le 1,223,200,000.

The Commission, however, received Le 213,825,983.29.

For FY 2019, the Commission’s budgetary submission to the Ministry of Finance was Le 1,345,000,000 but was allocated Le 1,190,896,500.
The Committee considered the allocation to the Commission adequate and therefore recommends its approval.

VOTE- 316-00 CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING COLLEGES Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Civil Service Training College was established to provide high quality training and career development programmes that will enhance the delivery capacities of Civil Servant in realizing the aspirations of Government.
The College is “An excellent centre of knowledge and functional skills for capacity building in the civil service” The approved budget for the Civil Service Training College for 2018 financial year amounted to Le 1,500,000,000, with an allocation of Le 690,000,000.

The College received the same amount as allocated by the Ministry.
Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the vote controller informed the Committee that much attention has not been paid by Government to empower the college in operating effectively and efficiently.

He extended that Sierra Leone’s Public and private institutions low capacity continues to be constraint on the Government’s effectiveness in accelerating reforms and improvement in service delivery.

In sympathy with the Vote Controller, the Chairman of the Sub-Appropriation Committee 5, Hon.
Lahai Marah 92 stated that Civil Service Training College is the back bone for the development of the Country, thus needed and deserves more allocation to train our Civil Servants.

The Vote Controller highlighted following as challenges face by the College.

i. ii.

iii.

iv.

No vehicle to enhance the movement of trainers to and fro the provinces.
High staff turnover as a result of low salary Lack of accommodation for training and examination for Civil Servants Lack of fibre internet connectivity to enhance research and training.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the vote controller continued that in spite of the difficulties and with the minimal allocation received from Government, the Administration has achieved the following;.

i. ii.

iii.

Gained accreditation for the College Acquired a land for the establishment of a University.
Had instituted an exam based promotion for Civil Servant.

He concluded that he is in the process of transforming the College into a University and currently embarking on the establishment of satellite campuses in the Country.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the College made a budget submission of Le 800, 000,000 for the Financial Year 2019 and was allocated with the sum of Le 954,556,300 by the Ministry of Finance.
Mr. Chairman in other to nurture their responsibilities of enhancing human capital development within the Civil service structures, the committee therefore recommends that the Civil Service Training College be given the adequate support in transforming the college to university.

Mr Chairman, if you look at the expenditures of MDAs, one of the expenditure lines that is taken majority of those monies are training in Ghana, America and other countries to train the staff of these MDAs.
We can use that money and improve on the Service Training College, so that, instead of you going to Ghana to get the same knowledge, it 93 will be provided here [Applause].

That is what we are recommending in this case, and that particular Commission Mr Chairman, is under staff and under resourced.

People don’t want to work there, because of their state.
Madam Minister, we want the “New Direction” thinking for Free Quality Education, to work and we on this side, will help it to work, because we want to benefit out of it and therefore, all these Educational Commissions should be empowered.

MR CHAIRMAN: It used to be the other way round you know, when Sierra Leone used to be the Athens of learning.

They used to come here, instead of us going there.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Yes Mr Chairman, in those days.

I don’t know what is happening to Sierra Leone.


MR CHAIRMAN: They are far gone.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Far gone indeed!

Under your watch, we need to bring it back.

Just give us the necessary support, we will do it.

VOTE 108-00 SIERRA LEONE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SMALL ARMS The Sierra Leone Small Arms Commission was established by an Act of Parliament in 2010 in compliance with ECOWAS Protocol on Small Arms, signed and adopted in 1999 by the ECOWAS Member States in Lome, Togo.
The Commission has the mandate to oversee the movement or transfer of small arms and light weapons, their ammunitions and other related materials, regulate the manufacture of small arms and light weapons, their possession and their use within Sierra Leone.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Le 3,478,700,000.00 for the Commission’s FY 2018, but was allocated Le 639,700,000.00 and actually received Le 354,600,000.00.
The Commission further received Le 90,265,350.00 as donor support from Safer World, a UK based Organization working on the assessment of Sierra Leone’s Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) implementation and Compliance.

So far, the total sum of Le 35,937,310.00 has been spent and a balance of Le 54,328,040.00 is in the Commission’s account at the Rokel Commercial Bank.
94 For 2019 FY, the Commission made a budgetary submission of Le 1,369,200,000.00 but was allocated Le 813,369,900 far below its ceiling of Le 1,078,000,000.00 The Vote Controller revealed to the Committee that the reduction in their allocation would adversely affect the following; i. ii.

iii.
iii.

Operation of the fire arms bureau and registry will not be enhanced Implementation of certain key project in our National Action plan Dissemination of information with regards small Arms and Light weapons to the people of Sierra Leone.

The Committee viewed the present budgetary allocation to the Commission as inadequate.

And therefore recommends that the Ministry of Finance to consider improving on the budget of this commission in succeeding budgetary process.
VOTE 110:14 LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION Mr Chairman, Hon.

Members, the Local Government Service Commission as stated in section 38(1) of the Local Government Act 2004, is charged with the responsibility of providing regulatory performance management and management functions, to the system of decentralized governance.

Mr. Chairman, Hon.

Members, FY 2018, the Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Le 252,400,800 for the Local Government Service Commission.
But actual allocation to this Commission was Le 411,442,708.42 and received Le 267,646,000 as GoSL regular budget for 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters.

The Commission further received a supplementary budget of Le 128, 604,000.

It was observed by the Committee that the Executive Secretary withdrew the said amount in her name instead of corresponding parties.
Responding to questions, the Executive Secretary state that though she withdrew the money in her name but it was expended judiciously and for the right purpose 95 Mr. Chairman, Hon.

Members, with a ceiling of Le 301,000,000 for the Local Government Service Commission for FY 2019, the Commission was allocated Le 322,170,500 by the Ministry of Finance.

The committee thus recommends that, the executive secretary provides further explanation on the use of the Le 128 604 000 to Finance Committee.
The reason for this recommendation is that, the Executive Secretary of the Local Service Commission withdrew money in our name and expended that money.

So we are saying, let the Executive Secretary of the Local Service Commission explain further to the Finance Committee on the use of that money.
VOTE 112-00 OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, to ensure good governance and increase the efficiency of the government, the Office of the Vice President has been conducting Oversight activities, supervising, monitoring and coordinating the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

This Office has been operating on two programmes.

Programme I focuses on Administration and Programme II centers on the Vice President’s Security, travelling and services.
In 2018 FY, the Ministry of Finance approved a budget of Le 14,431,393,400, but was given an allocation of Le 9,100,697,538.

The Office received the same amount as allocated.

The office further received donor funding to the tune of Le 187,000,000 from “Focus 1000” for scaling up Nutrition Programme.

The fund was used as seed money for advocacy and Nutrition Governance in all the Districts.
For 2019 FY, out of a budget submission of Le 14,625,100,000 by this Office, to the Ministry of Finance, an actual allocation of Le 15,330,105,000 was made.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members the Committee viewed this allocation as adequate and recommends for approval.
VOTE 422 - 00 SIERRA LEONE METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, as an Agency under the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, it is responsible to provide cost effective weather and climate services by 96 collecting, processing, archiving and disseminating Meteorological and climatological information to support end- users and thus contributing to the management of Sierra Leone environment.
In 2018 FY, this Agency was approved a budget to the tune of Le 1,313,000,000 by the Ministry of Finance and was allocated the same.

The Agency reported to have received the sum of Le 755,400,000 from GoSL Regular budget.

It has also been supported with a joint Donor funding as follows; i. ii.

Le 54,357,817.50 from World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Le 61,264,800.00 from United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) iii.
Le 518,160,000.00 from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, The said amount was mainly expended on United Nations Frame Work Convention on Climate UNFCCC led 34 meeting in 2018, Procurement of Manual weather station for the Lungi International Airport and training and capacity building for forecasters and Technicians.

For 2019 FY, the Meteorological Agency submitted a budget of Le 1,567,500,000 but received an allocation of Le 1,182,375,000.
The decrease, as reported by the Deputy Director would adversely affect the overall operation of the Agency: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, whilst examining the challenges of this Sector, the Committee was informed by the Director General that the Agency could not meet it International obligation by paying its Annual subscription up to date and this has accumulated to the tune of one hundred and ninety thousand dollars ($190,000.00) This Agency is also supposed to raise revenue from the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation, Sierra Leone Port Authority, Mining Companies, Sierra Leone Maritime Administration and Farmer Organizations etc.
but does not receive anything in return for the services provided.

It is only Sierra Leone Civil Aviation that has once paid a honorarium of thirty Million Leones (Le 30, 000, 000, 00.)

97 Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, the Committee noted with great concern that the Agency’s total budget allocation cannot be Compared to just an imprest of the Ministry of Information and Communication.
Considering the importance of this Agency in this 21st century, the Committee recommends that a supplementary budget be provided to the Agency to effectively monitor our climatic condition.

The committee also note the important of a weather machine which the agency may want to purchase, it will also be imperative if Ministry of Finance can sit with the agency for the purchase of such an important equipment.
If this machine was available, the Motomeh incident may not have been so much devastating the Director whispered This particular Agency, is responsible for predicting our weather and to locate in Sierra Leone hazardous areas, but it lacks the equipment to function and Mr Chairman, they have not been able to meet their subscription to international organisations and they are about to suspend us from the International Weather Organisation, because we are not serious in handling our environment.
This Agency Madam Minister, should be treated seriously, it is important.

VARIOUS - GUMA VALLEY WATER COMPANY Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC) was established under the 1960 Ordinance in 1961 as Government-owned entity with the primary responsibility to provide water services for the population of 1.5 million residents in Freetown.
With the increase in the population in Freetown and it environs, it has recently been enacted by an Act of Parliament - Guma Valley water Company Act 2017 with the Mandate to supply water to Freetown and its environs.

The Government of Sierra Leone does not allocate money to Guma.

They expends the revenues that they do generate.


The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance authorizes the Company to utilize funds generated, for the effective, efficient and regular supply of water in Freetown.

98 For FY 2019, the Ministry of Finance support to Guma through the Ministry of water Resources amounts to Le 17,000,000,000.
From this amount Le 8,000,000,000, is counterpart funding to ADB,DFID and IDA projects and Le 9,000,000,000 as direct support in respect of the installation of 60 kilometre pipe line.

The Committee observed that the authorization to use own source revenue from the Ministry of Finance was verbal as there was no written document to the effect.
The Committee therefore suggested that a written authorization be given to Guma, so that they will not be in breach of the Treasury Single Account act which was enacted by this Honourable House.

VOTE 706 -01- KONO DISTRICT COUNCIL: Mr Chairman Honourable Members, the approved budget for the Kono District Council for 2018 FY amounted to Le 6,039,868,861.

With an allocation of Le 1,212,098,204, the amount actually received by this Council for 2018 FY is Le 1, 425,288,130.
The Council also received supplementary budget of Le 600,000,000 for National Cleaning and further recorded donor funding under the DSDP2 and RCHP within the devolved sectors amounting to Le 145,693,811.

The donor funding were used to enhance basic service delivery in Health, Education, Social Welfare and Solid Waste Management in the District as indicated by the Chief Administrator.

Mr. Chairman, Hon.
Mr. Chairman, Hon.

Honourable Members, the Kono District Council submitted a budget projection of Le 12, 746,839,468, with the same figure as it budget ceiling and was allocated the Sum of Le 5,190,729,025.

According to the Chief Administrator, the Council did not meet its revenues target because Chiefdom Authorities do not allow council to collect revenue in their respective Chiefdoms.

He added that some Mining Companies especially MEYA MINING COMPANY is refusing council to assess their property.
Mr. Chairman the committee was startled to know about the wages and salaries paid to local council staff that are in safekeeping of billions of Leones.

The committee considers 99 such payment of wages and salaries as a recipe for corruption.

However, the committee thus recommend that the local service commission looked in to the welfare of these staff.
The Committee further recommends that the Mines and Local Government Committees summon the Management of MEYA Company and the Kono District Council to resolve the issue.

Mr Chairman, Meya is a Mining Company and that particular Company called Meya, is refusing the Kono District Council to access their Properties for them to pay property Tax.
So therefore, the Committee in this case recommending, that Mines and Local Government Committees in this Parliament summon the Leadership of Meya Company and the District Council to resolve the issue because we cannot go on without them paying our Taxes.

It is important.

VOTE-718-01 PUJEHUN DISTRICT COUNCIL Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for 2018 Financial Year, the approved budget for Pujehun District Council by the Ministry of Finance amounted to Le 5,405,118,699 in line with the its budget ceiling.
But the actual amount allocated and received from Government and supplementary budget for National cleaning was as follows: i. GoSL Regular Budget – Le 1,356,101,351 ii.

Supplementary for National Cleaning –Le 77,000,000 According to the Chief Administrator, the council did not receive any donor funding but generated the sum of 533,427,984.00.
This amount was expended on activities relating to the various sectors such as Education, Health, Solid Waste, Rural Water and Social Welfare, Agriculture and Support to Ward Committees.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for FY 2019, the Pujehun District Council submitted a budget of Le 7,381,287,132, In line with its budget ceiling.

The Council received an actual allocation of Le 6,126,745, 286.

100 705.01.

KOIDU NEW SEMBEHUN COUNCIL.


Mr. Chairman, Honourable Members, for 2018 Financial Year, the approved budget for Koidu New Sembehun Council by the Ministry of Finance amounted to Le 5,260,762,880.

But the actual amount received from Government and supplementary budget for National cleaning includes the following; a. GoSL Regular Budget - Le 888,428,869 b.

Supplementary budget for National Cleaning - Le 941,190,000 Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the council did not receive any donor funding.
However, the Council generated from own source revenue to the sum of Le 2,750,677,777.

This amount was expended on activities relating to the various sectors such as Education, Health, Solid Waste, Rural Water and Social Welfare, Agriculture and Support to Ward Committees.

The Council, for the FY 2019 was allocated the sum of Le 4,427,124,888.

This amount, however, includes indirect transfers.

VOTE- 133 04 GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN.


Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the Office of the Government Spokesman is an appendage to the Ministry of Information and Communications.

It was created in order to provide the public with timely, accurate, clear and complete information about government policies, programmes, services and initiatives, both nationally and internationally.

It was also established to ensure that government institutions are accessible and accountable to the public.
For 2019 FY, the Ministry of Finance allocated Le 445,902,100 to the Office of the Government Spokesman to carry out its responsibilities.

The Committee recommends endorsement of the above budget.
101 CONCLUSION AND GENERAL RECOMENDATIONS Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, the outcome of the examination of the budgetary heads of the bill entitled “the Appropriation Act 2019”, committed to the Appropriation Sub-committee Five(5), brought the Committee to its rational conclusion that designed towards achieving the New Direction’s governance aim.

In concluding therefore, the Committee came up with the following general recommendations: 1.
The provision of sufficient financial and other resources to all Educational related institutions for them to effectively, efficiently, professionally and proficiently function to meet the “New Direction” thinking of Free quality education 2.

The Local Government Commission to speedily consider improving on the welfare of the Chief Administrators and other key staff of Local councils whom are controlling billions of Leones.
Mr Chairman, staff of the Anti-Corruption commission working conditions are structured with the connotation that they are fighting corruption and they should get better facilities for them not to be corrupt.

Are the local council staff and other deprived individuals exemption?

If the staff of the Anti-corruption are saying pay us, because we are fighting corruption we should not be seen corrpt.
It they are saying that, my Leader of government Business, if the Staff in Anti-Corruption are saying pay us, give us better conditions so that we will be able to fight corruption because we don’t want to be seen as corrupt people are the local council staff and other deprived individuals like Parliament exempted?

So we are the one that should get involved in corruption so they could run after us.

3.
3.

For the effective running of the state, the committee recommends that the Ministry of Finance should guarantee the timely release of funds to MDAs in other to avoid the accumulations of huge areas, creating the opportunity for the 102 spinning of contractual obligations beyond the accounting period.

Which is in contravention of the cash based accounting system used by the GoSL.

4.

Mr Chairman Honourable Members, fuel consumption by Government workers is very alarming.
In most MDAs, fuel is being given to staff that are not entitled to official vehicles.

Therefore there is a greater need for the MDAs to review their fuel policy.

5.

There is need for the Accountant General’s Department to take a keen look at certain expenditure lines within budget.

It is essential for expenditure harmonisation in other to attained expenditure rationalisation.

6.
6.

Mr Chairman, the committee recognized the paramount need for a revenue bill to be enacted that will pave the way and serve as a guide for local councils and other revenue generating agency in the mobilization of income.

We just witnessed this particular one from the speech of the Paramount Chief, they are saying, that they should be collecting their own Taxes and the Local Council is also saying, it is our right as enacted in the Local Council Act.
So we want to see a Revenue Act that will sovle all of these issues and problems once and for all.

It is very much important Mr Chairman.

7.

Government to urgently harmonize wages and salaries as there is enormous salary disparity amongst various MDAs.

The committee sturdily recommends that the Ministry of Finance submits Government Payroll within one week to the Transparency Committee for the attention of the Parliamentary Welfare Committee.
This is very much important Mr Chairman, we need it so that we will not have to wait for the Revenue Commission to be set up because it’s a long process.

It is so alarming and important that Parliament wants to work on it.

And in doing so, the Committee is requesting for the payroll to be submitted to the Transparency Committee in Parliament 103 for the attention of the Welfare Committee, so that we will start doing and making recommendations as necessary.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, pursuant to Section 3, sub-section (3) 1, and Standing Orders 66 (1 & 2), the Committee unanimously recommends that the entire budget Heads, including the sub-heads listed below stand part of the schedule.

Thank you.
VOTES HEADS MDAs ACCOUNTS HEADS [INCLUDING SUB-HEADS] FOR 2019 Vote 116 211 127 206 203 205 312 133 300 405 315 207 311 316 108 110 122 133 422 Various 706 718 00 01 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00 14 00 04 00 01 01 Division 00 Parliament Vote Description 00 00 00 Immigration Department Ministry of Planning and Economic Development Sierra Leone Police Total Sum Voted [Le] 14,499,978,800 5,244,834,100 14,357,138,810 87,722,641,400 2,442,826,200 National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) Ministry Internal Affairs Teaching Service Commission (TSC) Ministry of Information Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) National Tourist Board (NTB) Teaching Hospital Complex Admin.
Sierra Leone Correctional Centre Health Service Commission Civil Service Training College Sierra Leone Small Arms Commission Local Government Service Commission Office of the Vice President Govt.
Spokesman Sierra Leone Metrological Agency Guma Valley Water Company Kono District Council Pujehun District Council 1,220,680,900 1,755,906,300 3,609,607,400 2,186,722,400 12,999,907,500 3,627,314,000 52,369,725,800 1,190,896,500 954,556,300 813,369,900 322,170,500 15,330,105,400 455,902,100 1,182,375,000 9,000,000,000 5,190,729,025 6,126,745,286 104 705 01 Koidu New Sembehun Council 4,427,128,888 Hon.
Lahai Marah Chairman Sub Appropriation Committee 5 MR CHAIRMAN: Honourable Members, the report is now open to debate, by Members of Parliament other than, the Members who constituted Sub-Committee number 5.

And you will be limited to make your contribution for 4 minutes.

I will start with the Chairman of the Finance Committee, no less than a person.

HON.
HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Honourable Members, Mr Chairman, recommendation 7, on the report just read by the Chairman of group 5, I think is in contravention with what the Minister of Finance and Government is doing with regards, harmonising the Wages and Salaries.

I think a Commission has been proposed and terms of reference has already been put in place.

We want to give the opportunity to Government and the Ministry of Finance to handle this situation.
Parliament has already a lot of other things to do, and the Committees has a lot of other things to do.

So as Chairman of Finance Committee, I disagree with this, and I want this House to leave that responsibility to Government and to the Ministry of Finance.

Thank you.

MR CHAIRMAN: The debate is now open and I now invite Honourable Members to take on board the recommendations, of both the Committee and what the Chairman of Finance Committee has just stated in their contributions.

HON.
HON.

DICKSON M. ROGERS: Mr Chairman, my contribution is going to be limited to one of the recommendations in the Committee report 5, because from what the Chairman was saying, he laid a lot of emphasizes on the office of the Financial Secretary.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, for the records, I think the recommendation has been misread.
When you look at the very estimate, page 246, it is not the office of the Financial Secretary that is allocated Le 17Bln, Mr Chairman Honourable Members, when you look at estimate 2014 and 2016, this is not a new phenomenon, the office of the Financial secretary has been allocated huge sum of money in the past, but under the “New Direction” the Ministry have found out that 105 when all those monies were been allocated to one heading, there was no efficiency.
Therefore, in this new budget, the office has been divided.

Before now, it used to be called the Department of Finance, the Head of that Department is the Financial Secretary.

Therefore, monies were allocated to that particular Department.

But in view to restructure the Ministry of Finance, there has been Sub-Committees.
In page 248, under the office of the Financial Secretry, is just Le 450 Mln, and it does not belong to the Financial Secretary, there are about 4 or 5 Departments under the office of the Finacial secretary.

For example, Mr Chairman, you have the internal audit, the allocation for the Internal Audit is Le 150Mln, you have Private Sector, Le 50Mln, you have the Procurement like we said yesterday is now a unit, it is Le 200Mln, and you have the Legal affairs Unit, Le 50Mln.
So Mr Chairman, what I want to emphasis here, is the fact that the Le 17 Bln, was not allocated to the office of the Financial Secretary, but for the whole structure of the Department of Finance, under the Department of the Financial Secretary.

Under that Department Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, you also have Economic Policy Directorate.

So the money is being divided based on these categories Mr Chairman.
So I want this House and the General Public to know, that the Le17Bln was not allocated to the office of the Financial Secretary, for prudence Mr Chairman, as I was saying, I have the 2016 estimate with me here, all of those Monies were allocated to the then Financial Secretary.

But because of the “New Direction”, we want to make sure that there is Financial Discipline in all of those Departments Mr chairman, they decided to subhead all those Divisions.
So I want to submit for the record and for the Journalists that the Le 17Bln was not allocated to the Financial Secretary.

However, let me speedily say, that the Financial Secretary is also the head of that Department and those Monies are allocated to those Units, and controlled by the head of those Sub-Divisions, not the Financial Secretary [Applause].
THE CHAIRMAN: Before you take your seat Honourable Member, I will be grateful if you could just educate me on one crucial matter, yesterday, we spent some time on this so call Procurement Directorate, right?

HON.
HON.

DICKSON M. ROGERS: Yes sir 106 THE CHAIRMAN: It has been agreed during the debate on the Finance Bill, to expunge a provision in the Finance Bill, that have created a Procurement Directorate under the Financial Secretary’s office in the Ministry of Finance, because it undermined the functions and responsibilities of the NPPA, and I understand that there is a whole panel play of offices still in existence under that directorate [Applause].
So, whether we change the nomenclature from Unit to Department, I am not worried about that.

But if there is a panel play of offices and then there is a ……… HON.

DICKSON M. ROGERS: Yes, Mr Chairman.

Mr Chairman, as I said inter alia, I have with me the expenditure estimate for 2014 to 16, under the then Government.

What happened in those days Mr Chairman, all of those Departments were under one person, who was the Financial Secretary.

The name has just been changed from Department of Finanace.
So because there was only one person that was responsible for those Departments, they have changed or have been Sub-Divided into Segments, that is why under the office of the Financial Secretary, you have 4 Departments and you also have other heads that are been controlled by other Departments in the Ministry.

However Mr Chairman, let me hasten to say, that it is not in contravention with the NPPA Act, because we have changed it now to Department.
We asked yesterday, that let them give us the functions of that Department.

It is quite different from the functions of the NPPA.

They have not taken a single responsilibility from the NPPA, like you adviced yesterday, I think the Ministry will take it into serious consideration, and I can also as Government Whip assure this House that there will be no contravention, no conflict of interest between the NPPA and that Department.
MR CHAIRMAN: I am satisfied with that assurance, but it also extend to the full compliment of Staff in that Department as you call it now.

But any way, let us proceed.

HON.

DICSON M. ROGERS: Thank you Mr Chairman [Undertone].

MR CHAIRMAN: You have floor.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Chairman and Honourable Members, I firstly want to extend my profound thanks and appreciation to Members of Committee five for a 107 comprehensive and excellent work done.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, you will all agreed with me that we are in a world, that is progressing technologically.

Sierra Leone as a Country should be seeing congruous with these development, unlike other African Countries.

Mr Chairman, I have just realised that a Commission that came into existence in 2007 was enacted in this Parliament, but the Parliamentary Service Commission is been treated with levity.
I say so, because we have separate Arms of Government and none should been seeing interfering into the operations of the other.

In this budget that we have just debated, I have come to realise that the Parliamentary Service Commission does not have a Vote Head.

Meaning, the Commission does not have an account on its own.

The Commission will be dependent highly on the Ministry of Finance to be giving them whatever they need as and when they need them.
To me, I am of the opinion that will even affect the effectiveness of this Parliament.

On several occasions, we have stood to the test of time against things that are been done in the Ministry of Finance, that we think are not okay.

And if we insistently continue, there is a tendency that the Ministry of Finance will be very sluggish in sending budgetary allocations to Parliament.

So, I want to suggest that Parliament has its own Vote Head.
Let us also be called by the Committee of Supply to explain how we go about spending Monies.

We have dealt with the Judiciary, the Executive and some other MDAs, all of them have their Vote Heads.

So, for a very big Parliament like this, to be highly dependent and totally subjugated to the Ministry of Finance it is a matter of question and it is alarming.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, when the Chairman was giving his report, nobody would question his experience and expertise in accounting and budgetary allocations.

He is a man of enormous Wisdom and Knowledge and one thing he said and I want to re-echo is that, the Metrological Department of this Country needs to be equipped.

I shall refer you to the recent report from the inter Parliamentary Committee on climate change has said Sierra Leone is the third most vulnerable Country to Climate change.
Without a better equipment to discern Climate change or Weather forecast, there is another tendency that this Country may be prune to another catastrophe.

I am sure such concerns are raised contingent on the fact that the current Machine they have, when it tells you that there will be rain tomorrow, just forget it, 108 tomorrow will be the hottest day in the year.
So, I want the Ministry of Finance in as much as this has to do with the lives of our basic Sierra Leoneans, and in as much as we have been named as the third most vulnerable Country to Climate change, we should treat any issue that has to do with climate change with maximum respect and concern.

I want to suggest that the Ministry of Finance expedite the purchase of such Machine, that will begin to tell us correct weather forecast.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, another issue that is contending in the report is the urgent needs for the harmonisation of Wages Salaries.

When we heard various MDAs in the Committee of Supplies, we were shocked to note that especially, when I can’t remember the exact MDA, but it was Tertiary Education Commission.

We were shocked to note that the Commissioner was paid Twenty Seven Million Leones as take home, whiles his Deputy was paid One Million six hundred Leones.
That is very frustrating and demotivating, and I have even come to learn that in most cases the Deputy acts in the capacity of the Commissioner in the absence of the Commissioner.

So you do the man’s work, and when he comes, receives the Money and you only have a pittance.

It is very important that this Parliament looks at it very seriously.
Also, I have come to realise through the Committee of Supplies, that there are certain Directors when once there are made Directors, it is Government business to furnished their houses, Government would buy fridge, Government will buy Television, Air Conditional, even the broom they sweep with Government will have to purchase and when these people leaves their offices Government don’t ask them for anything.

Interestingly, these very people have more than Seventy Million Leones in some cases.
MR CHAIRMAN: Honourable Member.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Yes Mr Chairman.

MR CHAIRMAN: Those are very strong statements that you are making, if you can, why don’t you try to be more specific before the General Public get a totally wrong impression; that this is a general application to all offices that bear the nomenclature “Director” let us know specifically the Directors that you are referring to.

109 HON.
109 HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Chairman, I would crave your indulgence to have an extensive look at the facilities of other MDAs including the Maritime.

Mr Chairman, I am saying this because as I speak, there are other places where the Country needs to spend resources.

The Free Education is one but very important, kids that are dying in the Provinces as a result of lack of Medical Facilities is also very important.
Therefore, if these surpluses are catered for, I am sure it will go far in helping this Nation.

Mr Chairman, I have just stated one, but we have several Directors.

Thank you sir.

We were looking microscopically at one Director, that was given a vehicle bought over One Hundred Thousand Dollars for one Vehicle.

Gentlemen, I am not talking politics, if we begin to cultivate Love for our Country, we will begin to cut down on the excesses.
I even don’t know under which dispensation but until we are patriotic and avoid been too political our will never go forward.

So for you to begin to ask me when, am not interested in even answering that question.

I am saying this, because we should help the Government of Sierra Leone.

We have said times without number that our Economy is very much deplorable, and you cannot have a bad Economy and purchase a vehicle that cost over One Hundred Thousand Dollars for a Director, just for a single person.
Mr Chairman, if we do not concentrate in checking the excesses of some MDAs, our Country will never change.

Like for example NEC, just for the garbage disposal they spent Two Hundred and Thirty Million Leones.

It is alarming, it is serious!

some of these excesses will be used for the Free Education, some of these excesses to build Hospitals where they are not accessible.

Until we are Nationalists and stop been political, our Country will never progress.
Mr Chairman, I want to say that we must be very willing and prepared to revolutionise the current status.

Yes, I am saying on a very serious note, that until we check the excesses, we will not be able to progress as a Nation.

So, in summing up I want to re-echo that: i. ii.


Let Parliament has its own Vote head; Let the Ministry of Finance expidiciously purchase the Metrological Machine, that will be able to tell us the weather condition and three [interruption], I am just going over gentlemen; and 110 iii.

Let there be harmonisation in Wages and Salaries also let us check at the excesses where Government spent money unnecessarily.
On that note, I want to hold my breath and I want to again thank the Honourable Lahai Marrah who has been so professional in the execution of his functions as Chairman of Committee five, may God bless you sir.

MR CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution.

Let me draw the attention of Honourable Members to a point which the Chairman of Committee five raised in his presentation and I think he repeated it about three or four times if am not mistaken.
That is a paragraph on page eight of his report, particularly the one that recommends that they should be a Budget Act to lay the Legal Foundation for Parliament to undertake the new responsibility.

I don’t think that is right way to go with respect, let us grow the Economy under the “New Direction”, that is the first thing we should do.

The Legal basis already exist, look at section [74] 4 of the Constitution, the enormous powers given to this Parliament.
What we need to do, is to give it blood and flesh, but we can’t give Section [74] 4 the necessary blood and flesh if the Economy remains as it is.

So, let’s not be laboured on the point, first thing first, let us grow the Economy first, and the time will come under my Leadership when we will give flesh and blood to Section [74] 4, that is all I want to say on that one.

Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh you have the floor.

HON.
HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you very Mr Chairman, may I start by saying thank you to the Committee and the Chairman for a well, cool and calculated presentation.

I want to start with the area that has to do with the Metrological Department.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, our Government in a week will join other Governments in Poland to follow up on the 2015 Parish Agreement.
The challenge was in 2015, our Government submitted what was called the [INDC] Intended National Determined Contribution, and two years thereafter, it was review to be Nationally Determined Contribution and in that Parish Agreement, there are provisions for Evaluation, there are provisions for Monitoring and there are provisions for Implementation.
And in Monitoring, we have to pay heed to the fact that we are not 111 only monitoring a nation, but early signals are critical in controlling Climate change and its attendant challenges, and with the Metrological Department been critical in making the [INDC] now the [NDC] workable, because our Government is going to commit this Nation to another [MEA] Multi-Lateral Environmental Agreement, for which we expect to adhere; and if the Metrological Department is under resourced to monitor and to send early warning signals them its means we are still playing below the International Agreement that we entered into.
I am asking the Ministry of Finance to look at the Metrological Department, because as Parliament we are limited under Section [40] of the [PFM] Act which says, “When a budget is laid before us, we don’t have the powers to make an increase on that budget”.
And for the records, the [PFM] Act and Mr Chairman, I am worried that the Vote Controller of the Ministry of Finance is not part of the process from the beginning, “This is the Bible of the Ministry of Finance, [PFM] Act” , and it says, “The Principal Adviser to the Minister on this Act is the Vote Controller, which is the Financial Secretary.
And if we follow this Act to the letter, I am sure the issue of Corruption, the issue of Wastages, the issue of Under Budgeting or the Ministry of Finance not providing Funds on time, which has been part of the recommendations of this Committee and other Committees; would not be an issue in subsequent budgets.
Because these documents in Section [75] gives powers to the Minister to form the Internal Audit Committee, and part of the Internal Audit Committee’s work, is to ensure that they Monitor Budget Disbursement to MDAs and they report to the Minister or to the Ministry on the utilisation of such disbursement.

So, if this [PFM] Act is followed, I am sure the issue of Wastages and the High Level of Corruption would be reduced to the barest.
We also want to draw the attention to the Accountant General at the Ministry that this Act also asked the Minister, the Ministry and Accountant General to submit quarterly report on all Revenues and Expenditures of the Government from the consolidated fund to Parliament.

All of these are measures to ensure that we check mate as a legislature the Performances and Works of the Executive in terms of the utilisation of the public resources.
That also draws my attention to the Sierra Leone Police, I would want to say without hesitation, that the Principal Deputy Financial Secretary was on Radio few days ago and he confirmed that the Ministry of Finance has 112 agreed to allow the Sierra Leone police utilise revenues they collect on behalf of the activities and works that they perform on their day to day activities, so as to ensure that they are efficient; and in a situation where budget disbursement don’t come on time, they can leverage on such, so it is a good action.
But however, my challenges here is most Committees and this Committee as well have also pointed out, that late disbursement is a challenge, and this Act also in Section [48] gives power to the Minister to form a Cash Management Committee.
It is the responsibility of the Cash Management Committee to monitor all accounts, all TSC accounts, and other accounts operated by MDAs, to ensure that Monies collected for and on behalf of Government don’t sit in Transit Banks for days, and sometimes the Transits Banks and those Agencies will end up using Public Monies as investment tools.
They invest in Treasury Bills, they do Inter-Banks Takings with Public Funds, whereas Government is scribbled with the fact that, they cannot meet their mandatory or obligatory disbursement.
So my plea here is, those that are here from the Ministry of Finance to draw the attention of the Financial Secretary, that one of his Principal responsibility in this Nation, is to ensure that he reads this Bible every day and ensure that he draws the attention of the Minister and the requisite Heads of Units to follow it.

If this is followed, I am sure, we will not come in 2019 to look at the 2020 budget and begin to talk about funds not disbursed on time, and payment to Ministries were not allocated.
Mr Chairman, you gave attention to Honourable Members, to throw light on the use of recommendation number seven, which the Chairman of the Committee made and the Honourable Chairman for Parliamentary oversight Committee on Finance, also made his input on the issue of Salary harmonisation.

It is but true and obvious that in as much as the issues of harmonisation came on the back drop of Parliament looking at a review of our conditions of service.
It has become obvious, that the disparity between and amongst people performing the same responsibilities is becoming a concern for us, not only for us as Parliament, but it’s also becoming a worrying trend for His Excellency’s drive, because I could remember vividly at His inauguration, he promised key things:  That he will fight Corruption; 113  That he will end poverty; and  That He will end indiscipline.

In pursuing the fight against Corruption, salary disparity is critical.
If a Civil Servant is collecting close to a Billion Leones as annual enumeration and another Civil servant who is also a professional is collecting Two Hundred Million or less it is recipe for corruption, because in life, and philosophy has proven that one of the greatest challenge in a human being is “Competition”, and even in ourselves, we are competitive.
Aristotle said that, “Competition is one of the greatest challenges in life” and therefore, we are asking the Ministry in as much as there are provisions in the budget to form a Salary harmonisation Commission.

I may want to recommend or lend my voice, that instead of creating another Commission, that will be an additional budget burden, on this Nation, because let us not forget that when once we create a Salary Commission, we will not dissolve at the end of the process.
We will scale down to certain level, and when we scale down we will begin to make budget allocation for that Commission.
What I will suggest, if it is possible, can we contract the services of one of these Auditing firms in the short term to ensure that quickly they look into the Salary disparities and bring recommendations to the Ministry who in turn can prepare Government “White Paper” and table it to Cabinet, for the approval of Parliament so as to ensure, that people who deputised when their Bosses who are collecting Le 79 Million are away, will not be tempted to ensure that, it is an opportunity for them to fill their pockets for the lost time.
Finally, Mr Chairman, I also made mention of the fact that, Parliament should control the Nation’s budget and the need for budget Act should be given a speedy consideration.
The Chairman has lend his voice to it, but I want to say, that if we are to do that, then we must also look at the [PFM] Act of 2016, because the only responsibility assigned to Parliament, is for us to review the budget and to discuss as we are doing, because we cannot recommend an increase in Government expenditure or a cut, because there are some Agencies, who’s budgets we have seen and have reviewed their expenditures for the previous years, but people who were in such 114 Committees, could agree that, such MDAs, need to review their budgets down wards.
I will not want to lend credence on what happened yesterday or what came up a little while ago on the issue of nomenclature on Procurement Unit, Procurement Directorate or Procurement Department.

My concern on it is, if it is a Unit, then the Ministry of Finance should consider a reduction in the Staff proposition.

Because, what is in the document is that already, before Parliamentary approval, the Ministry, has hired 41 people that are working.
And in addition in 2019 period, the Unit would have 227 staff.

And if they are going to have 227 Staff, that number goes beyond the Unit.

So I would encourage them to cut down on the number, and ensure that, it stays within the powers that will be defined by them.

What is defined in the [PFM] Act in terms of procurement, and what was defined in the Finance Bill of 2019, is almost the same.

On that note, Mr Chairman, I say thank you.


MR CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his very constructive contribution.

Let me try to exhaust one side of the House and them I will come to the other.

You have the Floor and limit your contribution to four minutes please.

HON.

SHEKU M. TURAY: Mr Chairman, Honourable Members.

I want to look first at the report we have presented these days, including the one we have done just now.

I first of all want to look at the report content.


The report objectives stimulate the outcome of the report content which means, that is why we are seeing similar recommendations in the reports.

I want to look at specifically, one of the recommendations that is asking for increase or Supplementary Budget in the report.

We have looked at figures specifically, to recommend increases.
But we have also perhaps limited understanding on the deliverables of the MDAs, which are very critical to the functions of the budget allocated to them.

I think this was discussed severally, before they agreed on the budget.

If you look at the big volume of that document, you will see that MDAs have deliverables.

Some of these deliverables are Programme-Related and some of them are Staff-Based Activities.
Before, you allow an increase in the budget, can we just differentiate what we have on Staff-Based Activities and what are the Programme-Related Activities?

then you will be able to see if it’s relevant at the 115 moment, because some are programmes with continued activities, they may not be provided or they may not be delivered within one year.

They have to go through other years.


So, we can begin from some where, by looking at it critically, to see if the budget allocation is relevant; which the Ministry of Finance has done profoundly well.

Now, I want us to look at Parliament specifically, let us look at our responsibilities, one the law making responsibility.
The Law making responsibility of Parliament does not only limit to the enactment of Laws, but also includes the analysis and the implications of those Laws we make, and it has to begin from the initiation.

Those who study Policy, will know that the Law making process begins with the initiation of the policies itself.

So, the Community which we make the Laws for has to be involved in the initiation of the Policies, so that we will not start failing in our policies from that level.
Our policy making process in this context are donor driving and sometimes, they are from top to down, and we will find out in previous years, we have generated a lots of Policies or Laws in this Country, and some of them are laid dormant and some not evaluated.
So, instead of creating New Laws, let us review the process, and let us give Parliament the capacity to be able to analyse those Laws and Policies, so we can be able to understand a functional relationship that is complicating the delivery of our services.

So as a Parliament when we internalise those aspects we will be able to make good Laws, and our Laws will not saturate the system without implementing them.
So, that requires a very serious budgetary implications and resource allocation, because we represent the Community at Community level, and when you make Laws and you want to test those Laws, it has to be from the Community level.

Every Parliamentarian has a Constituency that has to understand the relevance of those Laws, we approve or enact here.

One of the budgets items I have looked at, is the devolution process to the Councils.

We are recommending increases in the Council’s budget.
We failed also to understand that there is huge sum of money allocated to devolved functions.

I think what is relevant is the coordination of the devolved functions, let us have a strategic plans on those functions to be devolved to the Councils, not only expertise in the ideas we have, but let us have a coordinated system.
I think one of the institutions that is responsibility 116 for that could be the Decentralisation Secretariat, let us have all of the Agencies that have the devolved functions allocated to them, let us have a strategic plan for year one, to see the specific aspect that is devolved and the activities involved, the sum involved, and the funds released, so that the Council will be able to perform those functions perfectly.
But when we prolong the devolution process, because of policies leakages, we say, the Councils do not have the capacity.
So, my submission is that the Ministry could collaborate with Development Agencies, the Secretariat and also the Decentralisation Secretariat to hold all the MDAs that have the devolved functions and map out a strategy what to do within a year, otherwise, we will have the Moneys and functions devolved, but the allocation of the resources that will capacitate the Councils to do their functions are left out.

So, that is one aspect I want to see been done.


Now, as I have said severally, that the budget has to look at the critical functions the MDAs perform, and those functions are very critical to see if the budget allocated to that MDAs are relevant or not, or is the kind of staff cost or is just an operational budget, before you come to realise that the Money need to be increased, and the Supplementary Budget has to be looked at.
I just want to limit this very seriously, so that we will look at it critically, and see which strategy do we form to see that we implement the devolved functions accurately and also to be able to look at the deliverables.

The Ministry has, perhaps in our evaluation in the following years been able to look at what have been done on these deliverables, have we done properly in delivering what we said?

Are they Programme Activities?

are they Staff activities?


do we need policies that will help us to deliver those functions?

Do we need to involve Parliament to be able to do further analysis and to be able to make appropriate Laws that will help us deliver them perfectly?

That is my submission.

I thank you Mr Chairman [Applause].

MR CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his very constructive contribution.

I didn’t know we had a giant to my right.


Now that we have discovered this new giant, I hope he will be more robust in participating in the debates.

You have 117 been quiet for far too long [laughter].

Let me exhaust the other side, I gave you chance yesterday.

HON.

CHARLES O. ABDULAI: Thank you Mr Chairman.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I am Honourable Charles Osman Abdulai, Bumpeh Chiefdom, Constituency 079, Bo.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, a lot has been said on the specifics on these reports since yesterday, or since we started the debates on this reports.

My comments is cross cutting issues on the process we started during the interface with these MDAs in relations to interviews, the literature reviews on the documents.

One of the things, I observed and worth sharing with this House is the reporting patterns of the MDAs.
What I observed was a huge under reporting by the MDAs which is worth nothing for the future.

As we know, reports or reporting forms an integral part of an action, because report answers several questions.

What is the action?

Where is the action?

When and how the action was done?

If an Evaluator or an Auditor or a Reader takes that kind of report, a lot of questioning would not have arrived or would not have arised.
That was what happened, and that was what has been reiterated here since we started with this report, a lots of comments on documents not available by some MDAs, some we have to stand them down, they have to go back and forth, because of the under reporting, and because we found out they were not reporting properly.

Another Cross Cutting issues was Service Provision.

80% of the funds of the MDAs’ actions are done by service providers.
To be very honest, where an Agency or a Department spends, let say LE400, 000,000 or LE 500,000,000 on service provision with a scanty report, let us assume for a consultancy, we have to stand down some Agencies or MDAs to bring documents, contracts, especially those that dealt with huge amount of monies, like LE 400,000,000.
Let us see the scope of work for these Monies, let us look at the documents, so for subsequent times in the 2019 review, we want to see MDAs providing proper documentations, reporting correctly on actions, so that we will be clear on the actions taken by those MDAs under reporting of course, has a lot of Audit implications.
I have been a budget holder, I know what we have encountered especially with the MDAs, when we were in the NGO world, the worst you can do to 118 yourself is to send or provide Money to MDAs, you will end up making the report yourself, that we did severally.

Therefore, let us as Parliament, as the Ministry of Finance or other supervising Ministries to report correctly, because often, we receive Donor Fundings, by MDAs and we receive Monies from External Donors.
For our own integrity as a nation, as a people, I think we need to be reporting correctly, so that Audit Queries will not arise when we report to those donors [Laughter].

The other cross cutting issue observed was Leadership, I have been trained by the Chairman not to listen to “undertones or overtones”.

Leadership or Responsibility, or Vote Controllers, I think there should be no excuses to say, I am new in this department, so I cannot interpret my budget.
Read the handling over notes, and within two weeks you will be able to grasp the basics of your budget lines, so when you are asked, you will be able to answer queries.

But a lot of times, we see Vote Heads conferring with their Accountants, as budget holders you must be able to ascertain whatever action those Monies were used for, because you append your signatures, you sign documents.

So, you will be able to interpret those budget lines.
Basically, those are the few cross cutting issues I wanted to bring to the House.

Then of course, the last is to look at Parliament as reiterated by various speakers.

Of course the Parliament as we all know is an Arm of Government not a Commission.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, several Countries Parliaments have Commissions.

MR CHAIRMAN: I hope you realised you have exceeded the four minutes limit?

HON.

CHARLES OSMAN ABDULAI: Mr Chairman, I understand.


So therefore, we want Parliament especially, the budget allocated to be increased as stated by some other Speakers, because this Parliament is under serviced financially.

We were talking about water and other things; this Parliament is supposed to enjoy all these facilities [ Undertone].

Not under resource but Financially under resourced.

So on that note, I want to rest my case and thank the presenters for this wonderful report.
I thank you very much [Applause].

119 MR CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution.

Let me turn to the other side now [Undertone].

Is that the fire brand, then you have frightened me so let me go there [laughter].

HON.

DR ROLAND F. KARGBO: Thank you Mr Chairman.

I will start and will be very brief as usual.

I will start by commending the Chairman and Members of Sub- Appropriation Committee five for a well compiled, well laid out and well-presented report.
I want to make observations on few things especially, starting with the general observations.

The first observation there is, that the allocation made to Education Regulatory MDA was small, and I want to agreed that this is the case, especially when we considered that Education is the flagship of the “New Direction”.
In the General Budget, LE 1.14 Trillion was allocated to Education, but when it was divided, the Salaries of Teachers were removed and half of the moneys were allocated to Tertiary Education and its branches.

I also want to observe in passing that the method used to fund the Free Education is ad hoc and I want to commend the whole citizens of this Country for contributing Salaries to the effort, which is very good.

But that is a none starter for a very important aspect as Free Education.
It must have a solid budgetary back ground not ad hoc.

You won’t put it as a permanent budget, because we can give our salaries for so many months, but that is one time, next year we may not do it.

But this Education has to go on and if the “New Direction” thinks its a joke, we are going to hold them to answer.

Because this Education must go on.


Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I want to stay on the budget, and realised few things, the allocation to the Teaching Service Commission, was small, but it’s appreciable; because this is the first time we are giving an amount that will make the Commission functional and at least a take off.
This Commission has been on for almost three years consecutively and moneys were given but it never started effectively until now, and so, in as much as the allocation may be small, but we commend the Ministry of Finance for the allocation.

But when we go to the Tertiary Education Commission, again, the allocation was small, but the Tertiary Education Commission has never come out with any dynamic programme of activities for Tertiary Education in this country.
120 Once they come here, they threatened that they had difficulties with compliance from various institutions, and they should be authorised to close those Institutions; that is too simple.

And I am not surprised that their budgets has not gone up.

As a Parliament we should start thinking out of the box; new ideas, the old ideas have not been able to change the dynamics of this country.
And so people should start thinking, if they are going to justify the amount given to them, they should bring convincing programmes to this Parliament.

We will no longer take on programmes that are recurrent expenditure[Applause].

They should be doing something that would to change the face of this country.

And so, we urge the Tertiary Education Commission to do more.
I think they were here once with this idea of the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute, which used to be an Institute of Njala University.

And we have mentioned here the fragmentation of Departments in this country; making a great burden on Government Pay Roll.
Mr speaker, Honourable Members, when the Institute was under Njala, they could exchange Lecturers, they could do the research in the field, and Njala could send over research students to do various projects in the field, it was complementary, and Moneys were saved.

But maybe it’s because we want to provide employment for people, and eventually we understand this Institute was separated.

A research Institute has value when it is attached to a University, because a University is an Academic Institution.
But when its stands alone, its value reduces and its cost increases, because it is going to employ specialised Staff with very little work load, and would eventually be stagnated of new ideas, because the area where the ideas are produced is the University, and the link between the Institute and the University has been severed.

So I think these are things the Tertiary Service Commission should be thinking about; they should think about doing things in a new way.
We talked about fragmentation, and the Committee recommended, that the Civil Service Training College should be accredited, and raised to a University, I want to disagree.

I think we have too many Educational Institutions in this Country.

The College should be attached to one of the existing Universities, instead of creating another unit; it’s expensive, this country is carrying a burden; somebody 121 spoke about that this morning.
We are wasting meagre resources of this country and still spreading them very thinly over many duplicated services.

I think we need to think about this.

Mr Chairman, I thank the Committee for the report.

THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution, I recognise the Honourable Latif A. Sesay.

HON.

LATIF A. SESAY: Thank you very much Mr Chairman for catching my eye, and of course this is a very, very important debate that I want to actually contribute to, more so group five.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, first of all I want to talk on the Civil Service Training College.

The Civil Service Training College basically I know, was set up to see how best they can help Civil Servants.
But for the past years, whether it was SLPP or APC in governance, we have noticed, that our Civil Servants basically, are not preforming up to expectation, and most times what is responsible for such performance is because some people are recruited into the service without the required knowledge for the particular position they are basically employed for.

The role of the Civil Service College I want to reiterate here again is one that none of us should underestimate.
The reason been, when you talk of the highest employer in Sierra Leone is the Government, and if it is the Government, we need to ensure that the Civil Service Training College is up to the task to train our Civil Servants so that they can perform well.
Looking at the amount allocated to that college; Le 954,556,300 [Nine Hundred and Fifty Four Million, Five Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand Three Hundred Leones], and the President was here and he reiterated that he is here basically to ensure that he build on human capacity and the Civil Service.

How can you as a Ministry of Finance, give less than a Billion Leones to a whole Institution that is responsible to train our Civil Servants?

It is very unfair.
It is very unfair.

I believe the Civil Service Training College does not have Lecturers, because of the amount of Salary they are receiving; it is a meagre amount.

As I was saying, most of the Lecturers are relinquishing their work in the Civil Service Training College to lecture in Mushroom Colleges, just because of the differences in Salaries.
Why should we not encourage the Civil Service Training College to compete with colleges like Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) and Fourah 122 Bay College [FBC]?

You talk of Njala University, even the Earnest Bai Koroma College University in Port Loko, is doing better than the Civil Service Training College.

I believe even my Honourable Member sitting down there, needs that kind of benefit.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, we really need to concentrate on our Civil Servants; not only to tell them to go to their offices at Eight O’ Clock or 8:30, but we should ensure that our Civil Servants should be able to deliver in their respective positions.

You know the adage we usually to say; “Putting squire pegs in round holes”.

To me basically, I dispute that.


There are times you will hire someone for a particular position, you have some who will come in with the required knowledge, and you have some that you need to train, so that they can perform.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, let me go to the Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency.

Of course, now we are all experiencing climate change.

In those days, when it was November ending to December, you start experiencing the “Hermatan”, but now the place is very hot.
That tells you that the climate change is actually hitting us hard, and Sierra Leone is one of the few countries in the world that is vulnerable to climate change.

And so therefore, Mr Chairman, for a whole Agency like the Meteorological Agency to be allocated Le1,182,375,000 Mr Chairman, to me, is a very small amount, we are not serious about it.

First of all, looking at the kind of instrument that this Agency needs, you don’t need less than Le5Bln [Applause].
We have certain things that you need to acquire for you to have a better Meteorological Agency.

First of all, you have to have the Data Gap, we have what we called the Flood Focast and we have a Software that is responsible to record the amount of rain fall in a particular period.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, group five basically did a great job!

They did a wonderful job, because they highlighted a lot of pit falls that some other groups failed to highlight.
And so therefore, I want to say kudos to the Chairman and the team.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, you see this is not time for politics, let us think as Sierra Leoneans.

I have my brothers over there just talking, because they feel like talking.

You should be talking like a Sierra Leonean or thinking like a Sierra Leonean.

When we are talking about things that are going to propel our country to the next level, we need perfect decorum.

We don’t want to listen to your babbling, no!

You should learn!
You should learn!

thank you very much Mr Chairman [Applause].

123 THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution.

Now we are running a certain risk, and I don’t want us to realise it.

So I am only now going to entertain two speakers, one from each side.

Yes, okay I will give you, and then you [Applause].

HON.

ALLIEU KOROMA: Thank you so much Mr Chairman.

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, because of time, [interrupted].
THE CHAIRMAN: Incidentally, please forbear with me, but no Member is allowed to leave the House now.

I am sure, you all know the reason.

HON.

ALLIEU KOROMA: Because of time, I will limit my contribution to just one MDA; that is the Guma Valley Water Company, the neglected source of life, because water is life [Applause].

Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, it is sad to know that accessing safe drinking water in Freetown is really appalling to say the least.
For example, go to the Eastern part of our city Freetown, very early in the morning say by Six O’clock , you will find our Women and Children carrying rubbers of water to their homes.

Is that not an abuse to our Women and Children?


We are here saying that we want to protect our Women and Children, and for example, look at what happened today in our Parliament; when one of our colleagues from the other side of the political divide made it possible for us to know that water is not available even in Parliament.

I want us to critically look at the amount of money been allocated to Guma Valley, Le 9 Bil.
[Nine Billion Leones] , with the task of supplying safe drinking water to a population of 1,500,000 is really unfortunate.

Le 9Bln to a company that is responsible to provide safe drinking water to a population of 1,500,000 people.

Look at what is happening in our city, most homes do not even have water to drink.

Go to the mountainous areas of Freetown, people do not even have water to drink.
Look at our Women suffering, look at our Children suffering just to fetch water to drink, look at our Suckling Mothers; they don’t even have water to wash their Children.

This is very unfortunate, and we are saying this particular budget is Pro-Poor.

Where is the support that we are providing to our Poor Children and Women?

Where is the support?


So therefore, without wasting more time, I want to appeal to the Finance Minister to use 124 her office to increase the budget of Guma Valley, so that Guma Valley will upscale their water supply to the city, so that we have a budget policy that will meet the needs of our water supply in the city, I thank you so much.

THE CHAIRMAN: I thank the Honourable Member.

You will be the last Speaker.

HON.


MOMOH BOCKARIE: Thank you Mr Chairman, for giving me this opportunity to make my submission to this discussion.

Because tomorrow, my Committee will be doing our presentation as per your directives, Members whose Committees do presentations will not be permitted to make contributions.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, I have sat here for quite some time now and listened very carefully to various contributions made by my Colleague Honourable Members of Parliament, all proffering to the Deputy Minister of Finance the need to make more allocations to some MDAs.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, in our various Committees of supply, the problems we identified are associated with the various MDAs that appeared before the various Committees of Supply are very much identical; ranging from improper documentations from the various Vote Controllers, with reference to Bank Statements received from the Central Government, revenues raised and Donor Funds received and expended.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, all these problems were further compounded by fictitious capital expenditure heads put forward by these various MDAs.

Vis a-vis, as colleague Honourable Members have mentioned interalia, ranging from Garbage clearing, Professional Fees, Office and General, Computer running cost, maintenance and so on and so forth.
Mr Chairman, Honourable Members, as a Member of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee of Finance, I am not coming to the defence of the Ministry of Finance, but I want colleague Honourable Members, to take cognisance of the fact that this Government has been struggling for the past couple of months, since it took over governance to raise the necessary funds needed for the running of the affairs of the State [interruption].

THE CHAIRMAN: Order!

Order!

Order!

HON.

MOMOH BOCKARIE: Thank you Mr Chairman.


The Ministry of Finance do not just do allocations to various MDAs because they are MDAs, but they do so at the back 125 drop based on how best those various MDAs were able to defend their Budget proposals.

THE CHAIRMAN: And with that, HON.

MOMOH BOCKARIE: Thank you Mr Chairman [Applause].

THE CHAIRMAN: Madam Minister, your Response please!
DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Honourable Chairman, Honourable Members, what I will say is this, under the leadership of His Excellency the President, Dr Julius Maada Bio [Applause], we are trying to create a new Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of Finance, under the leadership of His Excellency the president, and as noted by this noble House.

Our Administration is focused on two critical things that central on the PFM Act of 2016.

It is about restoring Fiscal Discipline and Integrity.
These two principles are vital for the success of the “New Direction”.

The Ministry of Finance believes that expenditure harmonisation is indeed a precondition for Expenditure Rationalization; first you harmonise your expenditures and then you rationalise and you make the adjustments [Applause].
And this is precisely why we are moving forward with the establishment of the Wages and Salaries Commission; where we are working towards equal pay for equal work with respect to the implementation of the PFM Act, so as to reduce the incidence of Corruption.

Indeed, the Financial Secretary and the Principal Deputy Financial Secretary serve as the Principal Advisers to the Minister and the Deputy Minister.

Their main role is to ensure compliance to the PFM Act.
However, please allow me to say this; Policy implementation THE CHAIRMAN: Order!

Order!

Order!

DR PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: May I have your attention please!

This is a new Administration, and this is a “New Direction”.

Fiscal Discipline, Integrity is all the “New Direction” is really all about.

We collectively in this noble House have keenly listened to the various arguments the Honourable Members, have all made over the last few days.
With respect to the contribution on the allocation for the Immigration Department, we do note that you have recommended that Net Page print the Passports for us since they 126 collect the proceeds from the sale of the Passports; we are taking that back to the Ministry of Finance.
With the Sierra Leone Police, just few days ago, the Principal Deputy Financial Secretary [PDFS] was explaining how we are working towards relaxing the conditions for the Sierra Leone Police to enable them to use the revenues that they generate at the Sierra Leone Police.
To grow this Economy, of course we do need to work a little bit harder to increase our Tourism Development Expenditure, and when we come back to this House, we would work towards that direction to ensure that the expenditures allocated to the development of the Tourism sector is increased.

With respect to the Civil Service Training College, indeed we do need to strengthen the capacity of our Civil Servants.
The question of upgrading the Civil Service Training College from a College to an accredited University is something that would required further visibility studies; a more detailed analysis.

Finally, with respect to the recommendation for the Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency, the incident at Mortomeh and the allocation for the purchase of equipment at the Metheorological Agency, we do not want a repeat of Mortomeh; no one wants a repeat of Mortomeh.
If the procurement of better equipment to strengthen the projection of inclement weather conditions is the way to go, then of course the Ministry of Finance will look into that [Applause].

Thank you very much.

So on this point, Honourable Chairman, Honourable Members, I move that the following Votes as stated and Amended, stand part of this schedule, with the exception of the Sierra Leone Small Arms Commission and the Government Spokesman [Applause].
[Question Proposed, Put And Agreed to] [The various Vote Heads as pronounced by the Minister and Amended, form part of the Schedule].

The House Resumes from Committee Stage.

127 THE SPEAKER: The report for Sub Committee 6 is available and is in your Pigeon Holes, so please collect before you leave the precinct o f Parliament.

[The House rose at 7:15 p.m. and was adjourned to Friday, 7th December, 2018 ADJOURNMENT at 10:00 a.m.] 128