Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698080667201.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 SECOND SESSION - FIRST MEETING THURSDAY, 16TH JULY, 2019.

SESSION – 2019/2020 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: I NUMBER: 13 First Meeting of the Second Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Proceedings of the Sitting of the House Held Tuesday, 16th July, 2019.

2 CONTENTS I. PRAYERS II.

RECORD OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON THURSDAY 11th JULY, 2019.

III LAYING OF PAPERS [i] HONOURABLE NENEH LEBBIE-CHAIRPERSON, COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND MARINE RESOURCES: REPORT ON THE OVERSIGHT VISIT TO FISHING COMPANIES IN THE WEST AND EASTERN AREAS IN FREETOWN, FROM 16TH TO 25TH JANUARY, 2019.
[ii] HONOURABLE HAFIJU MAADA KANJA-CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE: REPORT OF AN OVERSIGHT VISIT TO ARMED FORCES TRAINING CENTRE, BENGUMA ON MARITIME BASE, TOMBO OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE ARMED FORCES ON FRIDAY 12TH APRIL, 2019.

[iii] HONOURABLE MUSA FOFANAH-CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT: FIRST SESSIONAL REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT.
[iv] HONOURABLE MATHEW S. NYUMA-CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS: REPORT ON OVERSIGHT VISIT TO THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS.

[v] THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL COOPERATION AND THE JAPAN OVERSEAS COOPERATION VOLUNTEERS PROGRAMME BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE.

[vi] ANNOUNCEMENT OF SPECIAL SELECT COMMITTEES.


[Vii] GOVERNMENT MOTIONS: [A] THE MINISTER OF FINANCE 3 BE IT RESOLVED: THAT THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE RATIFY THE FOLLOWING AGREEMENTS WHICH WERE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE ON THURSDAY 11TH JULY, 2019.

AMENDMENT CONTRACT BETWEEN FEMAB [SL] LTD ["THE DEVELOPER"] AND INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT [IPAM], UNIVERSITY OF SIERRA LEONE ["THE UNIVERSITY"] RELATING TO THE DEVELOPMENT/BUILDING CONTRACT DATED 2ND AUGUST, 2018.
[B] THE MINISTER OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY BE IT RESOLVED: THAT THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE RATIFY THE FOLLOWING CONVENTIONS WHICH WERE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE ON THURSDAY 4TH JULY, 2019.

[i] CONVENTION 160 - LABOUR STATISTICS CONVENTION, 1985.
[ii] CONVENTION 189 - DOMESTIC WORKERS CONVENTION, 2011 [NO.189] [iii] CONVENTION 102 - SOCIAL SECURITY [MINIMUM STANDARDS] CONVENTION, 1952 [iv] CONVENTION 150 - LABOUR ADMINISTRATION CONVENTION, 1978 [v] CONVENTION 181 PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCY [vi] PROTOCOL 029 OF 2014 TO THE FORCED LABOUR CONVENTION, 1930.
4 THE CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE Official Hansard Report of the Proceedings of the House _____________________________________________________________ SECOND SESSION – FIRST MEETING OF THE FIFTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC _____________________________ Thursday, 16th July, 2019.

I. PRAYERS [The Table Clerk, Mrs Bintu Weston, Read the Prayers] [The House met at 10:28a.m.

in Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown] [The Speaker, Hon.
Abass Chernor Bundu in the Chair] The House was called to Order 5 COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR THE SPEAKER: Good morning Honourable Members.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order Sir.

THE SPEAKER: I would ask you to come forward please.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I have a Point of Order.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, if you can recall about two sittings ago, I raised a Point of Order in this House regarding permanent suspension of S.O 5[2] to enable the business of the House to commence.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this has been almost a tradition since the beginning of this Session that every sitting, S.O 5[2] has to be suspended and I do not think that is a good practice for proper decorum in this House.

I believe the reason why that time was allotted or given is for compliance.
Parliament commences at 10:00a.m and nothing should stop us from sitting at 10:00a.m.
The rule says that even if you are on your seat, you cannot commence proceedings in the absence of quorum and you cannot proceed, but that does not mean you cannot take your rightful place at 10:00 a.m. Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, by way of guide, if Mr Speaker take his seat at 10:00a.m and he is unable to commence due to lack of quorum, I would advise on that very day, Mr Speaker to just hold his peace and at the height of the proceedings when those who are late would have been present, that would be the time Mr Speaker will come on a very serious note and make a very serious announcement, putting a stop to this late coming in the Well of the House.
On that note, I am humbly suggesting, subject to the decision of Mr Speaker regarding adjournments.

At the next adjourned date, we should turn to a new page and Parliament should start to sit at 10:00a.m starting with Mr Speaker, I believe Members will follow [Applause] that is my submission Mr Speaker.

I will not move a counter motion because I want things to work today.
THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, I thank you very much for the observation that you have made and for drawing the attention of the House to the importance of S.O 5 [2], I sincerely cannot agree more and I am prepared to accept the advice that you 6 proffered.

Is very likely that we are going to take our recess today and after we resume, I am going to dutifully follow the advice that you have just proffered [Applause].
We shall try to turn a new page starting with me, so from the very first day of sitting after our recess, I, Mr Speaker, hereby undertake that I shall be on my seat not later than 10:00a.m to start proceedings.

My indulgence of latecomers would be for only two times, from the third time, I will know exactly what to do with latecomers.
Let me repeat in case you think this is a joke; after the recess when we resume sittings, I hereby undertake as Speaker of this House that bearing all unforeseen contingencies, I shall be on my seat not later than 10:00a.m as a way of encouraging other Members to be punctual.
For those who make it a habit to come to the House late, I would be indulgent for the first time, maybe the second time, but as from the third time, latecomers would be appropriately dealt with in accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament.

I hope that is very clearly understood Honourable Members?

Suspension of S.O 5[2] HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS [Leader of Government Business]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I move to make some amendments on the Order Paper.
Under Laying of Papers, item number III [iv] Honourable Nyuma is spelt N-Y-U-M-A and not N-U-Y-M-A.

After the fourth item, we are going to have a fifth item under the Laying of Papers by the Honourable Veronica Kadie Sesay, Chairman, Committee on Trade and Industry: Report of Oversight visits and other Committee activities.
Then we would now have III [vi] under Laying of Paper, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and under Government Motions, we have: [A] The Minister of Finance; [B] The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which is the agreement on Technical Cooperation and the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers programme between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone; and [C] The Minister of Labour and Social Security.
7 Before that, [A] under Government Motions, Minister of Finance, August is spelt A-U-G- E-S-T and it should be A-U-G-U-S-T.

Thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: Before you take your seat.

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Yes, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Under item [iv], Government Motions, A] The Minister of Finance, your new B is what?

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

THE SPEAKER: And then your B becomes C?

HON.


SIDIE M. TUNIS: Exactly Sir, Minister of Labour and Social Security.

THE SPEAKER: Very well.

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Thank you.

THE SPEAKER: Any seconder to that motion?

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, I so second the motion.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Motion has been carried] II.

CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON THURSDAY 11TH JULY, 2019.
THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, we shall now go through our Votes and Proceedings of the twelfth meeting held on Thursday 11th July, 2019.

As usual, Pages 1 through to 4 we shall skip and start from Page 5.

Any comments?

Any observations?

Page 5?

HON.

SIMEON FEFEGULA: Yes Sir.

THE SPEAKER: Yes.

8 HON.

SIMEON FEFEGULA: Mr Speaker, on Page 5 [b] the Minister of Finance, number 3, the regional rice value and what they wrote is not correct, it should be v-a-l- u-e.
THE SPEAKER: Any other correction or observation on Page 5?

Page 6?

Page 7?

Page 8?

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, Page 8.

What was captured under my name was completely inconsistent with what transpired on that day.

They are saying Standing Order 34; in the first place, my Point of Order was not heard neither was it stated.

Secondly, it is only saying that the Speaker overruled.
I was not only overruled, there was an instruction from the Chair to the Sergeant-at-Arm to boot me out and what transpired on that day was not properly captured.

THE SPEAKER: What would satisfy you?

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, I will be satisfy if the proper and due recording of what transpired on that day is correctly captured.

THE SPEAKER: Clerks, take note.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, further to what the Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has just submitted.
We were all here and the person whom Mr Speaker ordered to boot Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh out of the Well was not the Sergeant-at-Arm on that very sitting day.

In accordance with S.O 13, the person who carries the Mace to the Well and out of the Well is the Sergeant-at-Arm, but the person who was instructed to boot Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh out of the Well was not the Sergeant-at-Arm.
S.O 13 state it very clear that “Mr Speaker shall appoint a person to hold the office of Sergeant-at-Arms” and not persons “It shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Arms” [a] “To attend upon Mr Speaker with the Mace on entering and leaving sittings of Parliament.” 9 [b] “To obey all orders and directions for the preservation of Order in the House which Mr Speaker may give him.” This is saying that for any sitting, our Standing Order does not make provision for Parliamentary Security Service like in the case of South Africa and other Parliaments.
For any instruction you want to give, one has to be given to the Sergeant-at-Arm and that Sergeant-at-Arm should be a person and not persons but on that day, we saw many security personnel who went to Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh seat in an attempt to boot him out of the Well.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, we need to understand S.O 13 Sub-Section 2 properly; “Entering with the Mace and leaving the Chamber” and that does not mean when the Sergent-at-Arms place the Mace on the Table he has to go out.
I can read it again because it is crystal clear.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: S.O13 [2] is clear.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: I think I have been misunderstood Mr Speaker.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: No!

You said the Sergeant-at-Arms should go out of the Chamber.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: The Sergeant-at-Arm for that sitting was Mr Franklyn Kargbo, so if there was any instruction to be executed, it should have been executed by Mr Franklyn Kargbo only and not by any other person.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, point of correction.

The Speaker on that sitting is alive and he is with us.

He said ‘Sergeant-at-Arm’ and no further instruction was given, but if it so pleases you Mr Speaker, we can allow the Speaker who acted on that day to give a statement; but he said ‘Sergeant-At-Arm’, we have the Hansard, but for the sake of progress, we do not need to deliberate on this Mr Speaker.

HON.
HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker needs to make a ruling on this because our Standing Orders are different from the Standing Orders of the South African Parliament and all other Parliaments that are using parliamentary security service to implement disciplinary measures on Members of Parliament because it makes provision for that in 10 their Standing Orders.
Our Standing Order does not make provision for parliamentary security service, but makes provision for a Sergeant-at-Arm and not Sergeants-at-Arms [Applause].

All of these personnel seated here are strangers, they are not voted to come to this Well and they should not be here Mr Speaker.

HON.

SOLOMON S. THOMAS [Deputy Speaker]: Mr Speaker, may I be heard Sir?

HON.

VERONICA K. SESAY: Are they not securities?

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: They are not.

There is no provision for them in the Standing Orders.
HON.

SOLOMON S. THOMAS: As far as the Standing Orders are concerned, you have not said anything.

You have read the provisions and they are clear.

THE SPEAKER: You want me to make a ruling on this?

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Yes Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Take your seat.

Now my ruling is as follows; we are considering the Votes and Proceedings, what transpired would be properly captured by the Hansards, not by the Votes and Proceedings and in making that ruling, I want to refer you to S.O 11[13].
If you look at the bottom of S.O 11[13], it will clearly tell you what the Votes and Proceedings are meant to capture.

Votes and Proceedings shall record the names of Members attending and all decisions of Parliament.

What you are referring to was neither a decision nor name of attendees that would be properly captured by the Hansard at the appropriate time; we are here considering Votes and Proceedings so let us restrict ourselves to the Votes and Proceedings before us, that is my ruling.

HON.
HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: I know that the decision of the Speaker is final, except if Mr Speaker wants to say that the orders given by the Speaker on that sitting does not fall part of the decisions of that day because he did order.

THE SPEAKER: I will say hold your breath until the Hansard are produced hold your breath until you see the Hansard.

For now, let us focus on the Votes and Proceedings of the last sitting.

With that, Page 8?

Page 9?


I think before I conclude this matter, 11 [Undertone] hold on a minute, technician please come.

I was advised that when I switch this on, it would automatically override all the other microphones in the House, is that what you want me to do?

Do you want it on permanently?

Can somebody please put his or her microphone on?

I did not ask for a musical concert please [Laughter].

Now, I am a little confused, let me try to switch off.

Are you getting me now?


So you prefer me to use this?

[Undertone] alright, thank you.

Before we conclude this matter, even though I have given my ruling, I think it is but proper that I ask the Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, you were the first to raise this matter, I hope you are satisfied that your point would be duly covered and captured by the Hansards.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Yes.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

So page 9?

Can somebody please move?

HON.

SIMEON FEFEGULA: I so move.


THE SPEAKER: Move what?

Move the adoption of the Votes and Proceedings.

HON.

SIMEON FEFEGULA: I so move the motion Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Any seconder?

HON.

BRIMA MANSARAY: I so second Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Oh!
THE SPEAKER: Oh!

Thank you very much; now I observe the automatic machine is absent, that is why I am getting motions been moved from the back of the Well [Question Proposed, Put, and Agreed To] [Record of Votes and Proceedings for Thursday 11th July, 2019 has been adopted] HON: DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Yes Mr Speaker!

I rise on S.O 18[6].

Mr Speaker, as I mentioned that I am base in my argument this morning on S.O 18[6] and directing it to Roman Number iii of Laying of Papers.
S.O 18[6] is clear in the manner at which Papers are to be laid in Parliament and who should lay such a Report in Parliament.

I want to caution not the capability of the individual, but the capacity he or she is using to come and lay the Paper on Local Government; the Report of the Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, which is Honourable Musa Fofanah.
Mr Speaker, 12 the procedures are clear on S.O 18[6] that the Chairpersons are to lay Papers and in the absence of the Chairperson, there should be a Deputy and in this circumstance the Chairperson is not here because [Interrupted] HON.

BASHIRU SILIKIE: Mr Speaker, HON: DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Mr Speaker, can I have your attention please?

The Chairperson whose name appears on this particular Report, Honourable Musa Fofanah was not the Chairman of this Committee.
The Chairman of this Committee was Honourable Kemokoh and his Deputy is Dr Abdulai Daniel Sesay and if the Chairman is absent, his Deputy should perform his role and according to S.O 18[6] the person that you call to lay this Paper in this Well of Parliament does not qualify and we should follow the correct procedure Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much.

Are you through?

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Yes Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you and you may put your microphone off now.
I will allow the person who is the current Chairman of the Committee to present the Report.

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Mr Speaker, can the current Chairman of the Committee be able to answer queries if been raised in respect of this Report?

He does not have that capacity because he was not a Member of that Committee Mr Speaker.

He cannot attest in this Parliament to be giving adequate answers in response to queries that may be raised in the Report.

HON.

EMERSON S. LAMINA: Point of Order Mr Speaker.


THE SPEAKER: Take your seats Honourable Members.

When Members lay Papers on the Table, they do so in their official capacity not in their personal capacity.

Whatever grievances there may be, whatever personal preferences there may be, we have moved on and on we shall match.

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Mr Speaker with due respect do not refer to this issue as personal grievance.

13 THE SPEAKER: I over rule you Honourable Member.

HON.
HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Do not refer these issues to personal grievances, we are questioning on parliamentary procedures Mr Speaker!

THE SPEAKER: I have not given you the Floor.

Take your seat now.

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Okay Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you and stay there.

I am not going to permit you to speak any more.

The current Chairpersons will lay the relevant documents on the Table [Applause].

Shall we proceed please?

HON.


NENNEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker, THE SPEAKER: I will allow the Acting Leader to be heard.

HON.
IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, I think all of us came to the understanding that since the old Chairmen may not be very au-fait with activities within those… to ask us now as new comers into Committees to which we are very new to present documents which we may not be able to defend because of insufficiency of information, I would ask that this matter be given a second hand-look, it is important to us because you are now stating that those of us who are new Chairmen, or those of us who are supposed to be new Chairmen should take over the responsibility of responding to some of these very important issues, but the information available to us at this time is totally insufficient Mr Speaker.
So I do not know how we can be effectively be useful in this regard.

I think I should make this point Mr Speaker.

Thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you Honourable Acting Leader, Ibrahim Ben Kargbo.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, I believe the Legislative Arm is part of governance and I believe Government is continuity.
If there is reshuffling in Cabinet today for example; we have the Minister of Finance changed at a particular point in time and we have Paper to be laid on the Table, do we need to have the Minister that has been removed from his or her duty to come and lay paper before us?

There must be competency in who so ever is taken the seat or position.

Now we have changed and 14 parliamentary term of Committees is sessional.
We have changed the Chairmen of the Committees so I believe they are competent enough to defend any document that is in front of them.

They have the responsibilities to do any function on behalf of the Committees.

So we have passed them in this Well of Parliament, we have given them responsibilities to take over those particular Committees.
It has nothing to do with incompetent, it has to do with their responsibilities and to lay a document I do not think we should wait for the Chairperson because we are not going to discuss it today.

If you go under Laying of Papers, paragraph 16, it tells you that in laying of Papers, you do not have to put any question.

So they can lay the Papers and if there are questions raised, you take it to the Committee stage and discuss whatever that is contained in that particular Report.
So I believe talking about competence is an insult on the Member of Parliament that is going to lay that particular Paper.

Thank you Mr Speaker.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, once again I am sorry and please be patient with me Mr Speaker.

The analogy of Cabinet is totally wrong, you have never being a Cabinet Minister [Laughter] therefore, you do not even know how Cabinet functions.
Mr Speaker, only last night I was watching television and I saw a Former Cabinet Minister handing over to a new Cabinet Minister and this was a man we approved some weeks ago.

So it is not correct to state that the new man can just come in and begin to perform, there are processes of handing over Mr Speaker.

The new man should also know what has been happening before he concludes or before he takes any decision, to us it is very important.

So to use the analogy of Cabinet is totally wrong Mr Speaker.
THE SPEAKER: Thank you Honourable Acting Leader of the Opposition [Undertone] No!

I am not going to allow both of you to detain the proceedings of this House.

Let me make this abundantly clear; the S.O cited by the Honourable Member, S.O 18[6] speaks not to the competence of capacity of the Member.
It speaks to the Office, not to his competence, capacity or eligibility, it speaks to the holder of the office and I read; “Committee Reports and Reports on International Conferences and Seminars shall be laid on the Table by Chairpersons of Committees and Leaders of Delegations 15 respectively or their representatives” I do not interpret that provision as speaking to the competence or capacity or eligibility of the Member, it speaks to the holder of the office.
I hope Honourable Ibrahim Ben Kargbo will can now put-paid to this issue and proceed.

Honourable Nenneh Lebbie, you have the Floor.

III.

PAPERS LAID: [i].

CHAIRPERSON, COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES AND MARINE RESOURCES HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I beg to lay on the Table a Committee Report from the Fisheries and Marine Resources Committee and it is a Report that covers the First Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
It is a Report on the oversight visits to Fishing Companies in the West and the Eastern Areas in Freetown from the 16th to 25th January, 2019 respectively.

Thank you very much [Applause].

[ii].

CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE HON.

HAFIJU M. KANJA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I beg to lay on the Table Report of an oversight visit to the Arm Forces Training Centre, Benguma and Marine Time Base in Tombo of the Republic of Sierra Leone Arm Forces on Friday 12th April, 2019 [Applause].

[iii].
[iii].

CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT HON.

MUSA FOFANAH: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I have the honour to lay on this Table a Report titled: 1st Sessional Report on the activities of the Local Government and Rural Development [Applause].

[iv].

CHAIRMAN, COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS HON.
MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I beg to lay on the Table, Report on oversight Committee to the Ministry of Information and Communications, Department, Agencies and Service providers within the Sector in Freetown from the 15th to 26th of April,2019 [Applause].

16 [v].

CHAIRPERSON, COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INDUSTRY HON.

VERONICA K. SESAY: Thank you very much.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I beg to lay on the Table the Report on the oversight functions on Trade and Industry in this House, although there where challenges, but I believe it will be taken care of.

Thank you very much [Applause].

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, Point of Order.

Mr Speaker, I am standing on S.O 73[3] and S.O 76[1].
Mr Speaker, I want to draw your mind to the fact that on the date the issue of Reports was first raised by this House, you pleaded with us to agree to a moratorium of four weeks and pursuant to your statement this morning that today possibly would be the last meeting of this House and we would likely proceed on our recess, which means, Committees, Sub-Committees have not adhere to the moratorium period by laying their Reports today and at the same time a huge chunk have not submitted [there were 37 Committees formed in the first Session] and if my guess is right we have received seven Reports; Mines, Trade, Fisheries, Information, Human Rights, Defence and Local Government.
In that instance Mr Speaker, it seems as if the moratorium that you took was not adhered to in the first place and secondly, the Reports so laid Mr Speaker, we want to thank them and I would also want to state that from all the Committees that I have interfaced with, it is a challenge expressed across all the Committees that though there were various oversight tools available to perform oversights, but the major function of performing the oversight to see first-hand what is happening on the ground was not made possible because oversight funding was not available [Applause].
Mr Speaker if you could permit me, should anyone want to rely on the fact that Chairmen did not ask for oversight funding at the time, there was a memorandum circulated on the 11th July from the Office of the Clerk requesting Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen to submit their proposal for the second Session to access oversight funding.

That means, in the instance of the first Session, similar memorandum could have been issued for us to access that funding.
Mr Speaker let me draw your attention to the fact that on the budget for 2018, there were funding for oversights.

Mr Speaker, on Page 203 [Interruption] 17 THE SPEAKER: You are dealing with a multiplicity of issues here.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: They are connected Mr Speaker, it has to do with Oversight and it is also connected with S.O 70[13]; the performance of oversight function and the oversight function is like a vehicle Mr Speaker.

You cannot move the vehicle without fuel.


THE SPEAKER: Connected as they may be, I thought we can dwell on each issue at a time.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Provided Mr Speaker if you are ready to give me the Floor again.

THE SPEAKER: O yes, of course!

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you Mr Speaker, so let us start with the issue of Committee Chairmen in the First Session that have refused deliberately [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: That is a matter of opinion [Laughter].

HON.
HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, I think there are opinions and facts, fact is substantiated and the fact that this is the last sitting of the moratorium grace period and they have not presented their Reports, I think my qualification deliberate is succinct and in place.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, it is the same trend, but this one is different and more cosmetic in fact.

HON.
HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, I think I should finish my observation THE SPEAKER: Let me allow the Honourable Member to land.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, if I have your leave to continue on giving the necessary components to the movement of the vehicle THE SPEAKER: No!

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Or let us finish the first?

THE SPEAKER: Yes.

18 HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Okay sir.


So the first is the [Interrupted] THE SPEAKER: You know sometimes my brain is not very alert; it is compartmentalised.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Let me remind you Sir.

THE SPEAKER: So the first compartment is, let us deal with the first issue first.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you Sir.

THE SPEAKER: So the first issue that you have mentioned here is Chairmen who are yet to present their Reports.

Out of something like thirty odd Committees, we only have how many?
[Undertone] So seven out of thirty odd?

Leader of Government Business!

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the deadline given by Mr Speaker referred to by the Honourable Member was the 18th July, 2019.

So at this moment, I cannot blame the Chairmen or their Deputies for not submitting because they still have up to the 18th July, 2019 to submit their Reports [Applause] but the fact that we are now going on recess, I believe those Reports will be laid as soon as we reconvene.
Thank you very much [Applause].

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, I want to thank my Honourable Leader of Government Business and by extension, I have heard people say people easily succumb to their godfathers so by extension he is my godfather, but on this instance Mr Speaker, I think we are treating the issue of reporting with a little bit of levity.
Mr Speaker, this concerns our responsibilities and duties to our constituents and to this country as a whole and if my Leader of Government Business is holding brief for the [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, you know very well how indulgent I can be especially in respect of matters relating to you personally, but I do not want you to overstate the issue.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you Mr Speaker.

So I would go to the second issue.

19 THE SPEAKER: Not yet.


I think we should take cognisance of the fact that a large number of Reports are yet to be laid on the Table and between now and the deadline that we established the last time, we have barely two days.

Is highly improbable that the remainder of the Reports should be laid in those two days and we are going on recess.
So the only practical and realistic thing to do in the circumstances is to extend the moratorium to another date after the recess, but I hope the Chairmen who are yet to perform would ensure that their Reports are ready as soon as we resume sitting after the recess.

Honourable Leader of Government Business, this is a very serious matter so I need some guidance here.

We are extending the moratorium to a date after we resume following our recess.

I need to be guided on that issue.


Do we stipulate a new date now or you wait until we resume?

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, the second sitting after recess, I can assure you that all the Committee Reports would be laid on the Table.

Second sitting after recess and as such, I am calling on all Honourable Chairmen and their Deputies to ensure that they work with their Clerks to ensure that these Reports are made available on the second sitting.
If you are able to lay on the first sitting it is okay, but the deadline will be on the second sitting after recess.

THE SPEAKER: So the new extension is not later than the date of the second sitting after the recess.

I want that recorded please.

Is the Speaker’s decision; not later than the date of our second sitting after the recess.

All remaining Reports must be in hand and tendered to this House.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker on the same point.

THE SPEAKER: Yes!

HON.


DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, some of us are a little bit confused based on your ruling this morning that the relevant S.O 18[6] refers to the Office not the individual and that is the office holder that is responsible which to our understanding; maybe we misunderstood, but according to my own understanding, your ruling was for the holders of Committees for the last Session.
The Chairmen or 20 their Deputies have that responsibility to submit that Report for the Session during which they Chaired; they represent those offices.

So but based on your ruling now, I am a little bit confused since for me personally, I am no longer a holder of the office I used to hold during the last Session and you have interpreted S.O 18[6] THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, I do not know why you are confused.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: I am confused Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I am not!


With the greatest deference to you and you know how much I hold you in high regard.

I am sure you are not confused, just as I am not confused.

If you recall, when we dealt with this matter in the first instance, we arrived at a decision that the previous Chairpersons should handover the Reports to the current Chairpersons.

So where is the confusion?

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Okay.

So your ruling is that the previous Chairpersons should handover to the current Chairpersons?
THE SPEAKER: If they are different, but if they are the same, then of course we expect that Report to come from the Chairperson.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Okay.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

So that is our ruling here; the second sitting after the recess.

That is the new deadline!

Shall we proceed please?

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you Sir.

Now on my second Point of Order; pursuant to the memorandum circulated as required under S.O 70[13].
Mr Speaker, let me go straight to the issues in the last Session, thank God the Ministry of Finance is here.

In the last Session, Finance should have disbursed or disburse to Parliament for oversight monitoring visit to Ministry Department and Agenise [MDAs] the sum of Le463mln, for taking Parliament to the people, Finance should have disbursed or disburse Le218mln and finance was to disburse to Parliament for the sensitization on the passage of Bills Le594,749,910mln.
Mr Speaker, if these funds were disbursed to Parliament and Members of Parliament did not go on oversight, I want to say it is an 21 indictment on us [Applause].

On the same token Mr Speaker, if these funds were disbursed by Finance and was not made available for the performance of oversight functions on MDAs, I want to say Parliament has tighten the business of the executive [Applause].
Mr Speaker, let me draw your attention to a comment on the SLPP manifesto regarding the function of the last Parliament on strengthen and repositioning of the Civil Services; “It was noted as part of the prominent challenges in the Civil Service as weak expenditure management, poor accountability and ineffective parliamentary oversight; for example, the Report of the Auditor General and the Anti-Corruption Commission among others have hardly been acted upon.” Mr Speaker, on the fight against corruption in page 57 of the SLPP manifesto says: “It is not with emphasis the following been the core in fighting corruption, as the core is absent of political will reflect in the inability of Parliament to scrutinise the public account audit submitted to it by the Audit Service Sierra Leone.
In the past ten years of the APC administration for example, the nation has witnessed the publication of series of robust annual audit by Audit Service Sierra Leone [ASSL] providing evidence of leakages to support the claim of gross inefficiency and ineptitude given rise to culture of meaningless corruption, investigation and rending the President promise of no sacred cow a scan, Parliament oversight is completely moribund, entrenching a culture of impunity for corrupt practices at no time was the failure to scrutinise more amply demonstrated than the competing claims of competent jurisdiction between Parliament and the ACC with regards to the Ebola audit report, to this day this audit report are renowned more for gathering dust in the archive of the national legislature than for observers.” Mr Speaker, I want to draw your attention to some of the similarities in this context stated that there was a fight over competent jurisdiction over the audit services report.
We are still fighting over who has right to examine the forensic audit report of the audit service Sierra Leone, it has been referred to ACC and Parliament is still claiming that we have the right to look at it pursuant to Section 3 of the Public Financial Management [PFM] Act and Sub-Section 5 of Section 119 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act 22 Number 6 gives Parliament the power to review all reports and in this vain Mr Speaker, they say charity begins at home.
I would want this Parliament to start the scrutiny for accountability, transparency and good governance from Parliament base on this Report.

Thank you very much [Applause].


THE SPEAKER: I sincerely cannot conceal my admiration for the presentation that the Honourable Member has made, I want to believe that really what is at the bottom of his presentation is the necessity for this Parliament to rekindle, re-energize the system and principle of accountability right across the board and this is why I welcome the comments that he has made and let nobody attribute partisanship to those comments [Applause].
They are extremely relevant to the work of Parliament.

You are here to perform three essential functions; to legislate as indeed you are mandated to by the Constitution, to represent your representatives as you are continually doing and to hold all the organs of governance accountable.
If you discharged those functions properly then we minimised the task of the ACC and other similar bodies [Applause] [Undertone] I would not say you would not need it, I would not go that far, but at least we will reduce the scope of their functions that we see presently.

So therefore it is important that we underscore the functions of Parliament, it is equally important that we performed those functions, so I welcome the comments and observations that the Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh have made.
May I turn to the Leader of Government Business maybe he has a response to that.

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I honestly and sincerely want to thank the Honourable Member for bringing this issue to the Well of Parliament.
The issue of oversight is a very serious one that borders me a lot, but I want to inform Honourable Members that this Government came to power in April, 2018 and within six months we are still struggling with the Ministry of Finance to determine what exactly was in the coffer for this Parliament and Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I can tell this Honourable House that up to December, Parliament was still in a very serious debt.
As your Leader of Government Business, I took upon myself to instruct the Clerk to write to all Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen to present their oversight proposal for the 23 attention of Honourable Speaker and I believe some Chairmen have already submitted their proposals while others still have not.
I can only at this stage call on Honourable Members especially Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen to submit their proposals because I want to ensure that by the month September 2019, oversight would start in this Parliament.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Parliament is still looking at the forensic Report.
I want to assure Honourable Members and the general public that this Parliament, the Public Account Committee is still looking at the forensic Report and a proper Report will be presented to Honourable House for a full debate.

I thank you very much [Applause].

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, can I say something?
I enjoyed the submission of my Honourable Leader of Government Business, but Mr Speaker, he has failed to avert his mind that what we are asking for now is not the budget approved in November.
We are asking for the supplementary budget we approved in July 2018, that is what we seek for the edification of the public the budget approved in November, what is asked for Parliament is Le400mln sensitization of Bills, for treaty agreement in promoting the New Direction is Le280mln, for oversight monitoring committee to MDAs is Le540mln, for monitoring of the executive utilization grant and loans by parliamentary oversight committee is Le315mln.
THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, I really want to be with you and I am sure all Honourable Members also want to be with you.

Now what are you quoting?

Those figures are huge figures, what are you quoting, are you quoting actual disbursement made or the estimated contained in the budget?

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, thank God we have the Minister of Finance here.

Let me quote the two figures and provide source documents.
For the current figures if you go to Page 146 of the development expenditure estimate, you will see for the sensitization of the passages of Bills Le400mln requested by Parliament, for treaty agreement in promoting the New Direction [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: Hold on!

[Undertone] I will allow him to finish.

24 HON.

IBRAHI T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, let me start with the latter.
I think the latter will give a clear insight; the latter are figures that should have been disbursed because they were figures noted.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker Point of Order Sir.

THE SPEAKER: Let be careful with the English language.

No you are confusing me now.

HON.

IBRAHI T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Wait a minute.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order Sir.

THE SPEAKER: Wait a minute.

I will not allow this debates unless you address me.
I want to be cleared that I am following you in your presentation.

Now, what I want to have very clearly spelt out [Undertone] Order!

Tell this House the figures that represent actual disbursement not figures that represent what ought to have been disbursed.

You used the language of expectation please.

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, let me just come in to help.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the issue of disbursement was brought to this House couple of sittings ago by the Honourable Deputy Leader and the issues relating to oversight and other expenditures in the House were also raised in this House in the last sitting and because of that Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I put together a Committee including the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Honourable Francis Kai Samba, Honourable Aaron Aruna Koroma, Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh and few others.
They were supposed to be reporting to this House on all of the issues are now been raised by Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh.

Thank you very much.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, may I start on the issue of Committee, the record of Votes and Proceedings says announcement of Facilitation Committee.
It says: ‘The Leader of Government Business, Honourable Sidie Mohamed Tunis of Constituency 101, Pujehun District announced the membership of the 25 Facilitation Committee and moved it adoption, the motion was seconded by Honourable Mathew Sahr Nyman of constituency 019, Kenema District and approved.’ What was the Term of Reference [TOR] of the Committee was to facilitate issues that borders on the welfare of Members of Parliament [Applause].
What we are talking here borders on the welfare of the nation and the proper functioning of Governance [Applause] so they are two different issues Mr Speaker.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Point of Order.

We have heard much from our colleague Honourable Member and we appreciate his effort for bringing out points, but we have different Committees responsible for oversight.
I vividly recalled when I asked for the budget line for oversight Committee in the last financial year, let me say that we want to know how monies that are allocated and how monies are disbursed for oversight and you said the Committee Chairman Honourable Francis Kaisamba to make available all the disbursement from the Clerk’s office to know if money were indeed disburse for oversight functions and that were you stop the ruling so I was still waiting for you Mr Speaker to tell this House or still if Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba is doing his work because quoting huge amount of money from Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh it appears as if the Clerk has been given such amount of money and he has failed to allocate it for the functions of Parliament.
So Mr Speaker, we need to do a thorough job, let us not put Parliament in the mouth of people to backbite us, thinking that we are involved in corruption, we are talking about allocation and actual money been disbursed, we have not yet cut the cutting across that one.

We need to have clarity on that and that one stay with you Mr Speaker.
Finally Mr Speaker, we have the Chairman for the Finance Committee, we need to give him the responsibility to trace the budget line and give us a clear cut and the veracity for what that money was disbursed or allocated for.

I rest my case Mr Speaker.


THE SPEAKER: When you stand to quote such fantastic figures remember one thing, you are not only addressing Mr Speaker, you are also addressing the nation as a whole and we should be very careful to give the correct impression to the general public not to mislead the general public.
We should avoid statement that would convey the 26 impression that such monies have been allocated and actually disbursed to Parliament or to the Clerk’s office and those monies were not used for the purpose for which they were intended.

Frankly, as a Parliament not only should we avoid given that impression, but we should be the role model to the nation.

We cannot be pointing fingers at other people while our own House is untidy [Applause].

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker thank you Sir.


THE SPEAKER: Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, I know the point you are making are very important, but equally the points made by the Deputy Leader of Government Business cannot be overlooked.

Let us not just come to Parliament out of exuberance and begin to make statements, please let us guide the public, let us informed the public that we are doing the right thing.
I will allow you to speak one more time maybe Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba wants to come in.

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

Let me use my opportunity given for the last time to make some few corrections.
I appreciate what my Honourable Deputy Leader has said and I also appreciate the fact that Mr Speaker have cautioned that I am not only addressing you, but I am also addressing the public of which I am fully aware, but my submission could have not come at a better time than when the Deputy Minister of Finance is here to confirm and further to that Mr Speaker, I want to state that the Committee referred to by the Deputy Leader of Government Business, a Committee is like a community.
Mr Speaker, do I have your attention?

THE SPEAKER: Yes you do.

HON.
HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, a Committee is like a community, it was called a Committee because it is a group of people together to performed a particular function assigned to them and I am a Member of the Finance Committee and if the Deputy Leader is saying the Chairman is the only one that has the competence to interface with Ministry it means our competence as Members of that Committee is already call to question because we are a Committee and we should [Interruption] HON.
MATHEW S. NYUMA: Point of Order 34.

27 HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Let me finish.

You do not have my permission.

THE SPEAKER: He does not need your permission.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Point of Order Mr Speaker.

I quoted the Chair, the head of the Committee and it is very clear on the Standing Orders that Committees are sub Parliament.
I said the Chairman of that Committee and I quoted his name directly Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba was charged with the responsibility to look into the matter when I asked for the budget line and you made your ruling Mr Speaker, I am not saying other Members are not competent.
I am very careful of my choice of words because I have respect for colleague Members and other sub structures in Parliament that is the reason I referred the matter to Finance Committee and it was emphasised by you during your sittings.

Thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: I know where Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh is coming from and quite frankly I am on all force with him.

Accountability should never be compromised [Applause].
Is one of our essential functions in this House, but when we are citing figures that come to hearing of the public, let us be sure that we are guiding the public correctly.

I have seen the Deputy Minister of Finance and I will implore her not leave this Chamber for the time been, pressing as her duties maybe, but quite frankly let us get the record and procedures correct.

Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba, can you help us?

HON.

FRANSIC A. KAISAMBA: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.
Like you rightly mentioned, there are figures allocated and there are figures actually disbursed.

THE SPEAKER: Shall we please listen to Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba now?

HON.

FRANSIC A. KAISAMBA: There are figures allocated and figures disbursed so when the issues of oversight came up in this Well it was referred to my Committee of which I am the Chairman.
I took upon myself, I accessed the office of the Financial Secretary and we sort for document to show break down particularly on money disbursed to Parliament on oversight because like you rightly mentioned there are figures in the budget that were supposed to be disbursed to Parliament on oversight so 28 we are yet to receive those documents from the Financial Secretary Office, of course he has assured us that the documents would be available on those disbursements and eventually we would look at them and ascertain whether monies for oversight were paid to Parliament or not.
Thank you so much.

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order.

THE SPEAKER: What is your Order?

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: S.O 34 Mr Speaker.

The point I see in what has happened here is different and does not only concern finances the Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh is talking about.

I am sure the other side of what [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: No!

You are not going to open another can of worms.

HON.
HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, let us have it this way, the Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh and all Honourable Members are doubting the usefulness of this Parliament because of what Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh stated and what we got from the Leader of Government Business are two different things.

He is talking about the last session and the Leader of Government Business is telling us about this one and we are talking about the last Session in which oversight was done.
It is not only the question of money, but are we executing our oversight functions?

If we are not doing any oversight, why are we here?

So let us not just look at the financial side of his presentation, but let us try to look at why there was no oversight.

Thank you Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Alright, let me try to bring this particular discussion to a close.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Who?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: It is Abdul Kargbo Sir.


THE SPEAKER: I am trying to bring this particular discussion to a close.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: After I give my own opinion on it Sir.

29 HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: No!

Point of Order.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Honourable Member, you cannot stop me.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: S.O.

41 Mr Speaker.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Allow Mr Speaker to exercise his discretions.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: We have to get respect for Mr Speaker.

HON.
HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, these are some of the problems we have as a Parliament.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, I want to read HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: When people want to exercise their discretions or opinions on issues, nobody prevent them.

If I am to be stopped from given my opinion on this issue, it is the Speaker’s right and no Honourable Member has the prerogative to stop me from given my opinion.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: I have raise Point of Order, S.O 41 HON.
ABDUL KARGBO: You cannot prevent me from talking, that is the sole right of Mr Speaker.

You are usurping the powers of Mr Speaker, THE SPEAKER: What do you think you are doing?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: I am requesting an opportunity for me to give in my opinion as several other Members have been given the opportunities to their opinions on the matter.

THE SPEAKER: I will gladly give you the opportunity, but take your seat for now.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Thank you.

HON.


MOHAMED B. SHAW: I am also over here Mr Speaker.

I am yearning for just one minute to say something.

THE SPEAKER: I will also give you the opportunity but not now.

I want to address this particular issue and try to bring it to a close.

Where is Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh now?

30 HON.

MOHAMED B. SHAW: Mr Speaker, Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh was speaking for the entire Honourable Members of Parliament in this Well so you can address us.
THE SPEAKER: No, I want him to be present when I make this point.

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Mr Speaker, just to add.

THE SPEAKER: Yes Honourable.

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Like I said, we are yet to receive hard copies of actual disbursement made to Parliament as stated by the Financial Secretary [FS].

What has happened yet allocations have been made to Parliament, but they have not been defined as to whether this is for oversight.

THE SPEAKER: No, I heard you very clearly.

HON.


NENNEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker THE SPEAKER: Yes Honourable.

Suspension of S.O.

5[2] THE SPEAKER: Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh good you are back.

Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, I cannot over emphasize the importance of the point you have made this morning.

I wish I were part of you down there as I used to.


I think Honourable Ibrahim Ben Kargbo would bear witness to the days when I was in your shoes unfortunately here I am a little restrained, but let me say this, we will definitely devote sometime to this discussion.

Maybe it is a little premature from what I gather from the statement made by Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba, so I want all of us to hold our peace collectively and await the Report from the Finance Committee.
When that Report is before us, we will give that Report due hearing and a proper debate.

I think that will be the appropriate time that Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh can then come up.

Let me again say the reason why I am encouraging this is because we cannot be pointing fingers at others when our own House is not very clean.
We must clean up our own stables first before we begin to scrutinise other people, we must be the role 31 model in Parliament, So with your indulgence, I will ask that we await the Report of the Finance Committee and devote some time to a discussion of that Report after the recess.

I expect that between now and the recess or the end of the recess those Reports will be tendered.

We took a decision earlier that it would be the second sitting after the recess for all remaining Reports to come in.
So Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, I hope that satisfies?

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Thank you Mr Speaker and that is the reason we also appreciate when you are on that chair.

Mr Speaker, let me draw your attention that I was and I am still a Member of the Finance Committee and I will be shocked if there is a Report from that Committee because we met on three occasions and I can remember on all the instances; we met FIU, Africel and Airtel on an issue raised and I cannot remember the third time we met.
We had a meeting, National Revenue Authority [NRA] and National Social Security and Insurance Trust [NASSI came and they submitted a report.

THE SPEAKER: Aren’t you now pre-empting?

HON.

IBRAHIM T. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, I am not pre-empting, I am just saying we have never as a Committee met with Ministry of Finance.

THE SPEAKER: But you are pre-empting!

Wait a minute, Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh as you say you are a Member of the Committee.
That Committee is duty bond [Undertone] hold on Honourable Members.

We have taken a decision here that all remaining Committees must tender their Reports after the recess.

So let be a little more patient, wait for those Reports when they come in, they would be duly considered by this House.

I am sure Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba will not disappoint us by coming back to this House without a Report.

HON.
HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Definitely Mr Speaker there will be a Report and particularly so that we encompass the particular issue under consideration.

For Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh to say we only met three times is not true.

Even when information is sent to some Members of Parliament about Committee meetings 32 they do not attend.

So for Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh to say we only met thrice is completely out of the question.

THE SPEAKER: Okay.
THE SPEAKER: Okay.

My ruling is; let us await the Reports, when the Reports comes, it would be given a fair hearing in this House.

Honourable Abdul Kargbo, you still wants the Floor?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: As it pleases Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I cannot give the Floor to one and leave the others on this issue.

Honourable Members, I crave your indulgence please take your seats.

Let us close the debate on this matter.


Let us await the relevant Reports [Undertone] and precisely because it is different, I will not entertain it now, that particular matter is closed.

Let us proceed with the Order Paper [Undertone] no!

We have Committees dealing with that already, you cannot have a multiplicity of Committees.

HON.
HON.

MOHAMED B. SHAW: We have Reports that come in this Well Mr Speaker, you would be surprised to know that they are coming from the Chairmen and the Clerks alone and not from all Honourable Members.

You would be Surprised!

Mr Speaker, sometimes you have to give us your ears so that we express certain things that are burning us Mr Speaker.

There are so many powers with the Chairmen.

THE SPEAKER: You will raise those concerns when the Reports are in, not before.

HON.
HON.

MOHAMED B. SHAW: Mr Speaker, can we have a Report where all Honourable Members can signed to prove that they were part of the oversight?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker there was a gentleman’s agreement between you and I that I was going to talk [Laughter].

THE SPEAKER: Gentlemen take your seats.

You are now speculating and I am not going to entertain any more speculations here.

We are waiting for Reports to be tendered and when those Reports are tendered, they will be duly considered.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker Point of Order!

Mr Speaker, Members are not against raising questions on the Papers laid.

If you want to debate, you have queries 33 with the Paper so laid.

They should move a motion on a particular document that the Report presented by the Chairman must be debated by the House.

They have the right to do so, using the provisions in the Standing Order.

For the progress of this House Mr Speaker, let them move the motion [Interruption] HON.
MOHAMED B. SHAW: We will be moving a motion Mr Speaker that any Report that comes here without the signature of all Members of that particular Committee; the Report should be return to that particular Committee.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, participation Mr Speaker from this side of the House has been very thin on this issue and we think it is unfair that all the participants in this discussion are coming from that end.
Mr Speaker, I am pleading with you to allow some of our own people to participate in this very important discussion.

Mr Speaker, you did promise Abdul Kargbo that he was going to say something in rations to this topic and we take you on your word.

Also, since you sat down Dr Mark Mahmoud Kalokoh unceremoniously, you have not asked him what next the man should do.

You simply sat him down and he seated and you have not told him what to do next.

THE SPEAKER: Who is Dr Mark Mahmoud Kalokoh?

HON.


MARK M. KALOKOH: My very self Sir and I obey your instruction, but you never come back to me.

THE SPEAKER: Dr Mark Mahmoud Kalokoh, I answer the point you made.

HON.

MARK M. KALOKOH: You did not answer it properly Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Bad luck [Laughter] I am going strictly by the Standing Orders now.

We have an Order Paper before us and I am entertaining no more discussion.

HON.
HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, we hope that you will continue to recognise those Clerks as advisers to you and not people who will dictate to you.

THE SPEAKER: Nobody dictates to me Honourable Member.

34 HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Can we now ask one or two of our own people to participate in this discussion for the Hansard Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: No, please Honourable Deputy Leader of Opposition, the decision on this matter is closed.

Let us await the Reports that are pending.


This matter will be reopen when those Reports are in, let us go on pace.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker we will be at liberty to conclude that this debate was informally concluded.

THE SPEAKER: No, we will conclude that this particular issue was concluded on the understanding that we would await the submission of the remaining Reports and we would give those Reports a due hearing.

HON.
HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Without our agreement to that kind of thinking Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Shall we proceed please with the day’s business?

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, I want clarification.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, S.O 41.

I beg for your audience please Mr Speaker.

We want the progress of this House Mr Speaker.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, Honourable Mathew Sahr Nyuma should not pretend that he is the teacher in this House; he is not a school teacher in this House.
He should not tell us how to do the business of this House.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: I want you to read so that you can understand Honourable Member.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Your level of understanding of Parliament is very flimsy Honourable Mathew Sahr Nyuma.

We are not talking about groundnuts here.

THE SPEAKER: With the greatest respect to you Honourable Acting Leader.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: What are you suggesting Mr Speaker?

THE SPEAKER: What am I suggesting?

35 HON.


IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Yes Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: That we will go on the bases of what is before us right now in accordance with the Order Paper.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: We are not deviating from your thinking Mr Speaker; expect that I was asking that Abdul Kargbo makes a brief statement like you promised him for fair play Mr Speaker.

Thank you very much [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: Strictly two minutes [Laughter].

HON.
HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

I want to also seize this opportunity to thank our Acting Leader for conceding his subject to be given an opportunity.

Mr Speaker, on the issue, I am one of [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: On the issue of what?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, you will know the issue when I have the opportunity to talk.

THE SPEAKER: No!

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: If I made mention of the issue now you will stop me.

Mr Speaker please allow me Sir, not more than two minute.
THE SPEAKER: I want to know the issue before I allow you.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker the issue of Chairmen submitting their Report.

I am one of the Chairmen who have suffered so much because my Committee, the Committee of Youth Affairs has been strangulated entirely.

In fact, the Ministry which we over see, which is the youth Ministry has made the head line for every reason.

We have seen people visiting the youth farm asking for boat etc.
this Committee has summon a good number of people, we spoken to them, we have attempted to make a visit to all of those places.

THE SPEAKER: Are you giving us your Report now?

36 HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: No Mr Speaker.

It is not even good for us to submit Report that are not detailed, some of us did not do anything because we are strangulated as provided in the [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: Then put it in writing.

HON.
HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: The Committee Report is going to be just a page and it is unfair for the people of this country.

THE SPEAKER: So be it, reframe from giving your Report now.

We have agreed that those who are yet to give their written Report would do so after the recess, so do not go over that again.

Honourable Deputy Leader, I am sorry, I am over indulgent when it comes to applies from you.

HON.
HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Funds were made available for this work to be undertaken THE SPEAKER: All of those issues will be dealt with when we deal with the Report please.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, for you to penalize Honourable Members, Chairmen who would not submit Report to me is totally is unfair.

THE SPEAKER: I am not penalizing anybody, all I am asking is that Chairmen who are yet to present their Reports should do so after the recess.

Is that a penalty?

Please take your seat.


We shall now proceed with the Oder Paper.

[vi].
[vi].

THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIR AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION MR SOLOMON JAMURU [Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, with a view to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, I beg to lay on the Table of this Honourable House Agreement on Technical Cooperation and the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Program between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone [Applause].
ANNOUNCEMENT OF SPECIAL SELECT COMMITTEE 37 HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I move for the approval of this House to announce names of membership to the Sierra Leone Turkish Parliamentary Relations Committee.

[i] Hon.

Sidie M. Tunis Chairman [ii] Hon.

Chernor R.M Bah Deputy Chairman [iii] Hon.

Mathew Sahr Nyuma Member [iv] Hon.

Nenneh Lebbie Member [v] Hon.

Maada Hafiju Kanja Member [vi] Hon.

Mohamed Billoh Shaw Member [vii] Hon.

Sarty Banya Member [viii] Hon.


Hassan A. Sesay Member [xi] Hon.

Unpha G. Koroma Member [x] Hon.

Sallieu O. Sesay Member [xii] Hon.

Daniel Koroma Member [xiii] Hon.

Alex M. Rogers Member [xiv] Hon.

Emerson Lamina Saa Member [xv] Hon.

Emilia Loloh Tongi Member [xvi] Hon.

Haja Miatta Amara Member [xvii] Hon.

Lahai Marah Member [xviii] Hon.

Bai Sama Kamara Member [xiv] Hon.

Ambrose Maada Lebbie Member [xx] Hon.

P.C.

Prince Mambu Pewa Member HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Yes Mr Speaker!

THE SPEAKER: Yes.
THE SPEAKER: Yes.

38 HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Mr Speaker, in relation to the Committee just announced by the Leader of Government Business, because the right thing was down; we were consulted, we submitted names of Members from our own side of the aisle, we have no problem with that and we want to commend him for that and that is what we have been advocating that the right things should be done when it comes to forming these Committees.
Mr Speaker, we have always said that we will never stand in the way of progress in this House, but when the needful is done, we will always compromise and play along the line like what Mr Leader has done; he did consult us and we submitted names from our own side and indeed he has taken them into consideration and that is what we have been evocating in this House.

Mr Speaker, moving forward, we want to make sure that the right things are done in this House.
Mr Speaker, you told us that we should be the role models in society.

So as Law makers, we must not be Law breakers.

That is why I keep maintaining that we still have people in this House who are strangers, they do not have to be here now Mr Speaker [Applause].

HON.

SIDIE M. TUNIS: Mr Speaker, with that I moved that Honourable Members approve the names that I have just announced for the membership of Sierra Leone Turkish Parliamentary Relations.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

Any seconder to that motion?


HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: I so second Mr Speaker.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Motion moved for the adoption of Membership of the Special Select Committees has been adapted] IV.

GOVERNMENT MOTIONS [A] Minister of Finance MRS PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY [Deputy Minister of Finance]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I move that the two Contract Agreements which were laid on the Table of this Honourable House on the 10th July, 2019 be ratified.
39 [a] The original Contract Agreement between FIMAB Sierra Leone Limited, the Institute of Public Administration and Management [IPAM] and the University of Sierra Leone.

[b] The Amendment Contract Agreement between FIMAB Sierra Leone Limited, IPAM and the University of Sierra Leone.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, these agreements made on the 2nd August, 2018 and on the 10th July, 2019 relate to the construction of the new residential campus for IPAM so as to provide decent accommodation for more than four thousand IPAM students and one hundred IPAM staff Members.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the current location of IPAM is now just too small to accommodate the current student population of about ten thousand three hundred students.
Over the next three years Mr Speaker, following the establishment of the Free Quality Education Program, the current student population at IPAM is expected to increase rapidly.

It is now therefore necessary to establish a new residential campus in preparation for the increase of the IPAM students’ population.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, at this juncture, I would like to invite a student from IPAM to share with us the current challenges that they are experiencing at IPAM.
MISS KADIJA L. SESAY [Student from IPAM]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, IPAM is now undoubtedly the biggest and best business institution with a greatly expanded enriched curriculum; offering a wide variety of Certificate, Diploma, Under Graduate and Post Graduate Degrees, programs in Accountancy, Business Administration and Entrepreneurship, Banking and Finance, Financial Services, Information System, Information Technology and Governance Leadership.
Also, IPAM makes it possible for many non-traditional working adult students to acquire quality collage education by offering its program throughout the day; three shifts classes are held on Monday through Saturday and go on as late as 9:30p.m.

In addition, it provides access to college education at locations across the country; Makeni, Bo, Kenema, Kono, through it vibrant extramural units.

Very recently, the college erected a seven storey building financed by internally generated funds.
This build has reduced the current accommodation problems for a short period of time.

As at 2018 to 2019 academic year, 40 the number of students increased to more than 12,000,000 from 3,299,000 in 2011 to 2012 academic year.

The Institute projects the number of registered students to rise to 25,816,000 in 2026 to 2027 academic year; a growth of about 230% in seven years’ time.
The college currently rents six properties in Freetown; George Street for post graduate programs, Prince of Wales Secondary School, St Edwards Secondary School Hall, Tabernacle Church Hall, Rips Vocational Institute, Girl Guides for Under Graduate Programs.

Annual rent amounting to Le700mln, the equivalent of about $100,000.

Added to this cost are associated costs for renting class room furniture and examination administration for example, transportation from one centre to the other among others.
Despite these successes Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as its strives to provide High Quality Education for it students, if not being without challenges, prominent among which is the acute shortage of class room accommodation to facilitate a more conducive atmosphere for effect teaching and learning.
The proposal for the residential campus at Bureh Town is a proactive step to address the student population explosion especially with the traditional student’s population, that is, those coming straight from secondary school; the eighteen, nineteen years old like myself who are most likely to required campus accommodation.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, phase one of this Bureh Town project will provide residential accommodation for more than 2,000 students, very spacious class rooms, much needed office space and housing for Lectures and Staff, recreational facilities which are currently non-existent on the current non-residential campus and importantly, phase one also include a state of the Art Auditorium with a sitting capacity of about 2,000.
Renting out of such a rare facility in Sierra Leone for national and international conferences for example, will be economically very rewording.

In addition to the very conducive environment for effective teaching and learning which Bureh Town will provide, the social, psychologically and emotionally benefit to the students living and studying together in a residential setting practically in a healthy and pristine environment in the Bureh Town vicinity cannot be quantified and over emphasized.
41 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I therefore humbly on behalf of my colleague students, request that this House ratify this long awaiting amended contract and save the face of education in Sierra Leone especially when it has been proven that IPAM has a strong financial management ability to repay and the FIMAB project would serve as a model for development of education in Sierra Leone.

Thank you for given me this opportunity to talk to you all.

I wish one day I will be like you, we love you all.
Long live IPAM!

Long live the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone!

Long live Sierra Leone [Applause].

MRS PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the development and building contract shall commence immediately after the first deposit which will be paid in local currency.

The Bank guarantee under this arrangement shall remain in full force on effect for eight years.
The construction period shall commence ninety days after the commencement of the contract Agreement and shall last for no more than three years.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, given the immense importance of these two contracts, I move that this Honourable House ratifies both Agreements: [a] The original contract Agreement between FIMAB, IPAM and the University of Sierra Leone [b] The amendment contract Agreement between FIMAB, IPAM and the University of Sierra Leone.

Thank you very much.


THE SPEAKER: Madam Minister.

MRS PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Yes Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I thank you for your presentation, but I am here as Speaker to guide the proceedings of this House.

I am still grabbling with the procedures as to how to accommodate this new and sudden development that you have introduced to us.

I am afraid times like this somehow invoke in me a certain character.

I am a stickler for correct procedures been used.


We have entertained you in this House many times with many proposals, but I do not know how I can accommodate you bringing a student to 42 come and buttress your presentation.

Unless you want to incorporate into your statement what she has said.

MRS PATRICIA LAVARLEY: Yes, that is what I intend to do.

THE SPEAKER: But I would have preferred prior notice really for this rather than been taken unawares like this.
MRS PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Speaker, this is discussed with the Leader of Government Business.

It is a shame that he has left awhile, but this is discussed with him and we were guided accordingly based on our interaction with him.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, I think I observed a little bit of blunder because she asked for your permission and that was not given, but I think the student did not do anything wrong.
She was trying to emphasis what the Minister was saying, but because we want this agreement to be carried at the full force of weight from the Minister, if you look at the tempo or what is going on now, I think taking leave from the Leader of Government Business and giving her the permission to do so, she did ask that, “Mr Speaker, with your leave, can I bring a student from IPAM to present to us?” But from what she did Mr Speaker, I did not see much of a difference only that I will ask the Minister to take the young lady’s presentation to be part of her own presentation to the House.
The presentation made by the lady was perfect and superb.

I think that one can carry us for the day because in the Manifesto of the ruling party talks about procedures, but let us accommodate her based on what has happened.

She can just adopt that one into her own presentation.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I want to join my Deputy Leader of Government Business.
Sometimes we live by innovation and I believe the Deputy Minister of Finance has shown some amount of innovation in terms of convincing Members of Parliament to see reason as to why we should lend our support to certain agreements.

Before the Student started her presentation, I made an undertone by saying; you need the leave of Mr Speaker, but I was scared not to hurt you [Undertone] yes, I made it!
God is my witness, but I am not used to overtones and I do not want to 43 force myself for Mr Speaker to hear me.

But that notwithstanding, she is a human and the good side far surpass the bad side as far as I am concerned.

It is innovative, it is only by way of procedure, your leave should have been sought in the first place and then the innovation continued, but I plead on her behalf [Applause].

HON.
HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, I want to apologise on behalf of the Deputy Minister of Finance, but honestly Mr Speaker, this document would be Table for debate and I am of the fairest opinion that what the young lady did was to capacitate Members of Parliament to see reasons as to why this document must be ratify expeditiously.

I think most of the Members of Parliament are not well au-fait about the operations of IPAM.
What she did was very correct and was to titivate us so that we will not in any way prevent [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: It is not for you to decide on the correctness of [Interruption] HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: That is why I apologised initially when I began my statement on behalf of the Minister and I hope other Ministers will subsequently go through our right procedure.
You can take money from Parliament, you can take everything from us, but we do not play with our procedures because that is what makes us Parliament.

I want to apologise again on her behalf and I want to also commend the young lady for the very vibrant and very succinct presentation.

Mr Speaker, I apologise Sir.

HON.

ABU KEMOKAI: Mr Speaker, I have something substantially different from the other presenters.
As far as I am concern and according to statements made by Honourable Members, I do not think the Deputy Minister of Finance should apologise to this House because she consulted the Leader of Government Business for the young lady to present what she presented, it was the responsibility of the Leader of Government Business to have communicated it with you, but if he failed to pass that message to you, I do not think we should blame or ask the Deputy Minister of Finance to apologise to us, instead it is the Leader of Government Business who should apologise for breaking the procedures of this House.
44 THE SPEAKER: Let us not open another topic.

I do not by any means wish to question the substance of the presentation made by the young lady, my concern was really whether we were using the right procedure.

This is Parliament; it is a very sacred place.

It is not everybody who is entitled to come to the Well of the House to make a statement.
You can only do so by leave of Mr Speaker and this is why in the present circumstances, I think I will again ask that the Minister should make it clear that the statement made by the young lady is one that she is prepared to incorporate as part of her presentation to the House.

I do not like creating bad precedence, I do not want to be sentimental here and we have to do the right thing at all times.
If I were to base myself entirely on sentiment, I will applaud the young lady and say she performed wonderfully, but I am afraid sentiment take a back here, we follow correct procedures [Applause].

MRS PATRICIA N. LAVERLEY: Mr Speaker, the presentation made by the young lady is part of my own presentation and it is incorporated as part of my own delivery on the project and also Mr Speaker, I did request your permission before inviting her to make the statement.

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I heard her.

The only bad thing is because she did not wait for your response, but I heard her.

Sometimes it is usually said, ‘silence is consent.’ THE SPEAKER: You want to create more problems now [Laughter].

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: No!

To be true to myself, I heard her seeking your permission.

THE SPEAKER: It is not your hearing that I am doubting, it is your comment that silence means consent [Laughter].

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, for the progress of the House, we believe the Minister of Finance is not a Member of Parliament, she has been here couple of times, even Members of Parliament do make mistakes, but we live by those mistakes to build our parliamentary proceedings.

In the light of that, she really asked as the 45 Honourable Members said, but procedures are procedures.
I like what you did by letting her incorporate the presentation of the young lady into her own presentation, I proposed that and that has been done.
Now do I stand to say whatever breach or procedure that has been carried out today we apologise and we are asking to continue the business of the House and let us in sympathy, looking at our manifesto that education empowered our women, empowering our Lecturers to build infrastructure for education, please let us allow this business of the House to continue without abrogating proceedings which you have already corrected, so we ask with your leave that we continue Mr Speaker.
Thank you Honourable Members from the other side of the aisle [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: Without what we have just witness been interpreted as creating a new precedent for the future, without prejudice to that and taking into consideration the fact that the Honourable Minister has decided to incorporate the content of the statement made by the young lady into her own presentation to the House, we shall proceed accordingly [Applause].

[Question Proposed] THE SPEAKER: Debate now begins.
Let me start with the Chairman.

Okay, you have the Floor.

HON.

ALIMAMY O. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, I stand here in pride that IPAM deserves our fast ratification for a dream realised.

In the course of our oversight amongst the institutions we visited, IPAM stood out glaringly to be an institution that has a vision in line with the dreams of our President.
I am sure IPAM itself is aware of the influx of students in the cause of the implementation of the Free Quality Education and in preparation to accommodate numbers and to give it a standard, they have gone ahead to develop a project which now requires our approval.

We have said that education is our flagship programme and that has been echoed across the country.
We have heard from the student from IPAM, justifications for us as Members of Parliament including the submission by the Deputy Minister of Finance why we should hastily ratify this Agreement.

The timespan is given which is three years and 46 within three years, the contract would have been completed and ready for handing over to the institute for utilization.
IPAM should stand as a model and in spite of the challenges they have, they have been able to even construct a seven storey building which is now been fully utilised from the local resources they have been raising, this cannot be compared to any other institutions in this country.

For example, Fourah Bay College, Njala etc.


it is either they are refurbishing buildings or renting buildings which takes a lot of toll on the resources they have, but IPAM have a dream and this dream is what we are pleading with the Members of Parliament to kindly and speedily ratify for immediate implementation.
On that note Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, I am pleading in the interest of the country and in the interest of education for Members to hastily ratify the project and the Agreement.

I thank you Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member.

Honourable Hassan Sesay, you have the Floor.

HON.


HASSAN A. SESAY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, like we have always said on our side of the aisle, any issue on development, capacity building, and any issue that is geared towards the progress of Sierra Leone is something that we will take seriously.
Mr Speaker, for us to have a document in this House whereby IPAM is about to have buildings in an exclusive area like Burreh Town means that we are making progress along the lines of developing our educational infrastructure.

Mr Speaker, it is not new because we have seen expansion taking place at Fourah Bay College, “The Anthem of West Africa” where we attended.
Mr Speaker, when you have quality infrastructure, it is a motivating factor for students because they will want to go live in those institutions to say I was part of that institution.
I think we are proud that we went to Fourah Bay College because we had good hostels, we had good facilities and if IPAM is now creating institutions whereby students can go to live in the institution, then I think they are making progress because IPAM was developed for training and for them to progress from that point to now creating structures which are going to be permanent and be counted as one of our first class Universities in the country, I think we must give them the support that they deserve.
I think this is not controversial, we must give them 47 the support, but we hope that our quality of education must be maintained.

Mr Speaker, why am I alluding to that is because we know very well that our students and lecturers are facing challenges and if we must develop educational infrastructure, we must also ensure that the quality of education must be at per with the institution we are building, not solid institution and then poor quality production.
I think we must pay attention to that and ensure that in line with developing infrastructure, the quality must be maintained.

I want to appeal to those stakeholders who are involved in the areas of education to ensure that we maintain the quality that we are all yearning for in this country.

If we have a quality labour force, a quality human resource base then we will be sure of what our futures would be.

I thank you very much and I hope that we ratify this document speedily.
THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution especially for laying special emphasis on the need to improve on quality of our educational system and in that context, let me say here that I am not aware of any right to spy by students, that right which is been claimed by some does not exist anywhere in the world and more particularly in Sierra Leone.

There is no right to be allowed to spy in examinations.
I recognise the Honourable lady, I will come to you the Honourable Leader of C4C, let me take a lady.

HON.

REBECCA Y. KAMARA: Thank you Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I had really not wanted to stand up because Honourable Members still have some issues with the Ministry of Finance in relation to our welfare, but as a woman, I stand in this Well as a Member of Parliament because of education.
Immediately our lady came and presented her own part of the speech, I was moved and said S.O2 “mi yone go cam last, but dis wan mek ar tok gud tin abot am.” Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I can remember in 2016 when I was doing a course, Women in Management for three months in Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration [GIMPA] which is the same as IPAM.

When you look at GIMPA, you will really know that you have entered a University.
The campus is very big and in fact it has different departments, if you are a Minister and you want to go and study for three months, 48 there is a special place for Ministers.

I believe if this particular project is really serious, it would be nice for Sierra Leoneans because we do not want to move from Sierra Leone to Ghana and other places to do advanced courses.
I believe Sierra Leone has a reservoir of quality human resource wherein after University you would be able to write a memorandum or minute, but if after the constructions of those buildings and the students cannot perform after university, then it is a waste of resources.
On that note Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, most of the Government projects or agreements that are signed for public institutions will not be properly monitored and at the end of the day the contractors will do poor work and the money from taxes will go again for rehabilitation.

I am admonishing the Ministry of Finance and also Honourable Members of Parliament because we have duties to perform which are oversight functions.
Mr Speaker, I am admonishing all of us to really take this serious and ensure that this Agreement is approved in this House.

I thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable lady.

There are two more agreements awaiting ratification, may be some of the Honourable Members who are wanting to catch my eyes will do so in due course.
I will recognise the Honourable Emerson Saa Lamina, after him another Honourable and then I will wrap up the debate [Undertone] no; you will have your own bite when we come to the other ratification.

One minute each, then I will accommodate all of you, one minute.

HON.

EMERSON S. LAMINA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, speaking to this Agreement between FEMAB and IPAM is deliberate because myself being an educationist.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Greek says education coming from the word “Educere” which means from darkness to light.

IPAM has taken the correct and the right move at this moment to expand their college.

Mr Speaker, qualifications of universities and colleges can be seen from characteristics such as good campus, qualified tutors or instructors, library fertilities and the research ability of that particular college.

IPAM has stood and still standing a test of time.


Their innovation of designing a tailor made courses that is very near to the human industry has done lots.

IPAM can be commended for their decentralisation drive.

It is a shame in less than ten years, I beg 49 your pardon, for almost two centuries Fourah Bay College has existed and they do not have the motivation to expand their tentacles.

If I can recalled in 1827, Fourah Bay College been born is not derogatory.
I see Fourabites watching me with squinted eyes [Laughter] it is just the reality that since 1827 Fourah Bay College will click the clock about two centuries and they are failing to expand.

No wonder today urbanization coming close, our folks that are in thirst for education are coming closer every now and then, I now see reason for the overcrowding of Freetown city capital.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, expanding IPAM to Burreh Town will do that location well.
I must state here that if there is any party that supports education is the C4C.

Our nomenclature shows it C4C, which actually brings together letters and words, “you see 4 me, I see 4 you” C letter or alphabet 4 being a number which encompasses the importance of education.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, my only worry is our citadel of education which are actually meant or created to improve the socio-economy of our nation and to develop the human capital are gradually turning away to a breeding ground for nudity, for examination malpractices, for student union violence especially during their political time and for cultism, unfortunately I must state it and this is a hope I believe IPAM will not turn to that direction because they have been very professional and I must commend them.
From the very time they were together with the Consequent College of Njala University until they separated, they have been doing well.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I ask colleagues for the swiftness of this Agreement.

I thank you very much [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba, you have the Floor.

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.
Colleagues who have spoken before me, the Agreement is fine, is laudable, is meant to solve the current challenges particularly with regards to accommodation at IPAM and even the payment scheme is very flexible.

I am sure once the Agreement is ratified, the implementation will follow exactly what has been stated in the two agreements.

Mr Speaker, I may want to deviate a bit particularly when the Minister of Higher and Technical Education is in the Well.
I am coming from Kenema district and I happen to 50 be the caucus Leader of Kenema district parliamentary caucus.

When we talk about university, we have a problem in Eastern Region.

The Eastern Region is the only Region in this country without a university.

There were plans on the way to transform the Eastern Polytechnic into a university.

In the last administration, we tried but that did not come to fusion.
His Excellency the President Julius Maada Bio went to Kenema during the thank you tour and he made a policy statement in the presence of all stakeholders that the Eastern Polytechnic should be transformed into a university and we expect that once His Excellency the President Julius Maada Bio makes such a pronouncement, it will be the business of the Minister and his officials to work towards ensuring that those pronouncement are made good.
Unfortunately, we have heard that there are lot of challenges with regards to the Kenema district and by extension the Eastern Region are not happy with regards to that.

We want the Minister to know that we need a university urgently.

Talking about building another university for us will take decade and we do not even know when, but transforming the Eastern Polytechnic into a university, the bases are there, the building blocks are there, it will not be much of a difficult task.
We are yearning, our students are suffering, they have to move from Kenema to Bo, Freetown, probably the north to search for university education and I think we deserve one.

The Agreement is a laudable one, I hope the Minister is ready for us because we will soon engage him very seriously and he should ensure that the policy of His Excellency the President Julius Maada Bio is implemented.

I thank you very much [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Francis Amara Kaisamba.
Honourable, you have the Floor.

HON.ABDULIA D. SESAY: Thank you Mr Speaker.

Putting up a new campus and good infrastructure is the best because the foundation of quality education requires a quality environment.

My concern is on two topics; firstly, value for money.
We have seen over the years a lot of giant projects in this country wherein a lot of money is spent to put up structures, but within a very short time you see those buildings leaking, you see substandard materials been put in those infrastructures.

I hope this project will 51 not be that type because putting up $37.5mln on such an infrastructure requires proper monitoring from our engineers.
This must not be left alone on the developers, I think Government and all stakeholders must take a proactive role to ensure that a proper job is done and there is value for money.

Secondly, the repayment which shall be $1.8mln every quarter and this has to be paid over five years, if there is default, you have to pay 1% interest rate.

My concerns to Madam Minister, how sure are you that the $1.8mln will be paid on a quarterly bases to ensure that you do not incur the 1% interest rate?
I thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member.

Your numbers are increasing.

Chief, one minute each.

Let me put it this way; the Chief will start.

I know what I am saying.

Chief, you are the one I will really time.

HON.
DR MARK M. KALAKOH: Thank you Mr Speaker, A simple definition of education is “Education is a continuous process” so therefore, if it is a continuous process, institutions should continue to grow and if institutions are to continue to grow, I like the presentation of the Minister of Finance when she cited certain burdens and I want this House to ensure that we help reduce the burdens been cited by the Minister, most importantly, the burden of paying rent over Le700mln by IPAM every year should be reduced and we also want to ensure that quality education is provided in other to have a better Sierra Leone.
Certain recreational facilities are absent at the current campus of IPAM and IPAM is growing faster in terms of quality, standard, students, teachers and therefore their environment should grow, but they are actually decentralising.

I believe decentralising the structures of IPAM, this Parliament need to give them that ratification so that they can continue the process.

But let me caution the issue of the 1% and the issue of the quarterly payment.
We know sometimes difficulties will come when you cannot meet the obligation of the quarterly payment.

What have you done as a Ministry to ensure that when those situation arises, how are you going to mitigated it?

I thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Mark Kalakoh.

I now call Honourable Abdul Kargbo, you have the Floor.

52 HON.
52 HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I am not lending my voice to this debate because I am a Member of Parliament and we all have the prerogative to debate whenever agreements or questions are put to the House.

I am lending my voice to this debate deliberately because I am a current student of IPAM.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it was the President of Singapore that was engaged in an exclusive interview and he was asked what is responsible for the transformation of Singapore?
THE SPEAKER: Which one?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: The current President of Singapore and he said there are three things that are responsible for the developmental revolution of Singapore.

He was asked what those three things were and he said one is education, two is education and three is education.

THE SPEAKER: I thought it was Tony Blair who said those words, some years before [Laughter].

HON ABDUL KARGBO: No, it was the President of Singapore, Mr Speaker.
THE SPEAKER: With respect, I have worked in the commonwealth, it was Tony Blair first.

HON.ABDUL KARGBO: Maybe you listen it from Tony Blair, but I got it from him directly Mr Speaker [Laughter].

THE SPEAKER: And the only President of Singapore that could have said that is Lee Kuan Yew.

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, you are shifting from Tony Blair to Lee Kuan Yew [Laughter].

Anyways, on a very serious note, this shows that education is very important for the transformation of every nation.
Mr Speaker, you would agree with me that this Parliament has hastily ratified some documents and agreements that are not related to education and it is said that success is another form of failure if we do not prioritise our priority.

Education is very important and this few months I have spent 53 with IPAM, they have broaden my horizon greatly.
Remember somebody with engineering background went to IPAM and I was exposed to several courses [Undertone] I am not advertising IPAM in any way, but I am craving on the indulgences of Members of Parliament to explore the education that IPAM provides which is of quality.

Mr Speaker, you did make mention of the fact that you cannot in anyway support exam malpractices to which I agree.
These days, we have graduates, some with masters and when you check their output it cannot correspond with their qualification, but IPAM have Closed Circuit Television [CCTV] cameras all over the campus.

When you are on exams, you are been monitored from a close room, if anybody depends on malpractice to pass his or her exams, I am sure that IPAM is not the place for that.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, if we take a close look at the product of IPAM in this country, you will agreed with me that IPAM is a necessity in Sierra Leone, they say if you want to know how beautiful your wife would be when she is old, you must look at the face of your mother in law.

Those who have gone through the educational crucible from IPAM are very relevant to our society.
Some of us when we were in our courses, we did lot of modules that are not related to the work life, but now in IPAM for example, they offer courses like Public Policies where you are taught as to what are the processes that are involve in the formulation of policy.

You know the agenda setting, after which you go to the formulation, you go to the adoption.

THE SPEAKER: I know you are always very captivating, but your one minutes is almost up.
HON ABDUL KARGBO: Finally Mr Speaker, I want to advise that we ratify this document expeditiously in as much as we have benefited from IPAM, we want our children and grandchildren to also benefited from IPAM.

I thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: I thank you very much.

Now the paramount chief and I am going to monitor the time.

HON.

P.C.

BAI KURR KANAGBARO SANKA III: Mr Speaker, when you threaten me with time then I cannot speak.
This is a very serious debate Sir and I am happy that the Minister of Finance is here, a very good professor, somebody who believes in discipline.

54 Mr Speaker, anytime some of us stand up to speak, we have information that we can give.

I have been here since 1996.

When we talk of IPAM, some of us are key players, I was the Deputy Chairman of the University of Sierra Leone and we started this in my living room.
We made all that agreement, we defer in two points that was why we did not signed it at that time.

It has been raised by the Honourable from Tonkolili, the payment plan; we thought at that particular time was too high.

Secondly, the contractors, we defer because we are giving them our money and they said they are going to be the sole contractors.

I was the Deputy Chairman of the University and Chairman of the Finance and General Purpose Committee [FGPC].
All these figures went through my hand at that time until 2018.

But we appreciated that, we did the cesspit survey, we paid all money, we located the land and when I talk in this Parliament, I give information that are very vital for people to know that this Parliament has people that worked with the public and as a Members of Parliament at that time, I had to protect the interest of the nation.
If this current Government that made it possible for Sierra Leone to have a flagship programs in education, I am sure Government will not defraud as long as it is education and I know the Minister of Education has done so much within this shortest period.

In Masingbi, we have a Technical and Vocational [TECVOC] and the Minister has already promoted it to an institute and I admired him so much because he has been visiting that place several times to see that the job is well done.
I want to congratulate him because he is committed, he goes there almost all the time to make sure that institute becomes a useful institute for this country.

Mr Speaker, I am happy when I read the document, I would have doubted, but because of the commitment of this Government to promote education, I am sure they will do everything to see that we do not default as a Government.
I am in support of this agreement and I am happy that the Minister knows the role I am participating in my own Chiefdom to promote education.

Before I take my seat, I want to thank Professor Thompson of IPAM.

When the University court of Sierra Leone appointed him as the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor, he is performing very well and he has also put up mansion of seven storey for the University that the Government did not put a dime on it, it was Thompson and some of us that raised the fund.
Even the seven storey 55 building is not enough for the student because the children want to be educated.

So, we located the land, we located field map, I sent in people like Professor Thompson, Professor Alison and others to visit GIMPA in Ghana to see what we should do for the student at IPAM and they came and reported to us.

Mr Speaker, please sometime give us that respect of being Chiefs because we gives information that is what listening to.

THE SPEAKER: You have spoken with a voice of wisdom.

HON.
HON.

P.C.

BAI KURR KANAGBARO SANKA III: Thank you Sir.

In a public when you threaten somebody by saying one minute [Interruption].

THE SPEAKER: I did not threaten, I just reminded.

HON.

P.C.

BAI KURR KANAGBARO SANKA III: Yes Sir.

I am happy that I saw my able Minister bringing in this document to this Well and we have a lady from the Ministry of Finance who is the lover of this Parliament.

THE SPEAKER: She is the darling.

HON.

P.C.


BAI KURR KANAGBARO SANKA III: The darling, but she loves all of us and luckily I went to the same university with her, but that time she must have been a junior far behind.

I want to thank the Minister and that we will give the support.

As I am speaking, people who were there are nodding.

They know what we did, what we have done and we are looking up to this wonderful structure.
We want to participate in the construction of this wonderful structure that is going to be built by the Government of Sierra Leone and we give hearty congratulation to this Government and to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio who said: ”Paopa Sierra Leone must develop” I thank you sir.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III.

You have more than justified my indulgence.

You speak with such wisdom.

I thank you very much.

Now let me turn to this side.


When the Paramount Chief have spoken how dare a Section Chief rise up [Laughter].

It will be sacrilege if I were to recognise the Section chief, don’t you agreed?

56 HON.

ARUNA A. KAMARA: My own would be in the form of recommendation Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Since it is less than a minute, do not worry.

Let me give Honourable Abdul Latif Sesay the Floor first, after him, Honourable Aaron Aruna Koroma.

Today you are not a trouble maker.

HON.


ABDUL L. SESAY: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Member, we all knows that IPAM has been contributing immensely in terms of human capacity in this country.

It is said that the essences of education is to recreate the modern man and IPAM has done that very well.
I am an Ipamer, we all know that the campus is not enough to accommodate all of us and now having the management of the University thinking of constructing a main campus wherein we can no longer have campuses scatter all over the place, I believe it a laudable venture.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, all I am thinking about now is that this is the 21st century, meaning that whatever campus we are to erect should come with a state of appropriate equipment’s, that is technology and also learning facilities and I believe this project will be a success story when looking at the location where the University will be build.

I also believe that there is vast land for all the amenities that are stated in the contract.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, IPAM basically should ensure that the cost of the contract should not in any way make the cost of education very expensive.

I know looking at $500mln to construct a Campus and at the end of the day you have to repay that money, it means you have to increase the amount of fees that students will be paying.

Government and the management of IPAM need to look into that also.
I want to say thank you to the management of IPAM for bringing up such innovation and I believe this Honourable House definitely would support the ratification of this agreement.

Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

Honourable Aaron Aruna Koroma, you have the Floor.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Thank you Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable members, I am sure this agreement clearly shows the simple similarities between the former Government and the present Government.
Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro 57 Sanka stated that they started this agreement and that was when His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma was President and the current President Dr Julius Maada Bio also haven Education as his priority decided that he has to continue with it and that is governance.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this Agreement is a successor project of the seven storey building which was constructed by the IPAM.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, just like what Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka said that seven storey building was constructed of no cost from Government and I am sure these are some of the models I am recommending that the Ministry of Higher Education encourage other Institutions to emulate because they are all receiving subventions from Government.

If IPAM can do it, I am of the firmest opinion that the other institutions can also improve their infrastructures without putting cost on Government.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, IPAM was able to construct that edifice because Government created some form of incentive and they were given latitude to charge Economic fees, fees that student can afford and by so doing they were able to raise enough resources to construct structures including the Administrative Building without putting a debt burden on Government.
I am recommending for this Agreement, much as we have a 1% interest which Members have raised concerns about, I see this as an opportunity that if Government really make use of the potential of the University, the university will be able to pay without any default and one of the essence of the university is to conduct research.

I found it very much unpleasant seen Government institution hired people from Ghana, Kenya and another country to conduct research which our university professor can conduct.
I am sure if we can make use of our university Professors, they can conduct adequate research which they can use to raise enough resources for this Agreement.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the second recommendation I want to make is that of the trainings.

IPAM or the University of sierra Leone is of qualify Professional, people that are Chartered Accountant, Economists etc.
instead of you spending so much resources on people that are coming from other countries, I am recommending that the Minister make use of the university Professors because they can raise the required 58 resources to pay the debt.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I also want to encourage the Ministry of Higher Education to also give the free hand to the Universities, not to charge fees that student cannot afford just like what Honourable Abdul Latif Sesay was saying.
This must not be an opportunity for the University to go out of the board because they are requested to pay the debt.

Mr Speaker, I was very much happy and at the same time surprise that you paid so much attention when the Minister was accused of breaking procedures in this House.

Mr Speaker, I was surprise because you were here when the Leader of Government Business unconstitutionally brought in Committees without following the due process in accordance of Section 93[5] and Standing Order 71 and 72.
I only hope that this tangent that you have taken today will continue to uphold the rules and procedures of this House.

On that note Mr Speaker, we on this side of the aisle endorse the ratification of this Agreement because we believe the students gaining this education are not SLPP neither APC students, but student of Sierra Leone.

On that note, I want to join the ratification of this Agreement.

I thank you very much.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you very much Honourable Aaron Aruna Koroma.
Your advice is well taken.

[Undertone] who is the Section Chief?

Honourable Maada Kanja Hafiju please take your seat, you cannot speak after the Paramount Chief.

[Undertone] I know he is not a town Chief, so I will recognise him.

Honourable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, you have more than a fair share of the bite today.

HON.

JOSEPH WILLIAMS-LAMIN: Thank you very much Mr speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to draw the attention of this House to Section 9 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Mr Speaker, with your leave I read: “The Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal rights and adequate educational opportunities for all citizens at all levels” and “…by providing the necessary structures finance and supportive facilities for education as and when practicable.” On this note Mr Speaker, twenty three years ago, I benefited from IPAM and I got my Diploma in Project Management and Implementation.
I can inform this House that many project have benefited in this 59 country and if we are here to ratify the loan Agreement between FEMAB and IPAM, I am in support because they have demonstrated trust, Leadership and they have also embarked on constructing a structure on their own.

My advice to the Administration of IPAM is that they should try to attract International Students in other for them to earn more funding so that they would be able to pay their loans for the Structures they are putting up.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, when we talk about Human Capital Development, one thing that I always emphasis is the integrity.

Where is the integrity?

Why do we consider people who say the truth as evil people?

[Applause] We must consider such people as a blessing in the society and that is why IPAM has stood up immensely to contribute towards the development of quality education in Sierra Leone.

When we talk about educating people to a higher level, it depends on the leadership of a nation.
I believe the Administrations of IPAM have demonstrated their leadership skills over the years and they are still managing the Institution, I believe they would also be able to demonstrate their skills in improving IPAM.

On that note Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on behalf of my constituency, 081, I want to add my voice to my colleagues that we hastily approve this Agreement because they are smart, they are sensible, they are measurable, they are realistic and they are time bound in their activities.
On that note Mr Speaker, I take my seat.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Joseph Williams-Lamin.

We would now windup the debate.

Honourable Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, do you have anything to say?

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, I am going to be very brief.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this afternoon, we are talking about a national Institution, IPAM that has contributed immensely to the development of this country.
For those people who know the history of IPAM, they will remember that IPAM started as an Institute for Training of Government Officers [Civil Servant] and later on, it gravitated to its present status.

It is an important institution and most of us who know the role of that Institution over the years, would support this Agreement because this Agreement is of great important to the people of this country.
Mr Speaker, even the importance of IPAM was identified by you when you were at the Commonwealth, when you sent some 60 students in this country for training from Commonwealth countries under the tittle ‘The Media and the Diplomat’ and I delivered the lectures then at IPAM.

It is important for us to remember these things that IPAM is not a new development as if it started today, IPAM started years ago and it has a history, to us is important.
May I also state here that I want to use this opportunity to thank and congratulate the Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III from Tonkolili because I was an observer and adviser to the President when he performed that remarkable job for which congratulated him at the time, he has performed remarkably well in this country and in terms of education he has done very well.

So P.C Bia Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III, some of us will always respect you for the role you have played in this society [Applause].
Mr Speaker, without much ado, I want to state on behalf of our own people on this side of the aisle that this is a very good and acceptable Agreement, we will also support it, which means that I would now ask my own people to support the Agreement so that it becomes part of the development structure of this country.

I thank you very much Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Acting Leader of the Opposition for his statement.

I now call on the Acting Leader of Government Business.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Thank you Mr Speaker.

I want to say thanks to all Members who contributed to this wonderful Agreement and we believe knowledge is power.

In our campaign, the SLPP Manifesto geared towards human capital development and it is the peoples’ Manifesto.

I want to thank the Ministry of Finance for going out to get this wonderful Agreement, but let us do not forget that this is an amendment Agreement, we have done the Parent Agreement; this is just an amendment contract.
I want to make correction for my colleague on the other side of the aisle; from the parent cost of this contract, it is not $500mln, but $50mln and from what we have, I just want to pin point because we have got a lot of accolade about this Agreement today from Honourable Members and also Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III who is one of the brains behind the Institution where we have developed so many people and we are still going on as an Institution that can continue to develop and give the Hallmark to Sierra Leoneans in this country.
Mr 61 Speaker, I want to draw your attention to the amendment which is very important.

The last time, we passed a Bill which is now an Act of Parliament in terms of payment.

People are usually paid in Dollars, which we have frowned at and it is very clear in Clause 6.
With your leave Mr Speaker, I read “That all references to the United State Dollars in a Contract or Agreement are construed to mean, payment shall be made by the University in Leones.” For the Administrative arrangement, it is good for us to bring up these things because it is a penalty for you to transact in foreign currency, it is now a law and transactions must be done in Leones.

I want to make that very clear and I am going specifically to what we have in the amendment.
Mr Speaker, this is very interesting and it is coming from the Parent Agreement, when you are doing the repayment, we have what we call the ‘Concession Period’, you have to take note of that, it is very important, because what we do not want to see is the failure of this Agreement and there is a termination clause we have.
So if you go to the Parent Agreement in Clause 7 and I read Mr Speaker; “The concession period shall be three years from the date of mobilisation by the University” and that is also emphases and very clear in amendment.
Clause 4[2], “The construction period shall commence 90 days after the commencement of the contract Agreement and shall last for a duration not exceeding three years.” This Clause is telling us about the duration and how we should carry out this particular Agreement because we can give all the praises like what we have done here today; praise Lecturers, praise Teachers etc.

because we want quality education.

We should obey the Agreement and we have to go strictly-senso by the Agreement.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I also want to draw the attention of this Honourable House in terms of the repayment and the grace period.

If you want to be in a ‘New Direction’ and to take governance to people, you must ensure that good practices are followed and you also have to be in conformity with whatever document you have.
I am happy with this Agreement because there is a penalty and Madam Minister, you do not pass Agreements and leave it with the Ministry of Education because you know much about what entails in this Agreement.

Clause 7 in the last paragraph; “Repayment shall be $1,875,000 payable on a quarterly base for five years.” This Agreement in terms of payment 62 is really flexible, Mr Speaker, so we really need to make use of it.
“For twenty quarters, “Any default on the part of the University will attract an interest of 1% of the due sum per quarter in favour of the developer.” A default is default, whether is 0.5%, we do not want the Ministry or the University to sit by and say because the penalty is so small we are not going to worry about it.

You have to be very worried about it because we do not want to see this Agreement terminated.
We want to see a successful completion because I saw the passion from the young lady you brought, the way she presented the story, talking about Lecturers, Students, infrastructure, it is really good.
If you talk about education, you have look at the standard of the Lecturers, the people, the infrastructure and the environment wherein you can give better learning equipment, a better learning development for you to go ahead because if you are learning in an un-conducive environment, the student would not have the courage to sit around.

If you go to IPAM, it is really congested and we are happy because this is the right step in the right direction.
We are happy for this and we believe the Administrative wing of this Agreement will be very serious about it and I will urge the Chairman of the Committee to open the debate.

Mr Speaker, I believe we cannot just pass Agreements and sit by and I am very happy you said we should start doing our oversight and some of this should be in our Reports, making follow up and doing our oversight.
Mr Speaker, there is also a termination Clause which we have to be very careful with and what brings about termination is when you do not abide or go with the Agreement.

If you think you can just say we have passed this Agreement, the University is not going to do anything, just go ahead, no monitoring, no administrative work is going on, there must be a Termination Clause and we have it in the Amendment contract.
I thank the Honourable Members for their contributions, thank you very much Mr Speaker for given the space for most Members to contribute.

As I said knowledge is power and we believe our Manifesto is gearing toward Education; Human Capital and Education is the only tool, the only weapon you can give your child and it is the only weapon politicians can give our citizens.

In the light of this, I urge Members to ratify this Agreement without controversy.

I thank you very much.


63 THE SPEAKER: I thank the Acting Leader of Government Business.

Over to you Madam Minister, maybe you want to answer some of the issues raised.
PATRICIA N. LAVARLEY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, over the last one year, we have held over hundred meetings with Professor Kpakima that is here from the Ministry of Higher Education, Professor Samuel Nonie from the University of Sierra Leone, Dr Lakoh and our Director in the Ministry of Finance; Director of Risk Management to address specifically the issues that the Honourable Members of Parliament have raised.
All of the analysis that we undertook over the last year were undertaken against the backdrop of the reforms that we have been undertaken in the Education sector, the payment of the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination [WASSCE] fees, supporting students and so on.
The specific reaction regarding the repayment arrangement of this investment is one that we have looked at precisely over the last twelve months and for us in the Ministry of Finance, we are confident about the cash flow projections that the team has come up with against the backdrop of the anticipated student population explosion as you heard from the student and the Honourable Members of Parliament.
In a nutshell, we have identified all the possible risks of this investment and we have come up with appropriate mitigation measures to ensure that there is no default in the repayment of this Agreement.
At this juncture, I would like to request Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, that the Honourable House ratifies both Agreements: [A] The Original Contract Agreement between FEMAB, IPAM and the University of Sierra Leone; and [B] The Amendment Contract Agreement between FEMAB, IPAM and the University of Sierra Leone.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you Deputy Minister of Finance.


[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Government Motion by the Minister of Finance has been ratified] 64 [B] THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION MR SOLOMON JAMIRU Esq [Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs]: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, be it resolved that this Honourable House ratify the following Agreement which was laid on the Table of this Honourable House on Tuesday 16th July, 2019.
Mr Speaker, the Agreement on Technical Cooperation and the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, permit me to say few words relating to the said Agreement.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, through this Agreement, the Government of Japan will at its own expense provide the Government of Sierra Leone with requisite human resource, equipment, machinery and materials to enhance technical training and cooperation to contribute to the Economic and Social Development of Sierra Leone.

Japan will also provide Sierra Leone with volunteers to work in a broad range of areas of cooperation in Sierra Leone.
Mr Speaker, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio will attend the 2019 TICAD Conference which is the Tokyo International Conference of African Development in Japan in August this year.
During TICAD 2019, the Government of Japan will announce that Sierra Leone will cease to be a field Office run and managed from Accra, Ghana by the Japan International Cooperation Agency [JICA] and will become an operational office to be known as the JICA Sierra Leone Office having a country resident representative and complementary staff.
Mr Speaker, upon ratification of this Agreement, Japan is prepared to elevate our bilateral relations to a higher stratum and strengthen the already existing relations between our two nations.

Japan actively contributes to Sierra Leone’s Infrastructure, Economic and Social Development including support to our Power Supply Systems at Kambia, King Tom and Godrich sub-stations, support to our water supply improvement system, provision of food aid to name but a few.
Mr Speaker, over the years, Japan’s bilateral assistance to Sierra Leone in the form of grant is recorded at $209,436mln and technical cooperation is valued at $63,758mln.

Sierra Leone and Japan also have very strong trade relations; mineral resources, cocoa and marine products are among Sierra Leone’s export to Japan with 65 an estimated value of $11,996,100mln.

While imports mainly auto motor and general machinery from Japan are valued at $7,127,980mln.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, this Agreement has two components, namely; Technical Cooperation and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer Programme.

The Technical Cooperation component will see Sierra Leone receiving at Japan’s own expense, equipment, machinery and materials to enhance technical training and other forms of Cooperation to contribute to the economic and social development of Sierra Leone.
The second component Mr Speaker, has to do with the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme which will see Sierra Leone providing exemption of consular fees for JICA officers and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and exemption from taxes including customs duties and fiscal charges and import licenses, among others on equipment, machinery and materials for the operations of JICA in Sierra Leone.
Mr Speaker, consistent with the provisions of Section 51, Sub-Section [1] of the Finance Act, Number 3 of 2013, this Agreement has received the no objection of the Ministry of Finance visa-vie the fiscal incentives contained therein, the Law Officers Department of the Ministry of Justice has also accorded the Agreement its desired concurrence.

I therefore entreat this Honourable House to endorse and ratify this Agreement as Sierra Leone stands to benefit tremendously.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, be it resolved that this Honourable House proceed to ratify the Agreement on Technical Cooperation and the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Programme between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Thank you Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

[Question Proposed] THE SPEAKER: The debate now starts.
I will only amidst one from each side of the aisle considering the lateness of the House.

I see none, so we wrap up the debate [undertone] I have put the question, Acting Leader of the Opposition, do you have anything to say?

66 HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: I want to say the Agreement is a worthwhile Agreement taking into consideration the history in the relations between Sierra Leone and Japan and may I also state Mr Speaker that the Agreement was professionally presented this morning.
This is a very first time after a long time that I have heard Ministers quoting concurrences, agreements and other documentations from other Ministries which is also very important, but may I state Mr Speaker before I sit down that Japan is one of the very important countries in terms of Economic Development in the world and it is also a very important country in terms of Agricultural Development and Trade and Sierra Leone have always benefited from our relations and we are very certain that we will continue to benefit from relations between Japan and Sierra Leone.
I want to ask our own people and to ask other Members that we ratify this Technical Cooperation Agreements.

Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I thank you Honourable Ibrahim Ben Kargbo.

Acting Leader of Government Business, you have the Floor.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Thank you very much Mr Speaker, thank you Honourable Ibrahim Ben Kargbo and thank you Mr Minister for such a wonderful presentation.

You were able to give us a total number of grants given to us from Japan.
This is just to strengthen the relationship between Sierra Leone and Japan and you also captured our minds when you made mention about the energy sector, I remember Mr Speaker when we had almost 80% of the city in blackout, we received the ‘JICA Machine’; The Thermal Plant from JICA on pro-bono bases.

The grant from Japan is not anything strange to us, the figures you quoted are in place and that was very good of you.
For the Water Sector; they are coming to improve on the Water Sector in Sierra Leone, especially in Western Area.

That is the social problem we have now, there are so many issues concerning the Water Sector and even involving our children because they get up early in the morning to fetch water for their parent.

I think we have nothing much to say about this, it was just a voluntary programme and technical support given to us and to also strengthened our relationship with Japan.
I thank you Mr Speaker for presiding over this Agreement and thanks to my Honourable Members on the other side of the 67 aisle for supporting us and we will continue to work in this direction so that all of us succeed as Government.
We believe as I said, it is not only about ratifying some of these Treaties or Agreements, but it is also the responsibility of Parliament that is charged with oversight functions, to see that these Agreements or whatever Treaties we ratify here deserve their purpose and one thing I saw in the summary of the proposal is that you also have to follow up, because it is said in Clause 3 that “The designated Ministry of Finance is going to be primarily responsible for the implementation of this Project.” I really hope you will follow up and you ensure that things are going on in the right direction.
Thank You Mr Speaker, thank you Honourable Members.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Acting Leader of Government Business.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed to] [Government Motion by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation THE SPEAKER: I will stand down the House for five Minutes.
has been ratified] [The House Stood Down at 2:02 p.m and Resumed at 2:21 p.m] [C] THE MINISTER OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY Mr ADEKUNLE J.M KING [Minister of Labour and Social Security]: Honourable Speaker, Members of Parliament, be it resolved that this Honourable House ratify the following Conventions which were laid on the Table of the House on Thursday 4th July, 2019.
Convention 160; Labour Statistics Convention of 1985, Convention 189; Domestic Workers Convention, Convention 102; Social Security Minimum Standards Convection of 1952, Convention 150; Labour Administration Convention, Convention 181; Private Employment Agency, Protocol 029 of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention of 1930.
68 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, please permit me to give a surgical adumbration of the reasons and objects of these Conventions that are herein laid before this Honourable House for ratification.
Sierra Leone is a Member of the International Labour Organization [ILO] and the Government has already ratified 40 ILO Conventions of which 30 are in force and they serve as means to enhance the Laws of Sierra Leone especially the Labour Laws meant to protect the rights and obligations of both employers and employees through collective bargaining Agreements.
It is worthy to note that by ratifying the Convention on Labour Statistic Convention 60, 70 of 1985 will benefit the economic development planners who need the relevant information on National, Regional and Local Labour Market Statistics.

Also, country level officials with responsibility for the development planning need labour Statistics to identify policies and design programmes that promote human resource development and employment in the medium or long term.
It will enable Sierra Leone to set up standards for the collection, compilation and analysis of National Labour Statistics to guide in updating existing statistical system or to establish such a system.

The standard should also help to facilitate the International comparability of Labour Statistics by minimising mythological differences across countries.

By ratifying Convention 189; the domestic workers Convention, it will contribute substantially to the global economy.
Migrant Domestic Workers provide billions of dollars in remittances for their countries of origin.

Domestic work is not only an important livelihood for workers, but also enables employers to better their standard of living by maintaining employment outside the home.

Despite their important contributions, discrimination, gaps in legal protections and the hidden nature of their work place, domestic workers are at risk of wide range of abuses and labour exploitation.
Around the world, domestic workers endure excessive hours of work with no rest, no payment of wages, forced confinement, physical and sexual abuse, forced labour and trafficking.

In many countries domestic workers are excluded from national labour laws, leaving them with no legal right to limit on their hours of work, the minimum wage or adequate rest.

Convention 102; this is the Social Security Convention.
It is sad to note that, in fact we implemented the Social Security Scheme, NaSSIT without the legal bases for it which is ratification of 69 Convention 102 of the ILO 1952.

It would benefit workers, trade unions, family employers and the Government.

The Convention reassures that Social Security Schemes be administered on a tripartite bases which aims at guaranteeing and strengthening social dialogue between Government, employers and workers.
It will also be considered as a tool for extension of social security coverage and provides ratifying countries with an incentive for doing so by offering flexibility in its application depending on their socio economic level.

It is also recognised by the ILO as a bench mark and reference in the gradual development of comprehensive social security coverage at the national level.
Convention 150 on Labour Administration, it is worthy to note that international labour standards are usually applied through national law and policy.

It is therefore vital that each country maintain a viable and active labour administration system responsible for all aspects of our national labour policy formulation and implementation.
Besides promoting labour administration systems in a variety of forms, ILO standards at the same time promote the collection of labour statistics which are invaluable in identifying needs and formulating labour policy at both national and international level.

Convention 181 and the Private Employment Agencies, this is crucial as you know we have a situation now wherein Private Employment Agencies have mushroomed all over the country without the legal bases for their existence.
So by ratifying these general parameters for regulating recruitments, placement and employment of workers engaged buy Private Employment Agencies will be regulated and the relevance of private employment agencies and labour migration has also increased recently.

So the animation services for employment abroad are in heavy demand, but we have to put in mechanism to ensure that they do not exploit unsuspecting people.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, it is very crucial that this House ratify the following Conventions.

Thank you very much.

[Question Proposed] THE SPEAKER: The debate is now open, but I will limit it to one person from each side of the aisle.

I do not think frankly this is very controversial.

70 HON.

HASSAN A. SESAY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, many a time we have been having issues with our people who work particularly in the Middle East as domestic servants.
We have been getting complaints that are recorded and sent all over social media about how they are been treated by the so call employers who employed them with the hope that they have got a decent jobs.

We also know that other Africans in those places are sometimes exposed to work as sex workers in some jurisdictions, but they were smuggled out of their countries with the belief that they are taking them to seek greener pastures.
Yes, money can come but the means by which people earn money must be based on dignity and respect.

If conventions of this nature are been brought to this House for ratification, I think all of those issues must be taken to consideration and this also must be tied to the issue of migration from our country to European countries.
We have seen how people perish in the Mediterranean just in search of greener pastures, but where there are constructive laws which create a situation where people can move from country to country without hindrance, with Laws already put in place, I think it will be in the right direction.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I always say in other for us to stem the tide of migrations, the resources that the ILO and other Agencies spend on migration could be spent in our country to develop our infrastructure, to create a greater interconnectedness between African countries so as to reduce people travelling to Europe, Asia or Middle East for employment.
But since we have not been able to achieve that, if we are having Laws, Conventions that we are ratifying to be part of the global village, they are not controversial and I do not think there is any reason for us to oppose such Conventions.
We only hope that the Ministry of Labour in our country will ensure that when we ratify these Conventions, they can be implemented locally so that the people are well informed or sensitized so that they will understand exactly what is before them, what they should do and how they should go about doing it.

If we ratify these documents and then nothing is done by way of implementation by the local ministry or the agencies, then it will not make sense.
Also I think the Minister made mention of recruitment groups that are mushrooming all over the place, coming and telling people that “we are coming to recruit you, take you to Libya, take you to Iraq, we have jobs 71 there etc.” Let there be a control or measures put in place by the Ministry of Labour to make sure that anybody who comes to this country to get our people to work anywhere in the world, must be based on certain laws and rules that are established by these desired agencies, so that we prevent exploitation.
We know that people who are in search of employment find African countries to be vulnerable because of the high rate of unemployment, but youth unemployment is not new to Africa; youth employment is a global phenomenon, it is not only to Africa, but all over the world because there are more youths than the jobs that are available.

We know that everywhere in the world there is unemployment; it depends on the percentage of unemployment.
In Africa, it is greater because we do not create jobs commensurate to the way people are given birth to.

All of those are issues which must be taken in to consideration by the Labour Ministry.
It is good that the Minister is coming with such Conventions that we must ratify, but let us make sure that when we ratify these Conventions, what must be done locally to ensure effective implementation, we do our own work to make sure that we benefit from this Conventions, not just to ratify the Conventions and let them gather dust in the respective Ministries that are concerned.
Like the Speaker said, they are not controversial, we will ratify them, but we hope that what ought to be done, must be done by the Ministry to ensure that we realise the maximum benefit from the ratification of these Conventions because if we belong to the global institution, we must get the benefit that we deserve from this global institution.

I thank you very much Mr Speaker.

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

I recognise the Honourable P.C Bia Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III.
HON.

P.C BAI KURR KANAGBARO SANKA III: Thank you sir.

I am sorry the House is almost empty, but we are now ratifying Conventions of 1985, 2011, 1952, 1978, 1930 etc.

I do not know the Convention on Private Employment and what time.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, some of us who are representing Sierra Leone in the International Communities, International Theatres, it is very embarrassing to tell you that Sierra Leone has not ratified some Conventions.
In 2014, I went to the 72 Website of Sierra Leone and the International areas; I found so many of these Conventions that have not been ratified and I presented them to different Ministries including the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Health and Agriculture.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament and my able Minister, you know very well that by not ratifying these Conventions we are losing a lot of money Mr Speaker.
The Minister sitting right before us knows very well that Sierra Leone is not paying its dues and in some cases I brought in an issue here, if we would have paid a dollar we would get $49 for every dollar we would have paid.

For every $1 we would have paid, the Government of Sierra Leone would have received $49.

The Minister of Labour knows it.

You know very well that we are in great default with ILO because we are not paying our dues.

Lately, I went on the website and discovered that you paid $40,000.
Mr Speaker, Some of us are concerned about the welfare of this nation, but we are not pushing things.

If you go to the World Bank representative, he will give you documents that would have got in so much money, but we are not doing our job.

On the Climate Change, I know what I did; I was the Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Climate Change in Pan African Parliament.

Sierra Leone would have gotten over $67mln but we did not even sign the document, I have them at GAF.
I sat down wondering about what is happen in Sierra Leone.

I would propose to this House for all the Chairmen of Sub-Committees to go and check their own Ministries and see the documents they would have signed that they did not sign.

Some of the Monies that were given by the World Bank, IMF, immediately they got in the running cost, after spending it, they will buy two, three, four vehicles and that is the end of the project.
Go to the IMF or World Bank you will find so many, I recorded and brought them to this Parliament, I sent them to the stakeholders of this country and nothing was done.

Little ratification were done like the youth programmes and so forth.

When I presented that to the Minister at that time and somebody raised a very important issue that I recorded.
Mr Speaker, these security agencies are making people to work twenty four hours a day and paid them pittance [Applause] and I am wondering why to be a watch man is difficult.

Then somebody has to come from America, England and set it up.

They paid their workers 5bln and pay our own youths less than the minimum wage.

You should see how rotten 73 their Uniforms are, they have washed them over ten thousand times [Laughter].

It is a pity; I am wondering why are we suppressing our own people?
So many companies that come to Sierra Leone have no respect for Sierra Leoneans [Applause].

For the same job the Sierra Leonean is doing, they are paid $10 and they are paying the foreign workers $10,000.

If you go to Lebanese School, their own teachers are well paid with decent houses, but they pay our teachers pittance.

It is not only that; all other agencies, why can’t we be respected in Sierra Leone, Mr Speaker?
And we come here and talk, we have intellectuals in this country, we have clever people, but the cleverness is all left to their heads and their families, they do not extend it to the welfare of the people of Sierra Leone.

[Applause].

Why should a security work for twelve or fifteen hours a day and he is not even paid the minimum wage?

Their Social Security is even not paid.

Mr Minister, I wish you had brought in your top Civil Servant, they know it!

The work permit used to be Le10,000.


For somebody to fly all the way, brought them to African Minerals and were paid Le10,000 for work permit.

We have to congratulate this Government, our youth were paid Le500,000 to get a form to go to University and somebody who comes to get $20,000 a month here is paying Le10,000.

Am I lying?

[Laughter].

Sometimes when I lay down, I ask myself what are we doing as Sierra Leoneans?

I said earlier, the Minister paid $40,000 lately out of so much money they owe.
Sierra Leone was suspended, we could not vote, we were not getting benefit, now they are trying to bring you back because you started paying $40,000.

I saw the website last night when doing my research.

Mr Speaker, some of us do research before standing here, we do our homework.

Mr Speaker, you cannot even increase the work permit because you have not done it.

It is not your fault, you found it there.

The Middle East is terrible, the called themselves Muslims.

You wonder if those people are praying.


You hate when somebody said I am coming from Saudi Arabia, etc.

you just treat him with nonentity, as a vagabond because of the way they treat human beings.

They maltreat the Africans and now we are going to enslave ourselves.

Last night I was watching Aljazeera, two boats got capsized and so many hundreds died and I cried because most of them are Africans.

We used to sell slaves, but now the slaves are selling themselves.
They used to put them in boats from Bonthe 74 Island, but now they are going to enslave themselves.

We have all the resources in the world but we do not have the brains to utilise the resources and it is the brain that makes the human being different from all other animals.

You go to countries like Norway and Sweden, they have no resources in terms of natural resources like iron ore etc.

but they have the best standard of living, the best education because they have brains.
All the clothes we bought and wear are all from another countries and even the salt we eat, the panadol we drink for headache is from another country.

For those of you who did Political Economy, Karl Max say, “there are only two types of Capitalist; the Industrial Capitalist and the Commercial Capitalist.” The Commercial Capitalist creates wealth whiles the Commercial Capitalist maximises profit and exploitation; that is what we are.
A vehicle that costs $2,000 in England or America, by the time they brought it here you will pay $8,000.

You can buy it in America for $2,000 but a poor person in Sierra Leone trying to live and survive will pay $10,000 or $12,000.

We consume what we do not produce and produce what we do not consume.

I saw you handsome, good looking Mr Speaker, when you went to the new company in Lunsar; SL Mining.

You were so articulate, but where are the factories for us to even make Pig iron?

We do not have.
We do not have.

Can’t we go into contract that if you produce 100 tons, 20 tons should be manufactured here so that we will not be ordering pig iron.

Mr Speaker, we sign Agreement because we thought it would create Employment, it is exploitation to the highest core [Applause].

The Agreement we just approved, they wanted us to pay 40%, I said no!

We give you our money you do the construction, I negotiated for the 25% from 40%.
Kabia and others, all of those sitting there know it because we care for the welfare of this nation.

Mr Speaker, let us control those people who come in here and collect two, three hundred youths to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Middle East, they are suffering!

But when they come in with their brown packages and good talk, we allow them and tell the boys ‘Oh you will be paid!’ and so many of them are not paid.
I have travelled with some, I found them in Kenya, I had to pay for them from Kenya to Sierra Leone.

I do not know them, but they are Sierra Leoneans and I was putting up my African Chief.

They came up and asked ‘Pa are you from Sierra Leone or Ghana?’ I said Sierra Leone.

S.O 2 ‘Aaa Pa, wi don dae 75 nay, wi nor get salary, wi nor get anytin’ I paid for them to come.

Mr Speaker, the Conventions are good, but are you going to regulate these agencies?
Do you see that these security people work only for eight hours instead of twelve, fourteen hours?

Are you going to see that they get good shoes, nice Uniforms?

Do they have medical facilities?

In fact, Sierra Leone do not even have medical facilities.

That is one thing I miss about Pan African Parliament; I had signal all over the World, I used to be treated.

This Morning, I went and paid Le3,000mln in a nice Hospital in Lumley to some nice guys from Egypt.
Mr Speaker, I know everybody is tired, but when some of us open our big mouths to talk we say the truth [Laughter].

I want to tell the Minister that he have a lot.

When they send somebody to the Ministry of Labour they will say that person is been sentenced to death.

Labour has all the possibilities of increasing the standard of living of every Sierra Leonean and I know you are not even well funded.
Mr Speaker, let this Parliament support the Ministry of Labour and let the Minister continue to be more active as he is now.

We thank you for the good work that you are doing and for trying to make Sierra Leoneans live a better life in Sierra Leone.

I thank you Sir, I bow down to you and say thank you [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable P.C Bia Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III for his very erudite contribution to the debate, I think the tiredness is catching up.
I take it that Honourable P.C Bia Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III has spoken for all of us [Applause].

Let us do the perform tray!

Acting Leader of Opposition, you should say a word or two.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Mr Speaker, I am going to be extremely brief.

Mr Speaker, I want to share this with some of our colleague Members of Parliament.
I was watching a video recently and I saw somebody of Negroid origin being flogged by an Arab looking man and the fellow was shouting, begging, pleading, no doubt a West African.

Must be one of those fellows who attempted to cross the Mediterranean, in fact he did cross the Mediterranean, only for him to land in the hands of these wicked Arabs who treat them like slaves.
Mr Speaker, sometime ago Sierra Leoneans were shocked when they learnt that some of our people, our ladies in Kuwait were treated like slaves.

I am using the word ‘Like’ and not ‘As’ deliberately because they are not slaves.

Yet our 76 people continue to crave, to fight to go to those countries.

One of my drivers recently decided to jump into a boat heading for Morocco, I saw him five months later in tattered clothes- a beggar and I said what happened?
He said “I did not make it.” These are the kind of things we are talking about Mr Speaker.

What do we do to make sure that we improve the very condition of our people?

We are talking about ratification of these Conventions, but we will always ask ourselves the question; to what extent our people benefiting from the ratification of these Conventions?

Mr Speaker, this is very important!


I was looking at the statistics recently and I discovered that more Philippines are travelling to European countries in search of money, greener pastures than West Africans, but the Philippines were spending less time working and making more money and the West African were spending more time working without making money.

So you ask yourself the question, what would have gone wrong?
All I can say Mr Speaker, is that the Minister is here to talk about the Conventions and I will tell you that these Conventions are very old, which we should have ratified long time ago but we did not because your very respectability as a country also depends on how you treat International Conventions seriously.
I was in Geneva and I discovered that Sierra Leone has not paid its dues to the Universal Postal Union for more than ten years and when the time came to vote, I wanted to go and vote and they say press the button, I pressed the Button Sierra Leone is zero; a clear indication that we were not meeting our commitments.

So as we begin to talk about Conventions, Ratifications etc.

we also must have it at the back of our minds that we are doing all of these things in the interest of our own people.
Mr Speaker before I sit down [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: No, Honourable Member, you have really struck a very important note and I want to draw the attention of Honourable Members to it.

I do not think it is something that you should just mention in passing.

I think it should be part of our oversight work to ensure that we get the respective ministries you do oversight work with to ratify Conventions that they sign on behalf of this country [Applause] HON.
IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

77 THE SPEAKER: And if they refuse or give you excuses that are not plausible, it is your responsibility to say so in your Reports to Parliament.
That is proper oversight, so that the Minister will not suffer the indignity of coming to Parliament to ask us in 2019 to ratify a Convention that had been in existence since 1985 or another one that has been in existence since 1978 and worse still, a protocol that has been in existence since 2014 relating to Forced Labour Convention of 1930.
So one of our oversight duties should be for the Committees to ask the various ministries to update them on action they have taken to ratify International Conventions and go further, actions that they have taken to implement International Conventions ratified by way of domestic legislation to domesticate some of these things.
I say this, I am sorry to add that those poor Sierra Leoneans in the Middle East that we have all seen on social media been mistreated, we have no locus standard to make any representations on their behalf because we do not have the legal framework to do so.

Carry on sir.

HON.

IBRAHIM B. KARGBO: Thank you very much Mr Speaker.

You have made the point.
Conventions are important, but domestication is also very important and we on this side of the aisle will continue to support the Ministry of Labour in performing their duties, but we also hold the view that the Ministry of Labour should not be seen as one of those unwanted entities created years ago for no good reason because indeed Mr Speaker, there was a good reason why the Ministry of Labour was created and indeed when we were young we saw very respectable and highly dignified people working for the Ministry of Labour and indeed even today.
If we have NaSSIT, it is a creation of the Ministry of Labour, but all we can state now at the moment Mr Speaker, I agree with you entirely that oversight must be given a lot of strength in this regard, but also the Government should not forget to provide the necessary funding that will make the Ministry of Labour a useful institution in the running of the state.

Thank you Mr Speaker and we will ask that the Conventions be approved [Applause].
THE SPEAKER: As usual, I thank the Honourable Acting Leader of the Opposition.

Over to you Acting Leader of Government Business.

78 HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Thank very much, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members.

I think we really do not have much, but these are old Conventions that we would have ratified long time ago.
Mr Minister, what we need to do is to implement and make sure there is enforcement and domesticate some of these things, because if you look at the Labour Statistics Convention 1985 in Clause A, it is very clear about consumer’s price indices.
When you talk about labour cost, I heard Honourable Members talking about how people have misused our brothers and sisters in this country and now that we are about to ratify these Conventions, you need to ensure that there is enforcement and domestication in the likes of discharging your duty as a Minister.
It does not necessary means that when you are going in search of a job you are a criminal, you are not a criminal, you are just looking for a decent life and that is very clear in Domestic Workers Convention 2011, is clear that the ILO is seeking to trace that one.

If we do not look at those things as part of the Convention as decent human being, it means we are not doing any job.
In terms of trafficking, on the same Domestics Workers Convention 2011 Number 189; “for prevention of supressed and furnished trafficking in persons especially women and children and it protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land.” Those are so clear and we are doing it but how can we take action as Mr Speaker said?

We have not tried to ratify or domesticate all of these things.
We always talk as the Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III said; ‘when people open there big mouth to talk’, but you listen to them.

But we have not done the right thing that is why over the Social Media our people are crying “We are here, they are punishing us” we have nothing to do.

We have no locus legal representation because we have not ratified this Convention and it is also shameful sometimes.
I travelled with you the last time and we discussed that Sierra Leone has not even paid and it is a shame on us.

We benefits from some of these Conventions, if only we abide by what they are asking for; to pay, to ratify and domesticate.

What we have done in line with what Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III said, in 2019 Finance Act, for the work permit for the Private Sector, Mr Speaker with your leave, it was categorised into two sectors; Non-ECOWAS and ECOWAS Member States.
For the Private Sector, I will just take three; the Application 79 Form is Le100, 000, whether you are ECOWAS and Non-ECOWAS Member.

For the Mining Sector; Dealers, Exporters and Agents, we approved in this House that for Non- ECOWAS, Le6, 250,000 and for ECOWAS Member Le5, 000,000.

For Energy Sector; Oil, Petroleum and Gas, we approved Le5, 000,000 for Non-ECOWAS and Le4, 000,000 for ECOWAS.

I am bringing it to the attention of this House because we have done some improvement on the Finance Act.
So you should ensure that this is implemented.

But if we do not implement them or carry out all of these things I do not think we should be collecting revenue.

We are not only talking about revenue collection, but also taking about us taking our own business very seriously.

Now that you have taken the right step as Minister by bring all these obsolete Conventions; 1952 and 1930 protocols shows that we are in for real business.
We have lost so much in the past because we had not done it earlier on, but it is better late than never.

You are doing the right thing and I congratulate you for taking the bold step as a young Minister, less than two years in office, I think you have tried.

These has been there for over twenty years, some over forty years and some over fifty years.
But as this Parliament is different, I thank my colleagues from the other side of the aisle in cooperating with us to ensure that we ratify these Conventions and domesticate them.

So as the Speaker said, I also urge those who are in the Committee of Labour and Social Security to ensure that they go after these Conventions and make sure they bring them as an oversight Report so that these Conventions are domesticated, enforced and implemented.

Thank you very much Mr Speaker and Honourable Members.
THE SPEAKER: I thank the Acting Leader of Government Business.

I did not restrict my comments to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security alone.

My comments were meant for all Ministries; when you go on oversight, ask the Ministries concerned what Conventions applied to their work and whether they have ratified them for the benefit of our country.

Mr Minister over to you now, you may want to respond to some of the concerns you have heard.
MR ADEKUNLE J. M. KING: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, haven listened to the myriad of concerns raised by Honourable Members of Parliament, I could not help but 80 just to say Wow!

The Honourable P.C Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III touched on Sierra Leone not paying the measured contribution to the ILO.

Well, yes that was the case and it was very embarrassing.
Last year I attended the ILO conference in Geneva and the Ambassador, Her Excellency the Honourable Yvette Stevens; the APC Ambassador was still in place.

She nearly shed tears explaining the embarrassment, the molestation and the indignities she has been going through in Geneva because in International diplomacy, all states are standing on the same pedestal.

There is no small or big state and there is no vertical system of standing, they are all standing on a horizontal level.
So, maybe here you might say we are a small country, but out there in Geneva, Sierra Leone is a state in the community of nations and we have our obligation and as a result of not meeting our obligations, we were stripped off our voting right in Geneva and Sierra Leone was looked upon as a Pieria State.
I came and I made that report to His Excellency the President, Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, I told him Sir, this is an embarrassment for us as a nation [Interruption] Suspension of S.O 5[2] THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member for her alertness.

Wonderful!

Mr Minister, you may continue.

MR ADEKUNLE J. M. KING: Okay and His Excellency the President made a commitment that as a state, we will meet our measured contribution.
Honourable Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III, for your information it is not $40, 000.

As I speak, we have paid around $130, 000 and in the just concluded centenary ILO celebration, we moved a motion for the voting right of Sierra Leone to be restored and we were able to secure 194 votes and 7 States did not votes and we were restored among community of civilized nations in Geneva [Applause].

Our current Ambassador there, Ambassador Lans Gberry and his Deputy S. U.
B. Saffa were so much happy that they said to me ‘thank you for restoring the respectability of Sierra Leone in Geneva’.

We have worked on that.

On the Security issue; the Labour problems in Sierra Leone are like a chameleon feces into which we have stepped in the past and it seems as if when we clean they cannot go, but President Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio’s Administration 81 is a very resilient one ‘Paopa Sierra Leone go Beteh’ so Paopa these problems would be cleaned.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the first thing I noticed in the Security Sector when I looked at the Acts; the Acts we have in place is the Office of National Security [ONS] Intelligence Acts.

Just one section dealing with a whole sector ‘Private Security’ In other countries you have Private Security Regulatory Authority that regulates private security companies.

So we have tried to put in place Legislation, experienced a bottleneck because it is a Labour issue and a Security issue also.
ONS took over it, but what I suggested to them is that you cannot grant a security company license for free.

They were giving them licenses for free.

I visited Sierra Rutile on inspection and I discovered a contract that Sierra Rutile Management entered into with a private security company [PSC] for $8mln.

How can a company earn $8mln in providing private security for a company and then that company does not pay a license fee?

How does that sound to you?


So now ONS, I think they are charging $10,000 as a license fees for private security company for foreign and for local, $1,500.

But that is not enough; it is not just about the money, they need to be properly regulated.

That is a whole outfit; it touches the national security issues so they must be properly regulated.

It is not something that is exclusively labour matter.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we also looked at the Work Permits.
What the Acting Leader of Government Business, Honourable Mathew Sahr Nyuma just read actually emanated from the Ministry of Labour.

We work together as a team and at the end of the year, Finance will hold strategic meeting with all Revenue Generating Agencies.

That again I said no!

It is ridiculously incongruous for people to come pay $100 to obtain a work permit to engage in oil and gas exploration.
When I know for sure to obtain the license you pay a non-refundable fee of $25,000 and what gives you the locus to operate in the country you pay $100 for it.

I said no, it is unacceptable.


But again we have to be careful because when we came from The Place Conference for Ministers, His Excellency the President Retired Brigadier Julius Maada Bio highlighted the agenda of the Government in which I summarised into an acronym I referred to as 82 SCHM West Africa; the S for Security, the C for Corruption, the H for Health and the M for Micro-economic.
So if an Investor comes into the country and wants to invest in any area within that SCHM West Africa, you need to give that investor the necessary encouragement, the enabling atmosphere to operate.
So that is why we really have to manage balance; there has to be the balancing Act between imposing high taxes and creating the necessary investment atmosphere for the investors to operate, but nonetheless, we were able to make some improvement and as I speak there is a robust Work Permits Acts with the Law Officers Department for drafting because as we have now, I wonder how the previous Parliament passed that Acts.
Laws should not be a source of confusion, the current work permits Act is a serious source of confusion.

On the one hand it says Work Permits should be issued for three years and then we collect permit fees every year.

On the other hand it does not define a permit.

What is a permit jumbled up with residence permits?

So the law at it stands it is a sham, but we are working on repealing it.

We would be coming to Parliament with the Law once it is completed by the Law Officers Department.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for the migration, we are putting fundamentals in place because as a Ministry we believe that Labour is not a commodity, though migration is a human right.

Since the foundation of the MICA, people have been migrating.
Honourable Hindolo Moiwo Gevao, you remember during our History class; it was as a result of migration that America was established when the British people said “Let us go to America, there we shall worship God and be free.” That was migration, but migration must be regulated.
Since this Administration took over, we have not granted permission to anybody to recruit Sierra Leoneans to go on overseas migration rather we have revoked all the licenses we met because we perceive them to be criminal gangs [Applause].

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I believe in the fact that you mentioned about Sierra Leoneans taking the risks of going through the Mediterranean, at the end of the day they perish in the Mediterranean Sea or they are abandoned in the Desert.
Yes, they are doing this because they believe that there is no hope at home, so we must all work hard to make Sierra Leone a better place so that as 83 Booker-tee Washington once said: “Throw down your bucket were you are surrounded by water.” meaning perhaps, help yourself and other will help you.
We would be able to say that to the young people of Sierra Leone, that throw your bucket were you are surrounded by water if we make Sierra Leone a better place in line with the leave of the President that ‘Paopa Salon for Betteh’ [Applause].

There is also a robust Overseas Migration Act that we have drafted as a Ministry and it is also at the Law Officers Department now because they have the expertise there to do the drafting.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in conclusion, Honourable Ibrahim Ben Kargbo mentioned about the Philippines, that we are not responsible for because if you are a Historian like me, you would recall that even during the slave trade there was what was known as discrimination.

Slaves were discriminated against based on skin pigmentation.

So if Philippines are favoured because the Europeans consider them to look like them, so be it.
They are discriminated also maybe based on issues of work ethics, but basically we are doing all what we are doing and I crave the indulgence of this Honourable House for you to advocate for more support for the Labour Ministry because that is the number one Ministry.

When I travel, that is what the foreign donors, our patterns say to me; that the Labour Ministry is the number one Ministry.
The Finance Ministry just go to negotiate and come with the money, but Labour Ministry is the Ministry that is responsible for advancing security, for serving justice and for protecting rights to ensure that there is social peace and justice, without which there can be no Democracy.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members of Parliament, be it resolved that this Honourable House ratify the following conventions which were laid on the Table of the House on Thursday 4th July, 2019: [i] Convention 150; Labour Statistics Convention of 1985; [ii] Convention 189; Domestic Workers Convention of 2011; [iii] Convention 102; Social Security Minimum Standard Convention of 1952; [iv] Convention 150; Labour Administration Convention of 1978; 84 [v] Convention 181; Private Employment Agency and [vi] Protocol 029 of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention of 1930.
THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Minister.

You may now take your seat.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Government Motion by the Minister of Labour and Social Security has been ratified] THE SPEAKER: Any announcements?

HON.

DR UNPHA S. G. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I would like to rise on S.O 23, Sir.

THE SPEAKER: No!

I said announcements.


ANNOUNCEMENTS THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, it is with a very heavy heart that I take this opportunity to announce the death of the mother of our colleague and friend, Honourable Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, Leader of the National Grand Collation [NGC] party here in Parliament.

Burial will take place on Sunday 21st July, 2019 in Kychum, Kambia district and Members are encouraged to attend.
In addition, as in keeping with the established practice; the Clerk would be implementing a regulation that we inherited from the previous Parliament that enables Parliament to perform the needful and the traditional when such occurrences are announced.

I would not want to go over that since the Media is here, but for those of you who were in the last Parliament I am sure you are aware of the established practice of certain deductions be made from your sitting fees.
That will take place automatically, as your personal contribution to the traditional expression of our condolence to the Honourable Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella.

Honourable Members, the Honourable Josephine Makieu has also informed me that regrettably she lost her daughter in Sweden very recently and again in keeping with the tradition, Parliament will take the necessary action to convey our collective condolence to the Honourable Josephine Makieu.
I understand is being the practice of 85 implementing that particular regulation whenever a Honourable Member loses a husband, wife, father, mother or children.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, as you made reference to Members of last Parliament, I am here to further confirm, that has been the general practice and I am happy now that you are bringing it up for the first time.
It was indeed the general practice and we must use this opportunity that there have been previous deaths of similar kinds of which you need to know now [Undertone] no!

Mr Speaker can agree with me that he is bringing this thing up for the first time and which is very correct.

I was a Member of the last Parliament and that was what used to be; when a father, mother, fife, husband or child and all that you have mentioned now fall under that ambit and it is a very good practice.
It is taken from source; Sitting Fees.

THE SPEAKER: I thank you Honourable Member for confirming.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: We have another case here, Honourable Alusine and various cases of those who lost their children, husbands and parents.

So really we need to sit on this and arrange it well because it is a very good idea, it only came late.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, please take your seat.
First of all before I open up any further discussion, since these are the two most recent [Undertone] may I finish what I am saying?

Since these are the two most recent deaths that have been reported to me, I wish to invite all of us to stand and observe a minute silence in memory of the departed.

May the gentle souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.
Now, as I was explaining, there was in existence a practice in the last Parliament that was brought to my attention only today, I did not know about it previously.

You are quite right Honourable Daniel Brima Koroma, there have been deaths.

If I had known about this practice at that time I would have raised it.
Now that it has been brought to my attention for the first time, I want to ask this Parliament whether it is your wish that, that old practice be maintained by this Parliament with immediate effect.

HON.

VERONICA K. SESAY: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

I just want to make some clarifications.

This particular saying is correct, but it was not for the whole House.

86 It was agreeable by party, it is good, but it was by political party.
The only area in which the whole House would contribute is when a Member dies, that is the time they would ask Members of Parliament to contribute and it would be taken from source.

For us in the Sierra Leone People Party [SLPP], I do not know for them at the APC party, but for us at SLPP and we also attend the funerals.

THE SPEAKER: Okay.

I saw the Honourable Hindolo Moiwo Gevao, you wanted the Floor on this?

HON.

HINDOLO M. GEVAO: Thank you Mr Speaker.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it is a laudable venture because death can knock on the door of everyone.

I believe all of us Parliamentarians will definitely love to contribute for dignity purposes to the categories of people that you have mentioned.

The only constraint we are having Mr Speaker, is that the source that such arrangement could be knocked off from that we all know is really infinitesimal.
So, we were wondering whether the Administration of this noble House could find a way whereby something could be captured because it is very important Mr Speaker.
So that when it happens, one would not fail because the way it is going, out of 146 Members, for one’s daughter, mother, father or close relative, it is going to happen like every other week, it will be like every other week and if it is knocked off from source, to be honest with you it is going to come to a point that there will be a particular month when there will be nothing in that source, but everything will go towards that direction because it is going to be like a must.

It is just a suggestion.


HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, haven listened to the Honourable Veronica Kadie Sesay from Moyamba, I beg to differ.

As far as I knew, the first case we had here was Honourable Alex Foya.

I remember our monies were deducted with our consent and we even wanted to pay more, it was cross party not by party.

THE SPEAKER: Let me say this, please take you seat.

As you know, we lost one of our own Honourable Eskimo Mansaray sometime ago and the Paramount Chief Member.
I was not then aware of this practice.

Let me emphasis this point that this practice was brought to my attention only this morning.

I was not aware of it at the time of the 87 death of Honourable Eskimo Mansaray or the Paramount Chief.

Now that it has been brought to my attention, this is why I am now bringing it to the House.

If the House is agreeable, we can adopt it as our own practice; the practice of this Fifth Parliament of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, on that note, I am suggesting that we form a very small Committee to deal with this matter because it is complex.

But in my opinion as the Honourable Veronica Kadie Sesay rightly said, if we lost one of ours then it involves the entire Parliament, but if one of ours lost parents, child, husband or wife as the case may be, it should be done by party.

If that is the case I do not think it would be fair enough based on party strength.
That means, in the case of Honourable Dr Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, only two people are obliged based on party strength [Laughter].

So, I am suggesting that if a Member is affected, we are all Members of Parliament, let us forget party.

But since it is complex and there are other cases, I am suggesting that we form a small Committee to sit on this.

THE SPEAKER: No!

First of all let me at least crave your indulgence.

This is an act of humanitarianism and fraternity too, we all belong to Parliament.
So if we agree where a mother, father, child, husband [Interruption] HON.

SAMA I. SANDY: Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: May I finish!

This idea of interrupting when somebody is in mid-flight you will cause a crash one day [Laughter].

HON.

SAMA I. SANDY: Sorry Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Let me go over it again and please allow me to land otherwise the Airplane will crash.
The categories to be covered by this humanitarian act are the following: mother, father, husband, wife and children; biological children and when we say wife, when we say wife, [Interruption] HON.

SALLIEU O. SESAY: Mr Speaker Sir.

88 THE SPEAKER: Please!

Let us be realistic here.

With the greatest respect to those with more than one wife, let us restrict it to one wife.

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker that is why I suggested that you form a special team for this purpose to sort out the way forward and present it to you.

It is a complex situation.

THE SPEAKER: No, but time is very short and we are taking an adjournment now.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Yes I know!

They can do it during the recess.

THE SPEAKER: There is a particular case to be addressed now.

HON.

SALLIEU O. SESAY: Mr Speaker Sir.


Mr Speaker please let us limit the contribution to only husband, wife, mother and father.

The reason is if we include the children, for example the Paramount Chives have more than thirty children.

Mr Speaker, please let us do not make it complex, let us get the children out of this please.

HON.

AIAH D. S. KASSEGBAMA: Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Yes HON.


AIAH D. S. KASSEGBAMA: I believe it is a very good suggestion, but I want to recommend that we take two children.

Two would be preferable because children are part of us.

If you are counting a family, your mother and father are out; they are extended.

Your wife or your husband and your children should be part of your family.

So, in a case where someone is having more than five children, I am sure we will not be here for five years and someone has four burials that are children.
It would not be possible.

THE SPEAKER: Okay, so the proposal is we restrict this humanitarian action to one wife, husband, mother, father and two biological children.

That is what has been purposed.

HON.

ABDUL L. SESAY: That is fine Mr Speaker, but what about us that do not have mothers and father anymore?

THE SPEAKER: That is God’s will.

89 HON.

MOMOH BOCKARIE: Mr Speaker, my own concern is about the source that you are making reference to.
As we speak now a very good percentages of Honourable Members in this House have gone far ahead into that particular sources.

So meaning, we will be having a situation wherein some Members will be defaulting.

THE SPEAKER: No, do not worry.

If that is the case then you will advise yourself what to do.

Honourable Members, have we agreed that this six people will be catered for?

[Undertones] The source is the siting fees.

HON.


SAMA I. SANDY: Can the ratio for that Mr Speaker be one for each Member of Parliament per year?

HON.

SALLIEU O. SESAY: Mr Speaker, let the source be either the sitting fees or any other source.

THE SPEAKER: I agree.

HON.

SAMA I. SANDY: Mr Speaker, I think before putting this to Motion can we agree on the stipulated amount?

THE SPEAKER: It is a Le100, 000 per Member HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker, we are talking about the source.
I want to suggest because of what Honourable Momoh Bockarie said just now, some people have gone ahead already.

What about if we establish a benevolent fund for Parliament so that every month for instance, Le50,000 or Le100,000 is inducted and put into the benevolent fund?

THE SPEAKER: No, let us be clear about this.

There has to be some automaticity here HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: That is it!

THE SPEAKER: I am coming.


For those who have already exhausted the source in advance, then they would have to make good deficit from whatever source, but the target source is Siting Fees.

So are we all agreed on this?

Because is a across party consensus on this.

Thank you very much!

So, we will start with the two that we have in hand [Undertone] 3?

Oh!

Okay, I give you the Floor please.

90 HON.

SAIDU E. CONTEH: Mr Speaker, thank you very much.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it is very painful for me to report that I lost my daughter; my very first daughter on the 9th of July, 2019.

I do not want to say much because I went this morning to explain to Mr Speaker.

I do not know why he did not remember all that I told him.

I also explained to the Clerk of Parliament.

THE SPEAKER: Forgive me if I did not mention it.

HON.

SAIDU E. CONTEH: Thank you.


THE SPEAKER: So there are three cases in hand right now.

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: ‘Tamemkor’ also THE SPEAKER: Tamemkor, I give you the Floor.

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: Thank you very much Mr Speaker [Undertone].

It is not a joke.

THE SPEAKER: Tamemkor, are you sure is not a joke?

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: I am not joking Mr Speaker.

I lost my second daughter in Holland [Interruption] THE SPEAKER: Do you know why I am asking that question?

HON.
HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: Yes Sir.

THE SPEAKER: You are very frequent visitor to my Chambers [Laughter] Hold on!

Order!

Tamemkor is a frequent visitor to my Chambers and I am wondering how he failed to inform me when he last visited my Chambers about the death of the daughter or son?

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: I have different deaths [Laughter].

THE SPEAKER: You have what?

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: I lost both my daughter and my father [Laughter].
So it is very shocking for me to announce the death of my Father and my daughter in Holland.

HON.

SAMA I. SANDY: Your dad died in 1973.

91 THE SPEAKER: Before he became a parliamentary and your child died again in 19 what?

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: My daughter died two weeks ago in Holland.

HON.

SAMA I. SANDY: Your elder brother succeeded your dad.

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: Wait let me explain, this is very serious, Honourable Sama Sandy.

HON.
HON.

AIAH D. S. KASSEGBAMA: Mr Speaker, I advise we take the three recent ones please.

THE SPEAKER: Let me deal with the three recent ones please Tamamkor.

HON.

SORIEBA A. TURAY: Yes Sir THE SPEAKER: With the greatest respect to you, let yours be evidence based [Laughter].

So, we agreed on that and we will now start the process with the three cases in hand.

I want this recorded as a decision of the House.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Yes for clarification Sir.

THER SPEAKER: Yes HON.


DANIEL B. KOROMA: In teams of source, with effective which month?

THE SPEAKER: Effective immediately.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Effective July?

THE SPEAKER: Effective immediately!

We have the three cases to handle.

HON.

SALLIEU O. SESAY: Mr Speaker Sir, I want to suggest that we agree on an amount for these three cases.

THE SPEAKER: Each case is a Le100, 000 HON.


SALLIEU O. SESAY: Why can’t we get an amount for these three cases then we can share that mount to the three deferent bereaved families instead of Le300, 000 deducted from [Interruption] 92 THE SPEAKER: And then for future cases, what are you suggesting?

HON.

SALLIEU O. SESAY: We maintain the Le100, 000 for future cases.

THE SPEAKER: No!

Then you are discriminating against these three cases.

I will not allow that.

Let it be even.


Let us apply the Law on an even scale please.

So we agreed on this, please let that be recorded.

So three immediate cases, I will direct that the Clerk will do the needful.

Thank you.

Now, an Honourable Member over there wanted my attention under S.O 23 HON.

SALLIEU O. SESAY: Correct!

THE SPEAKER: I am not going to entertain S.O 23, I am getting tired with S.O 23.
I have repeatedly reminded Members that I want you people to utilise Question Time that is in your Standing Orders.

You gain more effective answers by coming under that than S.O 23.

When you rise under S.O 23, your audience is this House, that is all.

Now if it is a matter that affects you outside of this House, for example it affects an MDA, how are you going to get that matter resolved?

You would not get it resolve under S.O 23.


This is why I have been insisting that you utilise the instrumentality of Question Time.

HON.

Dr UNPHA S. G. KOROMA Mr Speaker, this one is a unique situation of course is not a question.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to bring to the attention of this House that there was a fire disaster at the bottom Oku Wharf this morning that destroyed over twelve homes and this disaster happened while I was on my way to Parliament.
Fortunately, there were no lives lost, I want to bring this to the attention of the relevant authorities and to see if there is anything that could be done to help the afflicted community and the people.

I want to use this opportunity to copy the Office National Security and the Ministry of Social Welfare to see what they could do to respond accordingly to minimize the consequences of this disaster.

So that is the Standing Order that I am standing on Mr Speaker.
THE SPEAKER: I perfectly accept and I understand the plight you faced and please convey to your constituents our heartfelt sympathy for this unfortunate occurrence.

93 HON.

Dr UNPHA S. G. KOROMA: Thank you Sir.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Yes Mr Speaker THE SPEAKER: Yes.

HON.
HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, unfortunately you were not here when I put a question to the Minister of Finance, but supposedly it was supposed to be the Minister of Transport and Aviation; about the fifty busses, the procurement procedures and the cost.

I am worried a little bit that according to the S.Os, it should be within fourteen working days and now that we are going on recess, what will be the position of that question that I put?

THE SPEAKER: Questions never died!


HON.EMERSON S. LAMINA: S.O 23, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Yes HON.

EMERSON S. LAMINA: Mr Speaker, I rise on S.O 23, with the hope that it is high time this House came to the comprehension of S.O 41, to save the several wastes of necessary time.

When S.O 41 is comprehended by Members of this House, we will avoid all the drama that we use to go through.

Very important things are there to be discussed, but most times we waste the energy on unimportant matters.
Mr Speaker, I also want to bring to your attention that in as much as we from the C4C platform do not like to cry stinky fish of petty things, yet we should not be taken for granted.

Most times whiles Committees are set up, consultations are always done between majority and minority.

The C4C leaderships are most times not informed; typical example is the representation to the Turkey-Sierra Leone Corporation.
If I would have been asked actually for our representation, I would have declined and suggested another name.

Subsequent times let us be asked for our representation because it is very important.

THE SPEAKER: It is still not late, in consultation with the Leader of Government Business 94 HON.

EMERSON S. LAMINA: Yes, I can still do that.

And also, when important Agreement and corporation do come, do not only concentrate on majority and minority.
The role of Japan and JAICA especially in the decentralization process where I have vast knowledge for the past nine years, I was actually looking for a contribution to be Table here today.

Lastly Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I call upon your Honourable Office; use that good office to invoke Section 5 [2] of the Pensions and Gratuity Act to call upon His Excellency the President, Julius Maada Bio to remember Chief Alhaji Samsuma’s benefit.
It is no controversy that he has worked as a State man for this nation and it cannot be contested that he served the second highest office in this nation.

I am calling upon your own very good office that Section 5[2] will be taken up by Cabinet to see how they can pour oil on trouble waters.

I thank you very much [Applause].


THE SPEAKER: Honourable Emerson Saa Lamina, you are a man who has earned my respect beyond all bounds and I also want you to understand me; there is a side of my character you need to know.

Friends of mine, acquaintances know it that I am a man of my word.

If I give you my word, I will go all out to perform.

I will find it in my conscience, very difficult to accede to your request.
The reason being simply, that when I read the relevant legislation, myself was not convinced that, that particular provision is applicable to the gentleman you have just mentioned because that Act does not envisage a situation where a person keeps one foot in retirement and one foot in active political service.

I would rather invite you to pursue your request by using other channels rather than relying on me.

I hope you understand me?

HON.

EMERSON S. LAMINA: Mr Speaker well noted.


THE SPEAKER: Thank you.

When you are retired, you are retired.

You cannot claim retirement benefits and at the same time you remain in active politics.

I will find it absolutely unacceptable.

Now, we are going on recess Honourable Members, starting today.

I want to thank all of you for your cooperation and for your diligence [Undertone] I merely hope that when we resume after the recess, you will go to your respective constituencies.
This is one great opportunity you have been offered for those 95 of you who have been absent from your constituencies for so long, this is one great opportunity you are having to go and visit your constituents so that they can welcome you once more.

[Undertones] Okay, if you want to hear his voice I will allow you to, but I do not think [Undertone] Honourable Clerk, by all means they want to hear your voice.

[Undertones] No, they say they want to hear your voice, on what, I do not know.

HON.
HON.

PARAN U. TARAWALIE [Clerk of Parliament]: Okay [Laughter], I really do not know the reason for wanting to hear my voice.

Honourable Members, I know the Secretariat of Parliament is at work and I assure you that I have received instruction to process certain issues and that work is in progress and I assure you that within the next few days things will happen.

The next announcement is Mr Speaker would soon make a pronouncement, but that does not mean the entire Parliament would be dead.
Administration would still continue to work and Committees are expected to continue working.

The next announcement is this morning the Parliamentary Service Commission commenced its sittings and that sitting was adjourned to after the parliamentary sitting, but unfortunately because the sittings have gone into the evenings, the meeting would be postponed now to tomorrow 12:00p.m [Undertone] no, Parliamentary Service Commission, the Commissioners know themselves [Laughter].
Please immediately after sitting, I want to see the following Members: Hon.

Josephine Makieu Hon.

Sahr Charles Hon.

James Ozan Thorlley Hon.

Massay Ngahinteh Aruna Hon.

Alice Jebbeh Kumabeh Hon.

P.C Matilda Yayu Minah Hon.

P.C Meama Haja Fatmata Kajue Koroma Hon.

Veronica Kadie Sesay Hon.

Quintin Salia- Konneh Hon.

Bai Sama Kamara Hon.

Rosemarie Bangura 96 Hon.

Alusine Conteh Hon.

Cecilia Mabinty Bangura Hon.

Emerson Saa Lamina Hon.

Hajaratu Faith Samura Hon.

Rebecca Yei Kamara Hon.


Sahr Juana Hon.

Mathew Sahr Nyuma Hon.

Bernadette Wuyatta Songa Hon.

P.C Fasalie Kulako Demba Marrah III Hon.

Emillia Loloh Tongi Hon.

Nenneh Lebbie THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, I was thanking all of you for your cooperation and diligence since the start of the Session.

I count on your continued cooperation and diligence and hopefully punctuality after the recess.

Enjoy yourself during the recess, meet with your constituents in other to guarantee re-election next time.
ADJOURNMENT [The House rose at 4:00 p.m. and was adjourned Sine die] 97