Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1694844076985.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 FOURTH SESSION –FIRST MEETING WEDNESDAY, 30TH JUNE, 2021 SESSION – 2020/2021 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: 2 First Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.
Proceedings of the Sitting of the House held Wednesday, 30th June, 2021.

2 CONTENTS I. PRAYERS II.

RECORD OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY THE 29TH JUNE, 2021 III.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY MY MR SPEAKER IV.

MOTION OF THANKS TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT JULIUS MAADA BIO PROPOSER: HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA SECONDER: HON.
FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA BE IT RESOLVED: "WE THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT HERE ASSEMBLED WISH TO THANK HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT FOR THE ADDRESS HE SO GRACIOUSLY DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE STATE OPENING OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE FIFTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE IN THE CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT ON TUESDAY 18TH MAY, 2021" [THIRD ALLOTED DAY] 3 THE CHAMBER OF PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE Official Hansard Report of the Proceedings of the House _____________________________________________________________ FOURTH SESSION – FIRST MEETING OF THE FIFTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC _____________________________ Wednesday, 30th June, 2021.
I. PRAYERS [The Table Clerk, Francis Ernest Farma, Read the Prayers] [The House met at 10:00 a.m. in Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown] [The Speaker, Rt.

Hon.

Abass Chernor Bundu, in the Chair] The House was called to Order 4 Suspension of S. O.

5[2] COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I have a question.

I see this has been something habitual, if you are seated on time, do we need to suspend S.O 5[2]?

It is just a question for my edification.


THE SPEAKER: No, being on the Chair of the Speaker on time does not necessarily mean the beginning of the Sitting.

There has to be a Quorum, minus a quorum, there is no Sitting.

That is the answer to your question.

I would have loved it to be the way you perceived it but we are hamstrung by the improvising for a Quorum.

I think we have to find an answer to this problem.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA [Leader of Government Business]: Mr Speaker, I think he has a point.
THE SPEAKER: We have to find an answer.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, what answer are you talking about, is it the Quorum?

I toe line with that since you have given your ruling.

The Honourable Member has a point but let us continue; I thank you.

THE SPEAKER: In that vein, may I renew the invitation I extended the last time to the Leaders of the various political parties represented here?
I have just been reminded that, two key people who should be present at the meeting I have in mind are not here today, and that is the Whips.

So we wait until they come back and then schedule a meeting with the Leadership.

II.

CORRECTION OF VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR PARLIAMENTARY SITTING HELD ON TUESDAY 29TH JULY, 2021 THE SPEAKER: We should now consider our Votes and Proceedings for the eighth meeting held yesterday by skipping pages 1 to 4 and starting from page 5.

Page5, is there any corrections?


Page 6?

Can someone please move for the adoption of the 5 Record of Votes and Proceedings for the Parliamentary Sitting held on Tuesday 29th June, 2021?

HON.

SIMEON FEFEGULA: I so move Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Any Seconder?

HON.

NENEH LEBBIE: I so second, Mr Speaker.

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Record of Votes and Proceedings for the Parliamentary Sitting held on Tuesday 29th June, 2021 has been adopted as presented] III.
ANNOUNCEMENT BY MR SPEAKER THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, I have a letter here from the Freetown City Council informing me of the sad demise of a compatriot who had served this country as a celebrated administrator in the person of Mr Henry Ngoungou.

The President has kindly consented to grant him a befitting civic funeral which will take place tomorrow Thursday, 1st July, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. His remains will be laid at the Freetown City Council at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.
So those who are able to attend are encouraged to do so as well as sign the Book of Condolence.

In light of tomorrow’s Sitting, I am afraid I will not be able to attend but I would encourage Members to do so who are able.

Honourable Members, the other announcement is that, it has been suggested by the Leadership that in order to accommodate as many speakers as possible; I should reduce the speaking time from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.
I am inclined to do so, so that we can provide for as many people as possible to take the Floor and get heard.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the continuous affront to the dignity of this House by the Executive is becoming very unfortunate.

I could remember when the debate started, the Office of the Clerk extended invitation for all heads of MDAs to be here.
If you can take a look at the Gallery, you would realise that the attendance of various heads is nothing to write home about and I think it is high time this House took a decision that would forestall or send a message on the appalling 6 attendance of these particular MDAs that are refusing to come when Parliament calls them.

THE SPEAKER: I wish I had that power, but I do not.

HON.
HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Section 95 could be invoked because they were summoned to be here and if they are not, that is tantamount to contempt of Parliament.

THE SPEAKER: Well, some things are easier said than done.

HON.

ALUSINE KANEH: Mr Speaker, I am in support of the Honourable Member.

THE SPEAKER: I would like to approach it differently.

Would you want me to summon all the Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to come here under that provision?

HON.
HON.

ALUSINE KANEH: If you want to, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: I think there is another way.

Look let me tell you, the practical aspect of administration is what you are losing sight of.

The Executive can only function in a Democracy when Parliament gives it a Vote; that is the fact of life.

If we do not appropriate money to the Executive, then the Executive is paralysed, you know it.

That is the power of the purse, it is with you.


So if the Executive is holding Parliament in contempt, it is now left with Parliament when the Executive comes here to present their budget to know what to do.

HON.

AARON A. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I just want to ask with your leave, by your statement were they invited or summoned because if my memory could recall, I heard you saying “invite them”.

So can we invoke Section 95 when in the circumstance they were invited and not summoned?
THE SPEAKER: Normally, we invite them to attend Sittings of this nature.

We seldom use the word “summon” which has a completely different connotation and I would not want us to go by that route, it would send the wrong signals.

For me, let us take note of the treatment we are getting from the Executive and at the appropriate time, we will respond.

I repeat, any Executive without money appropriated to them cannot function, 7 is that not the case?

Who provides that money?

Parliament!


So if the Executive today when we are debating an important statement from the Head of the Executive who came here on the 18th of last month to address us and through us the nation holds us in such contempt by not appearing, we hold our peace until October or November when the estimates come and absolutely I will be all-ears to what you people want to do with them; and you will then know whether Mr Speaker is a coward or not.
Mr Leader of Government Business, this is a message we are sending through your kind auspices to the Executive.

You are here in that capacity as Leader of Government Business, I know the way you feel about this but unfortunately the lot falls on you to do the needful by conveying the feelings of the House to the Executive that we are being treated with contempt and we are most unhappy about it.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, and yesterday I held discussion with Honourable Paramount Chief Bai Kurr; we looked around for some of the MDAs but only few were around and today my Honourable Colleague has raised that particular point that we need to have the MDAs around.

Look at the Gallery, it is empty.

It is an affront to Parliament as it is very clear especially when we invited them.
So Mr Speaker, what we can do next is to enforce the law by summoning them and that is what we are going to do now because we had invited them formerly.

We have sent out two letters of invitation, one during the enactment of the Cyber Law and they said they were not informed about the actual date on which we are going to start the Debate, and we sent another one the following day which was Tuesday.

Monday was a day of grace and they are not here in their numbers.
So you can take your decision now for us to summon them.

THE SPEAKER: I want to put it to the House.

You have heard the Leader of Government Business that we now progress or we escalate the invitation to summons.

Is that the wish of this House?

[Question Proposed, Put and Agreed To] [Motion by the Leader of Government Business to summon all MDAs has been carried] 8 THE SPEAKER: All MDAs would be summoned to appear before this House tomorrow.
Failing which, they would be deemed to be in contempt of Parliament.

[Applause] IV.

MOTION OF THANKS TO HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT JULIUS MAADA BIO PROPOSER: HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA SECONDER: HON.


MOSES EDWIN BE IT RESOLVED: That we the Members of the Fourth Parliament of the Fifth Republic here assemble wish to thank His Excellency the President for the Address he so graciously delivered on the occasion of the State Opening of the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone in the Chamber of Parliament on Tuesday 18th May, 2021.
[THIRD ALLOTTED DAY] THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, there would be ten minutes per speaker and this time around we are going to enforce the ten minutes rule very strictly.

I need two time keepers, one from each side of the aisle.

The Debate would continue now.

Honourable Members, if Honourable Dr Umpha Koroma is here, I would start with him this morning.
HON DR. UMPHA S.G. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to take this opportunity to appreciate the Speech made by His Excellency the President on the 18th of May in this House.

In this Speech, the President came right out of the gate to talk about the responsibilities of the citizens to this nation.
And if I may bring your attention to page 1 on line 2, it stated that citizens should understand their rights, roles and responsibilities; why it is important to abide by rules and laws; what equality and leadership mean; what public accountability entails; why respect for diversity and national cohesion matters and what it means to care for the environment.
My question 9 to this House is, the President has asked us as citizens of this country what our responsibilities are and if I may borrow the words of Abraham Lincoln that said: “That these dead would not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall find a new birth in Freedom and that all of us the Government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish on this earth”.
I would want to say the statement that the President made on that day was a statement for all of us but my question is, why would this Government ask citizens of this country to abide by these laws, to demonstrate equality which by the way did not state about equity but has not demonstrated the same?

Why would this Government ask the citizens of this country to respect diversity and national cohesion when they have not done the same?

Why would this Government ask that question?


This Government has not respected the diversity of the people of this country.

If you go to that line, and like the Honourable colleague from Bombali stated the other day that the President has come to terms with what he has given to this country, it is a moment of realisation and I think the self- realisation says a lot about what he gave us on this day.
Mr Speaker, as I speak, we have a civil servant that has been asked out of his office for over three years because they believe that he has engaged in activities related to that of Political Party.

Because of mistaken identity which this gentleman has demonstrated to that Ministry, he was still been left in his home and he is a medical doctor and an economist but because he is a northerner, a Limba by tribe; this Government has left him in the abyss of darkness.
Is this the Government that is asking the people to respect diversity and equality?

I would say no.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would like to take us to page 12 under Fisheries.

Wherein we have a situation at Black Johnson, we cannot argue that we do not need the Fish Harbour; we cannot argue that the vessels that come to our Harbour cannot tranship or even offload their fish.
We cannot argue that we need berthing in our waters; we cannot argue also that we are losing a lot of money because of a lack of a Fish Harbour.

But a lot of debates have gone around whether this Fish Harbour is a reality, whether it is a Fish Mill and we know what a Fish Mill is.

A Fish Mill is really just 10 for preparing fish, drying them out and preparing them for the feeding of cattle.

Is this a Fish Mill or Fish Harbour?


The problem here is not about the Fish Harbour, the problem is how this Government has managed the introduction of this idea to the people of that Black Johnson Community; they have not done a good job in managing it.

As I speak today, we have a Headman by the name of Mr Lamin Kargbo who is deceased and I would like us to pray for him.

Why?
Why?

Because when we went there on a Fact Finding Mission with two other colleagues of mine, this gentleman told us that he feels that his life is at stake, he feels that he is going to die any day.

We asked him why, and he said because he is a high blood pressure patient and the calls to him have increased, people are calling him because the Government is coming to claim their land.
Uncle Sam has come with their deep pocket and of which if you can go to page 12, the President stated that $55Mln has been given by this Government as grant to establish the Fish Harbour but the Government has not managed the relationship well with these people.

As I speak right now, they are claiming to give these people LE8Mln for a plot of land or even a town lot and we ignore the growing prices of land in that community, it is over LE25Mln for a town lot.
So what do you expect this Headman to do who probably had already sold some of that land to people in and out of Sierra Leone wherein in most cases the transactions are not completed because they do not have their land document and he has to return the money?

The people in that community, when we went there told us that we were the ones that voted for this Government, but this Government has utilized their “Paopa” mentality to take our lands.
[Applause] Mr President, the ‘Paopa’ mentality that this Government used to come to power is failing this Government and the ‘Paopa’ mentality has left a bad taste in the mouths of the people of that community.

Of course we have heard a lot of rhetoric about how they have gone to Tar Grin Island, Texaco, and Kissy Dockyard in order to ascertain whether the area was good for this Fish Harbour.
My question is, did you take your time to go to Tassor Island and all the other Islands close to the Western area to ascertain this?

Why Black Johnson and the people of Black Johnson?

[Applause] 11 HON.

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

I want to ask the Honourable Member if he has seen the grant Agreement.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: I just talked about it.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: You see this is an Honourable House; we have a whole Ministry on Environmental Impact Assessment.
For the edification of this House, he said the people of Black Johnson are under tremendous attack for their lands been taken away from them and not fully compensated; I am now asking you a question have you seen the grant Agreement?

If you have not seen it, please it is high time for you to just ignore that point.

THE SPEAKER: Mr Leader of Government Business, I myself seated here have not seen it because it has not been laid on the Table, so let us wait.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: It is not credible information you are giving us, Honourable Member.

[Undertone] If we have a Committee on Environment and there is an issue like that, we have to urge that Committee to do the Environmental Impact Assessment.

There is no statement about Black Johnson in the Presidential Debate but rather a Fish Harbour.

[Undertone] HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: But His Excellency raised a point about Black Johnson.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: You raised a very vital point by asking if they have done assessment on the other areas but the point on Black Johnson is not to be raised.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, that particular project has gained enough currency in the public domain and we cannot as a Parliament pretends otherwise.
I myself in response to the public demand and the public debate on that issue has advised the relevant authorities to endeavour to bring their Agreement to this House for it to be laid on the Table.

Because out of that process, we shall then determine what to do, whether it will require a debate or a mere ratification without a debate; but for now let us hold our peace and await the Agreement to be laid on the Table of this House.

12 HON.
12 HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: I am sorry to interrupt, but just for the edification of the House, we have S.O 39 i.e.

anticipation.

Mr Speaker, I fully agree with you when you talk about public demand but we in the House cannot anticipate we talk about realities.

So I have raised S.O 39 for us to follow the debate.

HON.

NENEH LEBBIE: Please before he goes ahead, I really do not want to talk about the Black Johnson issue now because it appears to be another episode.
Perhaps for us all as Members of Parliament to know much about it, when I will be making my own intervention; I would touch on it slightly.

But for now, as far as I am concerned and like the Leader of Government Business has said, we are yet to see the document come and I can assure the Speaker that shortly perhaps after this Debate, the document will see the light of this Well.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Thank you Madam Chairperson of the Fisheries Committee.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I was going to the point before the Leader of Government Business interrupted me but I understand his position.

My point here is, we went there and we asked questions because this argument has reached the public domain for a while and as responsible Members of Parliament I think is our duty to do such things.

As we speak today, if we had not gone there on that day, we would have never met Mr Lamin Kargbo who has lost his life but I would get to that point.
I have so many points to make before time runs out and we would not argue that we do not need a Fish Harbour.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the next point is to bring you to page 2 of the President’s Speech that talks about Health Care.

In that Speech, in a nutshell, the President spoke about the building blocks of the Health Care System.
But the President really rushed us through this Speech because the President did not tell us what his Government has done in bringing in healthcare delivery to the people, what they have done about the Health Work Force, what they have done about Informatics Medical Products and Technology, Financing and Leadership.

I want to zoom in my argument on one hospital which is our adult referral hospital.
As a Member of the Health Committee in Parliament, we have done a spot check at that hospital and we plan to do 13 another spot check because of several concerns we are getting again from the public domain about what is going on at the Connaught Hospital.

Connaught Hospital by the way was formed in 1912, named after the Duke of Connaught, and today we have an Agreement between the Kings of Sierra Leone Partnership and the Connaught Hospital Management.
But I would say that arrangement has not born the fruit that we so dearly desire when it comes to Health Work Force which is really the percentage [Interrupted].

THE SPEAKER: Your time is up.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I was interrupted for over five minutes.

THE SPEAKER: Okay, I would give you one minute to windup.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Okay.

So I want to put Connaught Hospital under check.


Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on page 17, line 114, 115 and 116; the President talked about what they are going to do to access water.

And he talked about the Millennium Challenge Cooperation [MCC].

He talked about rehabilitating all the dams in the Western area but did not talk about rehabilitating of any dam and reservoir in the Eastern part of Freetown.
Is it a deliberate action by the President to ignore the people of the Eastern part of Freetown because he believes that majority of those electorates are against his Government because he stated one time when he went to Kailahun that: “if you do not vote for me, you would not see development”.

So if you do not vote for this President in the Eastern part of Freetown, you cannot see development.

[Applause] And the Eastern part of Freetown is one part of this town that cannot benefit from Pipe Borne Water.
The whole of Calaba Town do not have Pipe Borne Water, the reservoirs in Allen Town and Regent have not been rehabilitated.

THE SPEAKER: And with that.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, they are interrupting me and I am making my points.

14 THE SPEAKER: No!

No!

You have made your points.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: I am here representing over Seventy Thousand people in my Constituency; I need to make my points.

I cannot be interrupted by frivolous interruptions.
Mr Speaker, can I finish my point and then somebody makes his own point?

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on environmental issues; we heard a Government talking about respecting the environment but since this Government came to being; you would note that the timber logging has not paused in this country.
[Applause] And if I can borrow the words of a Native American proverb that said: “We should not see this world as one we inherited from our fore fathers, we should see this world as a world that we are borrowing from our children”.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, if that is the whole truth then we should treat our environment as if we are borrowing it from our children.

[Applause] We should not because of personal gains or because of money, continue to indiscriminately destroy our forests.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on that note; I want to leave you with the words of Solomon Kalushi Mahlangu a South African who was once hang to a tree because he stood for his people.

He said: “My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom.

Tell my people that I love them, they must continue the fight.

Aluta Continua”.

I thank you Mr Speaker, Honourable Members.

[Applause] HON.
[Applause] HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, we have allowed him to land but he said when the President went to Kailahun, the President said: “If you do not vote for me, you would not see development”.

He has to substantiate otherwise I would ask for his withdrawal of that statement.
Let me refer you to S.O 32[11] for this Debate: “The conduct of the President and judges or performance of judicial functions by any other person and the personal conduct of Members of Parliament shall not be referred to except upon a substantive Motion moved for that purpose”.

Mr Speaker, let me assume that was what the President said, he should not refer to it.

Let me now ask our colleague on the other side to substantiate by stating the time and date when the President said so.
We are waiting for that, otherwise he is 15 going to make a withdrawal and an apology.

We are asking for that, because we have to be very careful with our words as we are live on air.

The conduct of the President is being questioned; of course I have just reminded him about the provision.

Let him tell us when the President said that.


THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, you are free to debate but your freedom is circumscribed by the rules of the Debate and I am sure you all understand that and the rules are very clearly spelt out under S.O 32.

In addition to what the Leader of Government Business has drawn attention to, there is also S.O 32[9] which states: “No Member shall impute improper motives to any other Member”.
And if you think the President is not a Member then I invite you to read Section 73 of the Constitution.

HON.

DANIEK B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, let us make progress, otherwise we would all be compelled to respond.

For this one, the exceptions contained in that relevant S.O [Interruption].

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Where the President said “If you do not vote for me, you would not see development”?

We want to get that one clear from our colleague on that side, we are waiting.

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, the exception you just read says: “except on a substantive Motion” and Mr Speaker we hereby submit that we are debating a substantive Motion on the Address of the President.

This one is a substantive Motion so it falls under the exception.

Let us make progress; we need to manage time that was what I said.

THE SPEAKER: What did you say about S.O 32[9]?

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: S.O 32[10] states: “with the exception of a substantive Motion” and Mr Speaker, this is a substantive Motion on nobody else but the Address of His Excellency the President.

THE SPEAKER: Can I hear you on S.O 32[9] then?

16 HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: No, I am responding to the reference he raised a Point of Order on.

He raised his Point of Order on S.O 32[10] and not yours Mr Speaker I am responding to.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, I said let me refer Members to S.O 32[11].
I said that one because consistently we are putting the Judiciary under questioning.

I said let us put aside the aspect of having a substantive Motion, you should give us evidence.

That was when you brought in S.O 32[9].

I said as a credible House, you should tell us the evidence.

THE SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, it is very obvious and very apparent that if the Honourable Member was in a position to substantiate his statement he would have done so.
The mere fact that he has taken his seat quietly without substantiating his statement means, he cannot.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, that is not true.

THE SPEAKER: I have not given you the Floor, HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Okay, I am sorry.

THE SPEAKER: You missed the opportunity to substantiate and therefore your silence now means you are incapable of substantiating it.

Shall we proceed with the Debate please?

The next speaker on my list is the Honourable Mario Kamara.
Honourable Member before you do, Mr Karmoh Conteh [K.C], I have directed that the Clerk should issue a letter of summons to all the MDAs to appear here tomorrow.

So in the absence of the substantive Clerk, you handle it.

I do not want tomorrow to be told that the Clerk was not here.

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I am grateful to the Lord Almighty for this opportunity to say thank you to His Excellency the President for this Speech.
As I always do every year, I criticise the voluminous Speech booklet given to us, but this year I want to say bravo to even the speech writers [Applause].

The President did not take a very long time to deliver his Speech and this is laudable.

17 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let us say thank you to the President because what he has said if it is actually what is on the ground then there is nothing to criticise.
But let us look at page 1, in fact on the very first paragraph the President said: “For this 60th year anniversary of our nation’s independence, I proposed that we redesign the path way of our endeavour to build the Sierra Leone that works for all of us”.

What does this mean?

Actually since he came to power with his ‘New Direction’, what is happening is not good for all Sierra Leoneans.

You see I have always been looking at these “Paopa” people and I see them as very funny people.

HON.
HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: Mr Speaker, Point of Order!

THE SPEAKER: What is your Point of Order?

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: Mr Speaker, my Point of Order is S.O 34[1].

No!

No!

Mr Speaker, please allow me to raise the Point of Order.

Mr Speaker, this is for you, it is politics and it is something you should take serious.

THE SPEAKER: What is your Point of Order?

Hold on!
Hold on!

I am a bit constrained, there is no Leader of the Opposition, there is no Whip on the Opposition side and I notice there is an enclave here to my left that is determined to make a contribution by way of interrupting speaker after speaker.

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as I started, if you look at the Speech of the President in paragraph 3, he says: “These are essential elements of a disciplined, inclusive and peaceful Government”.
Let us look at Sierra Leone in our communities today, can we boast of discipline and inclusiveness in especially Government activities?

Do we say we are peaceful?

Now I want to applaud the President because the problem here is, the President does not actually know what is going on and I do not blame him as he cannot go to every District, Constituency and Ward to see what actually is on the ground.

THE SPEAKER: Hold on a minute!

Who is the acting Leader of the Opposition?


If you are the acting Leader, I hold you responsible for the conduct of that enclave.

Any further commotion from that end, you bear the greatest responsibility.

18 HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: I am making it abundantly clear here that the President did not know that Members of Parliament [MPs] on the Opposition side were not informed of his visit to their constituencies.

How inclusive is this Government when they left out MPs for a Presidential visit?
The President is our President, he is not the President for the SLPP as some people are thinking, he is the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone; let us be included to play a part when he visits our consistencies.

Inclusiveness actually is very important; if this Government decides to include the Opposition Members then there will be progress.
If there is inclusiveness there would be ownership, ownership would only come in for something when someone is part of it, but if I am not part of something how can I own it?

Let us be part of what is happening in this country as we are all Sierra Leoneans [Applause].

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to say thank you again to the President for talking about Agriculture every year.
In a Workshop with the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute [SLARI] in Rokuprr, I stated that the President should look at Agriculture with a national eye.

Now taking the issue of fertilizers into account, do we have fertilizers up till now?

They are talking about E-vouchers; for me this is just a way to put away the poor famers.

How can you talk about E-voucher for a local famer?

What do we know about that?

Even with the issue of Corona, our problem started when they mentioned about E-passes.
How can the local person apply for an E-pass?

Let us come down to the level of our people, let us live with our people and let us not be living in a dream world.

Is not everybody that went to school, even those that went to school do not know some of these jargons we use.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, they are talking about reforestation and the environment and that the President is very concerned about the environment.
Now this business of timber logging in this country, if they stop timber logging; is just for an opportunity to chase people that are now taking the benefit out of timber.

Now how many years now are we reforesting?

Go to places like Tambagha, Honemagha not a single tree has been planted there, and we are concerned about the environment.

19 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let us take the issue of Energy.
Now the Government is concerned about the electricity but go to Makeni that used to have light for 24 hours I have passed two nights there in total darkness; why is that?

Let us maintain what we already had before we think of other things.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on Basic Education the President stated: “we are recruiting and training thousands of teachers and hiring and deploying more school inspectors to every District”.
There are problems of pin codes for teachers that are already there, why do you engage new ones without first of all taking care of those that are there already?

[Applause] Let us be realistic, this is not the fault of the President.

Let us make it very clear; the President does not know what some of these people are doing outside there.

Sometimes I am confused about the many ramous in this country and even some official documents online as it is the way people are misled.
Take the rumour of the proposed Kono University for example, is now about six years since we began to hear about the rumour of the proposed Kono University.

The APC was saying they had already secured funds, now SLPP has secured funds.

Who is to believe about this whole Proposed Kono University?

Let us have things clearly, let this country know what is going on and let us do not be saying things because we want to win the hearts of people.
THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member, please you have one minute to windup.

HON.

FODAY M. KAMARA: Let us take what is actually going on with the issue of our roads.

They are talking of regrinding the roads, a contractor was authorised to do bush clearing on the Delai Samu Road, and I want to maintain here that, that road is still a death trap.

They have just dug holes there for culverts and nothing is happening.

We do not even know, we were not involved and we do not know what is going on.
If you ask the contractor, he would tell you the Sierra Leone Roads Authority [SLRA] does this and that.

When you come to Parliament and talk about these things, the Committee that is directed to handle issues do not do it.

20 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to say thanks to the President.
He is really the President of Sierra Leone but let him look at his people properly, they are not making him to be the President of Sierra Leone; they are making him to be the President of “Paopa” and that of the SLPP.

[Applause] Let us help the President for this country to move ahead.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

[Applause] HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, this is just a Point of Order.

We have heard new terminology in the House and we need some edification about the meaning of the word “Paopa”.
We do not know what is “Paopa”, I have heard him mentioned the word “Paopa” over five times, can you tell us what is “Paopa”?

THE SPEAKER: Order!

Order!

Let me draw the attention of all Honourable Members to S.O 33 you all have been violating.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, in addition to that, even S.O 34[5].

I think it is out of order especially on that side for Members to be making undertones by using mic, you cannot use mic to make your undertone.

HON.
HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Point of Order Mr Speaker!

We do not have S.O 34[5].

THE SPEAKER: No, he meant S.O 35[4].

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Yes, S.O 35[4].

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Thank you, and I am sorry, S.O 35[4].

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Yes, he is right, I mentioned it yesterday.

THE SPEAKER: Is okay.

I have a list to get through; I want all of you to help me through this list today please.
I now give the Floor to Honourable Shiaka M Sama, he will be followed by the Honourable Dominic Lavalie-Tshombe.

HON.

SHIAKA M. SAMA: Mr Speaker, I thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to add my voice in thanking His Excellency the President for the Address he so graciously delivered to this House.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would start with a correction.
Somebody from this side, the Doctor, he was my small boy whom I took care of at the Bo School said a 21 person was sacked because that person was a Northerner or probably because he was a Limba.

If they are sacking people because they are Northerners or they are Limbas, perhaps the Speaker of this Parliament should have been the first person to have been sacked [Applause].
If you tell me that somebody was sacked because he is not a Member of the ruling Party he was a Member of the Opposition, maybe he continues to play the Opposition card; and the same way you sacked people probably is the same way that person was sacked [Applause].

I have seen it all, I was in this Parliament when the All People’s Congress [APC] was in power; I heard stories of people who were sacked for partisan reasons.

That is not good and I would condemn it today the same way I condemned it yesterday.
We have to be very honest; we should not play the Political Party card because it is very dishonest.

HON.

MATTEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order!

Yesterday, I raised Point of Order 35 to accuse both sides of the aisle of unseeing interventions and confining themselves to undertones.

This is not Undertone we are having now, let us allow our colleague to bring out his points and after, when there is time to respond, we can respond.
The Honourable Daniel Koroma has also risen on the same provision, and this one is happening, it is not the face of this House.

THE SPEAKER: I have drawn the attention of the House to S.O 33; I really want to listen now to the Leader of the Opposition to help me out.

HON.

CHERNOR R.M.

BAH [Leader of Opposition]: Mr Speaker, on that note, may I also state that when Honourable Members make contributions in this House; they concentrate to and address the Speaker.
So let him avoid turning on this side, let him focus on you and address the issues.

HON.

MATTEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, that is not Undertone, they are referring to him directly whiles shouting.

No, but you cannot keep on attacking him from the back and at the flank, you cannot Honourable Leader of the Opposition.

HON.

CHERNOR R. M. BAH: Mr Speaker, I agree with the Leader of Government Business and I also agree with you.
What I am saying is, what is provoking statements 22 that are above undertones is as a result of the way the submissions are being made, let him concentrate on the Speaker and address the issues.

HON.

DR. UNPHA S.G. KOROMA: Of course Mr Speaker he did, he said I am dishonest.

He misinterpreted and misquoted me because what I said was, this gentle man had been sent on an unpaid leave for three years and had been in darkness; I did not say he was sacked.

THE SPEAKER: Did you use the word dishonest?

HON.


SHEIKA M. SAMA: Yes, but not on them.

THE SPEAKER: Then under S.O.

32[8&9], I would ask you now to withdraw the word “dishonest”.

HON.

SHEIKA M. SAMA: I withdraw that word, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you and you may proceed.

HON.

SHEIKA M. SAMA: Mr Speaker, what I said is, we have to work our talk; when we criticise things we should ensure that we do not do the same things that we criticise.
I am not denying that somebody was not sacked, what I know Mr Speaker is that, under various regimes people have claimed to lose their jobs for ethnicity; this cannot be true.

Mr Speaker, I was just making a point, if this present Government is sacking people because of their ethnicity, you would have been the first victim because I am sure you are not from the South; this is what I am saying.

THE SPEAKER: Allow the Honourable Member to land please!

HON.
HON.

SHEIKA M. SAMA: No Country can develop in a sustainable way without a very strong Opposition; the Opposition has a very big responsibility.

THE SPEAKER: Correct, and thank you.

HON.

SHEIKA M. SAMA: The Opposition has the moral obligation to keep the citizens properly informed and what we expect is for us to work our talk.

Now I want to ask a question to Members of the Opposition.

23 THE SPEAKER: And that should be done through me.

HON.
HON.

SHEIKA M. SAMA: Through Mr Speaker I want to ask a question, they do not have to answer it, let them think about the answers.

Now, there are Members of the Opposition who are Committee Chairmen, ask yourselves how different is my Chairmanship to that of the Chairmanship of someone on the ruling Party side.

Ask yourselves that question as a Member of the Opposition and as a Member of a Committee.

THE SPEAKER: Carry on, stop the interruption please.

Honourable Member from Falaba, be mindful of S.O.


33.

HON.

SHEIKA M. SAMA: We have to ask ourselves as a Member of the Opposition how different am I from a Member of the Ruling Party in performance of my Constitutional roles as a Member of Parliament?

If you are a Committee Chairman on the Opposition side, we expect you to be more efficient; we do not expect you to do the same mistakes that are being done by Chairmen on the Ruling Party side.
So I am saying, we have to leave by example, we have to avoid all those things that we criticise in the Ruling Party.

For me, the Opposition has failed to show the difference, they should show the difference.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would now come to the Speech.

The Government has done a lot to improve the conditions of our people.
I am a Member of the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS] Parliament, I have visited a number of West African Countries, I have listened to reports from other countries; I know Sierra Leone has done very well in managing the Covid-19 crisis.

I know that through the entire period Government has managed under very difficult circumstances to pay salaries and that one is very good and we must commend the Government for that.
There was a contribution yesterday about the unavailability of beds, I am happy that the President has made more reference to the provision for more equipment and bed for Hospitals.

That one is good, we have to encourage the Government to do that because we need to even expand facilities in the Hospitals, we have to make sure that 24 beds are available and that we have the space because if you get more beds and there are no spaces for those beds it will be equal to nothing.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I also want to go to paragraph 4.

In paragraph 4, the President used certain words that are very, very good.

He spoke about Human Capital Development beyond ethnicity and beyond party politics; I think this is very important.

There has been a habit in this country, whenever a particular Political Party is in power and there are opportunities, party members are told to prepare lists and on those lists would be only party faithful; we have to break that culture.
When there is any good for Sierra Leoneans, every Sierra Leonean regardless of Party or regional affiliation should be made to benefit.

So this idea about having Party quotas, we have to be very careful about it.

We saw it during the APC era and we are seeing it during this SLPP regime; we have to move away from that.

The Government is doing a lot, whenever there is change of Government, we see people moving from one Party to the winning Party and the old habits would transfer.
What I want to advice is that, the Ruling Party has to break away from that.

It will be very good when there are benefits, to see Sierra Leoneans from different ethnic groups on those lists that will just raise the profile of the Ruling Government; it is not good that the winner takes all.

Whenever there is benefit, Sierra Leoneans from every corner should be made to benefit.
The Government has invested a lot; I am seeing huge figures stated here for rice cultivation and I am seeing Government is creating credit facilities.

But government should ensure that Sierra Leoneans benefit like for example, when you want to invest in Agriculture there are people who deal in Agriculture.
I saw during the APC Government from 2007 to 2012 as I was in Parliament, Government purchased 300 tractors that document was presented in this Well but most of those tractors were given to civil servants and Politicians; they were used to decorate backyards of people.

Even the Farmers who were engaged in farming were not given those tractors.
I heard in the interview of the Deputy Agriculture Minister of the present Government, Government has also secured some facilities for farmers, I want to advise that Farmers who are in the business of farming should be made to have access to these facilities, they should not be given to 25 people who have no business in farming.
That is my advice because what at the end of the day will be important for this present Government is when people see some practical improvements in their communities, when people see that there is difference between this regime and the past regimes.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would end with Monitoring and Supervision.

Now, Government has spent a lot of money, but the question I want to ask is that, are those monies being felt by communities that should be the beneficiaries?
What I want to say is, the present Government should improve on Monitoring and Supervision.

There are always very selfish individuals in Government, if they are not supervised and monitored, most of these huge sums of monies that are being taken as loans for Sierra Leoneans would go down the drain.
The Government has done very well, what we need to step up is our capacity of monitoring and supervision in order to ensure that monies got for Sierra Leoneans actually goes to Sierra Leoneans and are not used to make bank accounts very fat.

Mr Speaker, thank you very much.

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

The Honourable Dominic T-Shombe, you have the Floor.

HON.
HON.

DOMINIC J. LAVALIE-TSHOMBE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to join my Colleagues to extend my profound felicitations to the Commander in Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Brigadier Julius Maada Bio for a statement well delivered to this House on the Opening of the Fourth Session in this Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic.
This 20 pages document is very much brief even if we are to use it to summarise what Government has done over the past three years and what Government intends to do for the remaining period.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for people who were saying that areas in the Health or other sectors are not well detailed, I want to bring to the knowledge of this House, the entire nation and that of the development partners that; development trajectory of this New Direction Government stems down from the Medium Term National Development Plan which is majorly taking from our 2018 Manifesto.
The Medium Term National Development Plan has 8 pillars; the first one has to do with the Human Capital 26 Development and this focuses on transforming the Education Sector and building on the resilience in the Health Sector.
The second Pillar under the Medium Term National Development Plan has to do with Economic Diversification, and here concentration is been made to the areas of Ministries of Agriculture, Tourism, Mines and Mineral Resources and that of Fisheries because we do not want to carry our eggs in one basket per adventure if there is any economic shock.

So we want to spread our areas of investment so that we can cushion the Economy.

Pillar number three has to do with Infrastructure and Economic Competitiveness.
Under this Pillar, the very reason you see we are out there on Road Construction, on Energy and Water Resources is because we are working in line with this particular Pillar.

Pillar four has to do with Good Governance and Accountability.

That is why we are strengthening our institutions including the Judiciary.

I want to say that we need strong people to man strong institutions, so that is why Pillar four under the Medium Term National Development Plan has to do with Governance and Accountability.
Pillar 5 has to do with Empowering Women, Children and people with Disabilities.

That is the very reason we have enacted laws in this Parliament that has to do with the strengthening of the operations of the Anti- Corruption Commission [ACC], to address Gender Based Violence [GBV] and laws that have to do with Child Protection because we are moving in-tandem with the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs].

Pillar six, has to do with Youth Empowerment, Sports and Migration.
Of course, we are catering for capacity building at middle level that is why Technical and Vocational institutions are being established and fully supported; that is why we are creating Youth Employment in Agriculture and Car Wash; that is why we are doing a lot of capacity building because we want to live with this one.

Pillar seven is talking about addressing Vulnerability and Building Resilience.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to go to the Human Capital Development with specific focus on the Free Quality School Education.

I want to quote Benjamin Franklin who said: “An investment in knowledge pays the best dividend”.
I also want to refer you to paragraph 5 of His Excellency’s Statement where he said: “Human Capital Development is not a slogan, it is inclusive, it is the key to achieving 27 sustainable development with our own Human resources using home grown solutions; empowering our local communities and enabling innovation; creativity and Technology to bridge the development gap”.

So which is to say, when we say that Human Capital Development is our Flagship Project is not just a lip service.
First, we have devoted the highest ever 21% of our budget to this Sector.

It means we said it, and we mean it.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the word “PAoPA” is an acronym which means “Prompt Action on Poverty Alleviation”.

Anyway, that is just an aside.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we come to the Flagship Program which is Education.

The Basic Education has four major pillars; the first one has to do with Universal Access.
We know that poverty is acute in our nation and therefore, for the government to ensure that there is universal access, we are paying school fees for all pupils in Government Schools and Government assisted Schools; we are paying public examination fees for the National Primary School Examination [NPSE]; the Basic Education Certificate Examination [BECE]; and the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination [WASSCE] for all pupils; we have recruited teachers; we have recruited 160 school supervisors in this years and every one of them has been giving motor bike.
The second pillar has to do with quality teaching and learning, we never had Civic Education Curriculum and that one has been developed.

HON.

ABDUL K. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, just a point of correction for the Chairman of Education Committee.

He is talking about paying subsides and he is misinforming this House.

The Honourable from Kono, when she was debating told us of schools in Kono that are yet to receive subsidies.
He is the Chairman, he knows how much we are struggling with the Ministry of Education to get some of these subsidies and as a Chairman, these are some of the things you need to bring out in order to ensure that the Ministry of Finance pays subsidies, but if you are here painting a picture as if everything is okay, you are misleading the nation.

THE SPEAKER: Okay, you have made your point, carry on Honourable Member.

28 HON.
28 HON.

DOMINIC J. LAVALIE-TSHOMBE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, even to Members of Parliament sometimes when salaries are being paid there are irregularities; they cannot be paid on the same day or the same hour.

So if we have over Three Thousand Schools, what he is saying, there are gaps.

Whenever reports are being taken to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry subsequently forwards the list of these gaps to the Ministry of Finance and they are adequately and promptly responded to.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the second Pillar is that of Quality Teaching and Learning.

We know that we have the Educational Act since 2004; a lot of reviews are being done.

Now, we are developing polices that talk of radical inclusion.

There is no discrimination in the area of our School Enrolment, so we are taking everybody on board, we are paying concentration on early Childhood Development; we are also doing comprehensive safety in our schools.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, key policies we need to know include: Basic Education Curriculum Framework, introduction of Civic Education Curriculum in the Basic Education level which has never been in existence, Revised Subject Syllabuses and the new development in Senior Secondary Curriculum Framework.
These have already been completed, those that are on-going include: The Basic Education Policy, the 2004 Education Act, the West African Examination Council Act and the Teaching Service Commission Act; these are all under review.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to assure this House and the nation at large that; our President is not embarking on the type of development that we call dualism.
We are not just concentrating on one region, as at last year 150 mattresses were transported to Magburaka Boys Secondary School.

When we talk of road construction, it is presented here and it cut-across the nation.

When we talk of schools rehabilitation, it includes Government schools and Magburaka Boys School is included; so we cut-across.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, yesterday somebody said there are no formal roles played by leaders at the District level.
I want to do that clarification, when you take the DDs for the Education; they are responsible for the approval of schools and the 29 management of School Management Committees and School Buses.

They are also responsible for the Health Sector.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, you have one minute to wind up.

HON.

DOMINIC J. LAVALIE-TSHOMBE: The Teaching Service Commission is responsible for teachers recruitment, replacement, retirement; the teacher development and in service training.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to digress a little to look at two of our babies under the social protection.

THE SPEAKER: I said you have one minute to wind up.

HON.

DOMINIC L. T-SHOMBE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, when you get to the National Social Security and Insurance Trust [NASSIT]; there has been a lot of discrepancies and problems in the recovery of NASSIT benefits and therefore; the current NASSIT structure is undertaken the sectorial approach to public Education.
Now they go out, they have engaged the Police and the Military, they are now engaging the teachers to validate, to update their data and they have launched the project called “Project 54plus” i.e.

at the age of 54 you can update your data to fill the gaps.

They work with the employers as well as the claimers so that at the time of retirement they would not face the delay as is being faced by other people before this time.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as I try to round up let me go to the Economy.
THE SPEAKER: No!

You cannot.

Your time is up; I would now give the Floor to Honourable Alpha Amadu Bah.

HON.

ALPHA A. BAH: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me first of all extend my thanks and appreciation to you for at least allowing me get the opportunity to catch your eye.
Straight to Honourable T-shombe, you may misunderstood the definition of the word “Paopa”, let me give you the revised definition of “Paopa”: “Prompt Action on Poverty Acceleration”; “angri boku na salone” [S.O.2] God bless you.
30 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I think yesterday or the day before yesterday, the Honourable Member from Western Area I think Honourable Munirr Lansana did reference Section 16[2] of the 1991 Constitution which reads: “Without prejudice to any liability for a contravention of any other law with respect to the use of force in such cases as are hereinafter mentioned, a person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section if he dies as a result of the use of force to such extent as is reasonably justifiable in the circumstances of the case that is to say- [a] for the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of a property; or [b] in order to affect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or [c] for the purpose of supressing a riot, insurrection or [d] in order to prevent the commission by that person of a criminal offence ; or [e] if he dies as a result of unlawful Act of war”.
As I speak, we are yet to preview any report describing any of these circumstances and therefore Mr Speaker in the absence of that report, we still maintain that the massacre at Pademba Road Correctional Centre was an extra judicial killing.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the issue of National Cohesion as stated by the President is not any favour to any Sierra Leonean.

He is duty bound as enshrined in this Constitution to ensure National Cohesion.
I refer you to Section 40[2] it reads: “The President shall be the Fountain of Honour and Justice and the symbol of national unity and sovereignty”.

He is mandated to be a symbol of Unity and in that light, Mr Speaker I was taken aback following the incidents at Tombo, Makeni; Pademba Road Correctional Centre; Tonkor-Limba; His Excellency the President did not come out to say a single word either by sympathising or empathising with the bereaved or the victims.
I am afraid, that is not a good sign for a good Leader.

He is the President for all Sierra Leoneans and not just the Sierra Leone People’s Party [SLPP] supporters.

We always respect and expect him to show us that yes indeed he represents the symbol of unity.

31 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me zoom in on the Environment.

Clearly speakers after speakers have all highlighted the challenges faced by this Government in terms of promoting, protecting the Environment.
Yes, indeed I commend His Excellency the President for at least yielding to my call in 2018 when he unbundled the Ministry of Lands and Environment, I commend him for that.
I also commend him for the establishment of the National Disaster Management Agency [NDMA], but quite apart from those two things, let us take a look at the Western Area Peninsular, let us take a look at the hill side; let us take a look at our forest; what we are seeing unfortunately is a State Promoted Deforestation and that is a danger looming.

We owe our responsibility to our Environment not just for this generation but for generations yet to come.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I go to the Rule of Law and Due Process on page 5 paragraph 33 of His Excellency’s Address on the 28th May, 2021.

He stated that the United States of America’s Millennium Challenge Cooperation [MCC] has declared Sierra Leone eligible to develop a Compact in recognition of our Government performance in investing in people and ruling justly.
Yes, the President is loudly saying that his Government has been ruling justly, but with all these instances of incidences of Police brutality, is that a just rule to be boasting of Mr Speaker?

Few Months ago we had the controversies surrounding the King-ho Agreement.

We had the controversies surrounding the B.O.T.

Agreement with Suma Group in respect of the Airport Authority.

We had NACOVERC giving out rules and regulations in the absence of State Of Emergency; is that the respect for the Rule of Law?
We must remember according to Professor A.V Dicey, there are three key principles of the Rule of Law: “Supremacy of the Law” and if we go to Section 118 of this Constitution it says all loan Agreements shall be laid before this House before ever they are implemented.

But we have seen His Excellency the President going to Lungi Commissioning a project that has not yet been laid before this House; is that the respect for the Rule of Law or Due Process?

HON.
HON.

MATTEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, I rise on point of Order 34.

Yesterday I raised a Point of Order on the Honourable Daniel Koroma concerning Section 110 in line with the ratification of giving taxes to companies based on the Agreement and 32 again, he is talking about the King-ho.

We were at Bintumani Conference Centre where we talked about railway coming to help our farmers in terms of agricultural productivity.
It was unanimous in the House where we ratified that Agreement and today my Colleague on the other side is saying they had problem with all the controversies and that means he is questioning the credibility of this House.

I am not saying this out of any Opposition sentiment because I am on the ruling Government side, sometimes we do things with the spirit of Good Governance and at another moment because of political reasons you put us under questioning and that puts me in limbo.
What are we doing as Honourable Members of Parliament?

So can he educate the House about where we have the controversies?

THE SPEAKER: Which Agreement are you talking about?

HON.

MATTEW S. NYUMA: I am talking about the King-ho Agreement.

We have done the Rail and Port.

Also let him listen, His Excellency went to launch not the Agreement, let him follow that one carefully.
Let us say we have also ratified that one but talking about the King-ho, you said we have passed King-ho Agreement but it is questionable, so what is questionable?

HON.

ALPHA A. BAH: I hope Mr Speaker; you are taking note of my intervention.

Mr Leader of Government Business unfortunately you totally missed my point.

What I was saying, before this Agreement were brought to Parliament for ratification, the Executive Arm of the Government led by the President had already gone ahead to launch this Project.
It is clear, I did not say these Agreements are controversial, never did I say so.

So I hope my point is well taken.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I heard the Honourable Independent Member of Parliament from Pujehun conceded that him as part of the Opposition has not been living up to expectation.

It is unfortunate you should speak for yourself and not speak for me; I am here alive and kicking please.
Thank God, the public is getting you, you have whole heartedly, bravely and frankly conceded that you have not been living up to expectation.

33 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Honourable Lavalie-Tshombe as well when the Honourable Member from Kambia attempted to make some corrections, indeed he said the non-payment or the delay of payment of these subsidies are as a result of technical problems.
A day or two ago, the Honourable Member from Kono categorically challenged this House and the Minister of Education that for over three months, these technicalities have not been addressed and that means complete recklessness.

For six months the welfare of children and teachers and the learning situation of the children are being put in jeopardy.

Is that correct?

Is this a responsible Government?

No way.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me go on to comment on infrastructure.
As I stand here as a proud Member of Parliament for the Wellington people on the far East end of Freetown [Interrupted].

THE SPEAKER: You have one minute to wind up.

HON.

ALPHA A. BAH: Mr Speaker please, we are asking this Government to at least save us from the disappointment, the embarrassment from our people of the East who are asking us when the Hillside Bypass Road is going to be completed.
When we left Office in 2007, that road had already been completed at least by 30% and as I speak, we are suffering from the Eastern part of Freetown from intensive road traffic.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, apart from Corona, Malaria and Typhoid; we have a new syndrome that is affecting us in this country which is the Acute Blackout Syndrome.

Acute Blackout Syndrome particularly so when Bo City that voted for the SLPP is now referred to as “Blackout City”.
My people in Bo, the SLPP has disappointed you, you voted for them, thank God the MP from Kambia has stated the voice of Kambia, Kenema City again I know come 2023 you will not make that mistake.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, finally; every M.P from this side including Honourable Lavalie-Tshombe himself has already conceded that yes indeed this is a very small Address.
Let us take it sequentially, this is the 2019 Address see how voluminous and detailed; when you take a look at this 2020, relatively it is getting low and then take a look at this 2021,; it shows His excellency has not begun anything.

By 34 the time he clocks his five years, the President will come here with no Address.

This is simply because; at the time we left power we had done so many things.

Now that he has not done anything, this is the vaguest Presidential Address ever I have seen in my life.
HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Mr Speaker, just a moment.

I heard my brother the Honourable Member talking about Kenema, but Kenema City is SLPP and will remain to be SLPP because our roads are being paved by this Government, we were abandoned for eleven years under the APC.

THE SPEAKER: I now give the Floor to Honourable Quinton Sallia-Konneh.

HON.

CHERNOR R.M.

BAH: Mr Speaker, Point of Order!

THE SPEAKER: What is your Point of Order?

HON.

CHERNOR R.M.
HON.

CHERNOR R.M.

BAH: The Leader of the Independent Members is a very close friend and brother of mine.

He might have not been coming to Parliament for the last two days so he does not know what have been obtaining.

Please advise him accordingly so that he will be prepared for tomorrow otherwise if we allow him today I am sure we would not be doing justice to others who had defaulted.

HON.

HAFIJU M. KANJA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order!

THE SPEAKER: I have not giving you the Floor.

HON.
HON.

HAFIJU M. KANJA: Mr Speaker, I was the first person whom you walked out of this House.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Honourable Members, Please we are under the full view of camera, the languages are not good.

The Honourable Leader of the Opposition made a very vital point by saying to Mr Speaker to advise him to prepare for the other day.

So let us wait for Mr Speaker to make his ruling as we are fully aware of the dress code.
Mr Speaker, we are listening to you, Honourable Quinton Salia-Konneh just be patient and wait for the Speaker; just have a seat.

35 HON.

SEGEPOH S. THOMAS: Mr Speaker, with your kind permission, may I respectfully crave your indulgence for the camera men to remove that particular aspect from the record.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, Order!

Order!

Order!
Order!

Order!

Honourable Quinton Salia- Konneh, I received the note from you in which you informed me about your hospitalization before coming to the Well for this Debate.

I was really going to accept that excuse and empathise with your situation had you come properly attired, but what is worst in the Well of the House, you try to do what the unthinkable.

So for that reason, I would ask you to leave us to go and attire properly and prepare yourself for tomorrow.

HON.
HON.

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

Mr Speaker, though according to S.O.

42 your ruling is final, but he has been with us since he entered and we did not raise any objection.

THE SPEAKER: No, I did not notice that when he entered he was in short sleeve.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: But we are appealing for him to stay as he made some efforts to dress up properly.

Let him stay with us for today on a humanitarian ground because he is just coming from the hospital.
THE SPEAKER: He will be the first speaker on my list for tomorrow to compensate for what he has lost today.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: So, can he stay with us for today?

THE SPEAKER: No, he cannot stay.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Honourable Leader of Opposition, can you help me?

THE SPEAKER: With the greatest respect to you, he cannot.

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: Mr Speaker, I move for the suspension of S.O 5[2] as it is past 12:00 p.m.
THE SPEAKER: No, I would wait for the Honourable Member to leave the House before I recognise your Motion.

36 HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Mr Speaker Point of Order!

Before the Honourable Member leaves us, we have seen the Honourable Member is from the Choithram Hospital and considering this Covid-19 situation, we want to see his Covid-19 result.

THE SPEAKER: What?

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: His result.

THE SPEAKER: What result?

Honourable Member from Falaba, take your seat.


I wish you a speedy recovery Honourable Quinton Salia-Koneh.

I hope there is no other Member in the Well in a similar situation?

What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The Honourable Bash Kamara, you have the Floor.

Suspension of S.O 5[2] THE SPEAKER: If you know that you are in the situation that the Honourable Quinton Salia-Konneh found himself, quietly advice yourself to quietly take leave of the House.

Honourable Bash, you have the Floor.


HON.

BASH A.J.

KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I rise to add my voice in extending gratitude and felicitations to His Excellency for his sincere stewardship to our nation that has given us way of hope of surviving at the end of the day.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as I do represent a rural Constituency, I am rather going to dwell on contemporary issues deliberately deviating from theories that have been catalogued all these days.
Firstly, there has been much emphasis on infrastructure from our professors on the other side to an extent that they limited all the works that His Excellency has done just to road network as infrastructure.

That was a misconception that I wish to dwell on.

His Excellency used the word “infrastructure” repeatedly to point to you the underlying factor that is affecting the growth of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Had the present Government inherited firm structure in every sector?
We would have been talking of facilitated development but unfortunately I would want to say here that our problem is because of the weak structure inherited across the board.

37 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I am going to start with the Educational Sector.

As I said earlier, I am dwelling on contemporary issues for my people to understand better.

There is no one across this nation that is not or may not have heard about the word “ghost teachers”.
The word “Ghost teachers” was a household diction across this country in the educational sector and what does that mean?

We had an educational system that was not fully and effectively functional, and that is the more reason why we are spending more resources, more efforts to build strong educational structures; this is the reason why we are bringing reforms in the educational sector.

Everyone will attest to the fact that school going population was very minimal, today there has been an increase.

Why?
Why?

Because the present Government has provided Free Education and that Free Education benefits all of us that are in this Well needless saying of the entire country for which I do expect every Member of Parliament to be patient and acclaim His Excellency for what he has done.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me go to the Energy sector.

In the area of electrification, today everyone can observe across the nation that frantic efforts are being made.
Some areas are completed and other areas of the country are on-going to ensure the provision of Energy.

And this energy is providing convenience for our people in the rural and urban areas.

This is a novelty in Sierra Leone today for Chiefdom Headquarters to be electrified, for the electrical network across the nation to be changed so that we can have effective energy supply that will facilitate the other economic sectors that will foster the development.
We need to commend His Excellency for these; we need to show gratitude for all these strides that are going on.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I now move on to the Agriculture Sector which is the “Bread and Butter”.

As I move to the Agricultural sector, Honourable Kandeh Yumkella and my other brother from Lungi, I want to tell you that the Agricultural problem and food insufficiency is a decade old problem in this nation.
We have Bumbuna in existence; we have all the viable lands they are talking about in the North but why in the last seven years frantic effort was not made for us to have food sufficiency in this country?

The Members of the Opposition are expecting much from SLPP to deliver in 38 three years that they could not do in 11 years and that is unfortunate [Applause].

Today I may want to refer you to the frantic efforts that have been made by this Government in the Agricultural Sector.
With the leave of Mr Speaker, the Government has provided 54Mln for agricultural financing that includes investment in rice in the Rumbe area in Port Loko.

The people of Port Loko, this is the very first time we are spending so much money as a Government for the development of the Agricultural Sector in Port Loko in order to improve the livelihood of your people for which the Members of Parliament from Port Loko should say bravo to His Excellency.
Additionally, we have $30Mln from the Exim Bank to provide Water supply and rice cultivation in Turmabom.

These are all structures we are putting in place in the Agricultural sector that will improve for creating Food self-sufficiency in the nation.

Agriculture is not like buying a radio on the counter where you go and pay for the radio, they give you the fixer battery and in a moment you start enjoying music.
It is a process, therefore I am appealing to you to start appreciating the frantic efforts that are being made so that at the end of the day we shall all enjoy; but gratitude is worth given to those that are working so hard.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to go now to the Health Sector.

Yes, you have been crying here about a bloated Wage Bill and so on and so forth.
We have volunteers in the Health Sector and His Excellency together with his head team has worked assiduously to an extent that they have received international commendation in the handling of the Covid-19.

If you my colleague parliamentarians on the other side would not say thank you to him, the international acclamation of which you are a subset I mean Sierra Leone, you must bow your heads in shame.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in the area of Communication; with the leave of Mr Speaker; I would like to read things that we do see that are not theories but happening in the nation which all of us know about.

Mobile coverage has increased from 79% in 2018 to about 85% in 2020.

That is a fact not a fiction.

Internet penetration has improved from 12% in 2018 to 25% in 2020.

These are indicators that there is an upward surge in the use of Social Media in this country.
These are all development 39 strides that are being systematically undertaking by His Excellency to turn down the situation so that you and I will enjoy in a comfortable environment.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, when we came here; I can borrow from the words of Honourable Lahai Marrah on the Opposition side when we were grumbling for Conditions of Service.

He did say our present conditions are better than the previous Members of Parliament.
What does that imply is that His Excellency and His Government are very mindful of giving us a befitting status to improve our livelihood so that we can provide good governance in the country; and we still need more in Parliament you would agree with me; it is something you cannot contest with.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Mr Speaker, Point of Order 26.


I would read S.O 26[2]: “If during a Sitting of Parliament a matter suddenly arises which appears to involve the privileges of Parliament and which calls for immediate intervention of the House, the proceeding maybe interrupted”.

THE SPEAKER: Read to the end.

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: “Save during the progress of a division by a Motion based on such matter”.
Mr Speaker, the Honourable Member mentioned or raised a very important matter that has to do with the welfare of Members of Parliament and I am quoting him he said: “Honourable Lahai Marrah on the Opposition side said, the welfare of Members of Parliament now is far much better than it was”.
Mr Speaker, this is something Members of Parliament have been crying about, we are really suffering and when you read the Presidential Address of 2019, the President mentioned in that Address that he will address issues relating to the welfare of Members of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, at this stage therefore, I want to move that you stop this particular Sitting and go down to Room NO.1 for us to address this issue as it has to do with you and all of us.
Mr Speaker, it is not political for us to address the welfare that has to do with Members of Parliament.

I thank you so much.

HON.

BASH A.J.

KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I merely made reference by way of comparing the previous as at now.

40 HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Mr Speaker, there is a Motion on the Floor already.

HON.

MARTHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order!


Honourable Lahai Marrah, your point is well taking into consideration but remember we have in place a structure that would address our welfare and there is a Chairman for that particular Welfare Committee.

We have giving him the responsibility on what to do and what he should present to the Leadership.

I crave on your indulgence for you to please refrain and let us wait for the Chairman to report to the Leadership.
We are in progress and things are going on well.

Mr Speaker, at this juncture, I would like us to continue with the Debate and allow the Chairman to complete his job.

I thank you very much.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in my capacity as the Chairman of the Welfare Committee; I am in support of Leadership and Members of Parliament taking our issue very seriously.

But as I have announced in earlier sittings that this House does not in any way intend to disrupt Proceedings.
I have discussed with most MPs as they are my witnesses in the past few minutes and for your information I have the final copy.

For your information Leadership is aware of this, the Honourable Mathew Nyuma is aware of this and he has approved [Applause].

He gave me few instructions which I have done and I have told most of my colleagues today behind the scene that if we are to have lunch today then we should have a meeting at Committee Room NO.1.
I have even sent notice on the Sierra Leone Parliament forum.

If it happens like yesterday instead of lunch we break for tomorrow, then we will have meeting at Committee NO.1 soon after Sitting but if there is lunch then we will have meeting during lunch.

That is my intention and MPs are aware through the Sierra Leone Parliament forum.

So we are pursuing that.

THE SPEAKER: Can I ask you a question?

You say most MPs are aware of what you have endeavoured to do.

HON.
HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: They are aware of today’s meeting at Committee Room NO.1.

THE SPEAKER: They are aware?

41 HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Yes that we are to meet.

THE SPEAKER: Does that include the Honourable from Falaba?

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Every Member of the Sierra Leone Parliament forum ought to be aware, but maybe he may not have read.

THE SPEAKER: Because I was going to address a question to him.

You see, citing a Standing Order does not mean it automatically applies.
You have to read it carefully: “The matter suddenly arises which appears to involve privileges”.

Now is he aware of the efforts you have been making?

Then his Motion is completely out of place if he is aware.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, if you listen to my submission, I said this House does not in any way intend to disrupt Proceedings that is why even during my last announcement [Interrupted].

THE SPEAKER: I heard you very clearly but then he is trying to disrupt the Proceedings of this House.
That is why I am asking you, did you tell him about your endeavours?

No, please I am serious here, did you tell him?

Because if he knew and in spite of that, he is moving a Motion of this character, it means his intention is to disrupt the Proceedings of this House.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I do not want to go that path but as far as I know every Member is aware.

THE SPEAKER: Every Member?

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Yes!

Every Member ought to be aware.


Members are here who can testify that I informed them today that we are to meet today; every Member ought to be aware.

And I have even informed some personally.

Let us be true of ourselves and I mean what I am saying.

I have the final copy here; I have even discussed some of the previous conversation with the Leader and some of our Leaders.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Honourable Daniel B. Koroma, save your breath.
Mr Speaker, he is not doing the job for the interest of any individual, let us give respect to 42 the Welfare Committee Chairman.

Mr Speaker, if we compromise things maybe we can benefit from them.

We are getting some privileges including what you are also supposed to be having as Speaker of the House giving to us by this administration that have not been legislated and when we met, we agreed that we should have something in place.
The Honourable Daniel Koroma made a draft which I saw, and he is here to present that one to Leadership.

But Mr Speaker, it appears as if we want to put our Chairman under questioning to an extent of embarrassing him.

THE SPEAKER: No!

Wait a minute.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, even the Motion raised by the Honourable Lahai Marah is an embarrassment to him.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you, that is the point.

HON.


MATHEW S. NYUMA: Honourable Lahai Marah, I told you to refrain because I want to handle this issue of welfare.

I told you the last time at the Bintumani Conference Centre that we alone on this other side can do it.

We need a bipartisan approach because our President understands the suffering we are going through as a result of the elasticity of our demands from our constituents.
We are the least paid in the sub-region including Mr Speaker sitting here, but we should not ridicule our welfare when we are discussing serious matters.

This is very serious that is why it is given prominence in the Standing Orders.

So I am asking you to refrain from that for us to treat this issue very seriously.

Mr Speaker, we are going to meet today either during lunch or after adjournment, so for any embarrassment that may have caused you or the House, I apologize.
It is due to his enthusiasm to see our welfare been brought forward so that we can live a better life, I also urge him to refrain [Applause].

HON.

LAHAI MARAH: Mr Speaker, considering the statement of His Excellency the President in 2019 that he is committed to our welfare, and also considering the statement made by the Leader of Government Business, and the efforts made so far by the Chairman of the Welfare Committee.
I want to withdraw this particular Motion for the House to proceed with its Proceedings, thank you.

43 THE SPEAKER: I want to cease this opportunity to thank the Honourable Daniel Koroma from Koinadugu who doubles as the Chairperson of the Welfare Committee for the explanation that he has offered to the House.
And from that explanation, is very clear to me, as he himself emphasized that every M.P is either aware or presumed to be aware through the usual channels of communication about the efforts that he has made towards getting a meeting on this important issue of welfare.
So I am a little surprised that in the middle of our debate, against that backdrop of foreknowledge of what efforts the Chairperson of the Welfare Committee was making, that the Honourable Lahai Marah from Falaba could disrupt the Proceedings of this House to bring this issue forward.

But mercifully for him, he has withdrawn his Motion.

Otherwise, the consequences would have been different.

Let us continue.

HON.

BASH A.J.


KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to appeal to the entire Membership of the House of Parliament to express gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency the President for the positive strides he is taking to address our plight in Parliament.

He has started and will continue, being one that has the listening voice.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, going down memory lane; I have listened to my colleagues that have described the President’s call to work as “a moment of realization”.

They are referring to the President's continued call for team work, for collaboration as “a moment of realization”, I see something is gone wrong somewhere.

I want to dismiss that aspersion on the known that he is one that believes in teamwork.
If I take you down memory lane, when he came to power, he invited the entire nation to Bintumani so that we can dialogue.

Did you attend the dialogue meeting?

No, it was only Honourable Alpha Kanu that participated in that dialogue meeting and today you are saying that he is only realizing the relevance of team spirit now and that is unfortunate.

He has been always extending invitation to all so that everyone would make contribution for the fortune of development in this nation.
THE SPEAKER: I know you were interrupted in the course of your presentation.

And in fact, you were really interrupted in mid-flight.

But I am afraid I have to remind you that your time is up.

44 HON.

BASH A.J.

KAMARA: I will soon land, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: You have one minute to wind up.

HON.

BASH A.J.

KAMARA: And to wind up, I heard some members of Parliament in this early stage crying that Makeni is not enjoying electricity.
They are emphasizing and over-emphasizing the suffering of the people of Makeni that they are not enjoying electricity and that brings us down to the reality of the fact of “cosmetism”.

If the electricity work that was done in Makeni was real and sustainable, you people should not be crying for electricity.
That is the reason why His Excellency is taking his time to systematically operate so that he can do things that would be sustainable and we are putting structures in place, in all sectors across the development board.

HON.

SALLIEU O SESAY: Point of Order, Mr Speaker.

THE SPEAKER: What is your Point of Order?

HON.

FRANCIS A. KAISAMBA: Mr Speaker, the Honourable Member cannot talk from that seat as that is not his seat.

THE SPEAKER: I would not recognize you from that seat.
I do not recognize that seat to be the one awarded to you.

HON.

BASH A.J.

KAMARA: Honourable Members, I can very well understand and one thing I admire is your sincerity to say that Makeni is suffering and if Makeni is suffering for electricity in just three years, it means it was a cosmetic development that was taken there [Applause].

That is why we are systematically fixing structures so that the structures cannot collapse within a short time.
The Government of His Excellency President Bio is being very systematic, we are appealing to you to exercise patience, to give praises and commendation where it is due so that we can do more.

We are a Government of inclusion and are we looking forward for your positive collaboration in every aspect so that we would all contribute to the development of the nation, thank you [Applause].

THE SPEAKER: Okay, he is done.

45 HON.


SALLIEU O. SESAY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I think the Honourable Member from Bo is misinforming the public.

We are not saying that Makeni is in a perpetual blackout, but we all know that before this time Makeni has been enjoying 24 hours uninterrupted electricity.

But for the past six, seven months or nearly a year now, we have not been enjoying that facility any longer.
And I remember when the President was campaigning, he met us along in a place called “Meana junction” and the youth around that vicinity at that time asked His Excellency that, the fear of the people of Makeni is that if he is elected as President of this nation, what guarantee he would give to the people of Makeni that the 24 hours electricity will continue?
And I remember when the President visited Makeni a year later, he referred to that statement in his Speech that the answer to that question at that time is, “we are still enjoying the 24 hours electricity”.

I am honest to the truth, I am saying the truth in this case, Mr Speaker I am not talking politics here.

So the point I am making is, as we speak, Makeni is not enjoying 24 hours electricity as it was, at the moment it is one day in one day out.
THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, you have made your point.

I give the Floor to the Honourable James Tholley, he will be followed by the Honourable Nenneh Lebbie.

HON.
HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to start by thanking God Almighty who has given all of us the opportunity to be here during this historic event which marks the Debate on the Presidential Address on the Opening of the Fourth Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic, and to thank you Mr Speaker for giving me this opportunity to give my contribution.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would start with the topic “Human Capital Development” with special reference to page 1 paragraph 4 and it reads: “Without inclusive and sustainable development, there can be no sustainable future for Sierra Leone.

We cannot forever be blinded by cosmetic and short term infrastructural and other tokens.
We must create a society where every child is nurtured, nourished, protected and equipped with the knowledge and skills required to realize his or her full potential that is beyond ethnicity, that is 46 beyond party politics.

About 60 years of independence, there can be no better tributes to our nation's founding fathers than a determination to operationalize meaningful Human Capital Development”.

On this, I want to talk on the key words: “cosmetic” and “short-term infrastructural tokens”.
If today, our President is saying, all we are enjoying in this country like the roads, the buildings that are hosting Ministries Departments and Agencies [MDAs] the Youyi building, Sam Bangura building that is hosting the Bank of Sierra Leone, the National Stadium and all other facilities are cosmetic infrastructural developments, then one would go with a question, where are the luxurious buildings?

Why do this Government not create luxurious buildings to manage or to house their Ministers?
Where are they?

HON.

WURRIE O. JALLOH: We are talking about recent times.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: For four years, where are they?

And the cosmetic roads that the APC has created in this country you are using luxurious cars and vehicles to pass through them.

Are you not ashamed?

HON.

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

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: If you have a luxurious car and you are using a cosmetic road, why cannot you create your luxurious roads and buildings?

What a shame to Sierra Leone.


In the just concluded finals for the Nation’s Cup, we were to host the Benin-Leone Stars game, but shamefully nationally and internationally because of lack of maintenance APC has created the facility.

HON.

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

THE SPEAKER: Before your Point of Order, Honourable Tholley I want you to recognize that these mics are very sensitive instruments.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Thank you Sir.


THE SPEAKER: Talk with your normal voice, and please do not shout into the mic.

47 HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Mr Speaker, I am sorry.

I have been an administrator administering thousands of people that is why always when I talk sometimes I just flow unconsciously.

Sorry about it, that is my norm.

THE SPEAKER: I understand fully.

If I did not know you, maybe I would react differently.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Thank you very much.


THE SPEAKER: But normally, you are a very calm, calculated person.

I do not know why you are over excited today.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Mr Speaker, I would maintain.

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we all have these documents and we all can read and understand as very credible and reputable M.Ps that we are.

It is very clear in the sentence that the President did not refer to any specific individual, institution or a political Party.
It is an overarching statement he made in his Speech.

Mr Speaker, he talked about Human Capital Development because he has mentioned consistent developmental activities that have been done by previous administrations and Government is continuity.

The President said under Human Capital Development: “Without inclusive and sustainable development, there can be no sustainable future for Sierra Leone”.
We just heard about the collapse of a building in Florida, and we have buildings and a bridge along Savage Street that have collapsed in Sierra Leone about few years ago which we have fixed.

Let me just read so that you can continue: “we cannot forever be blinded by cosmetic and short- term infrastructural and other tokens”.
Yesterday, our colleagues on the other side were saying we are taking kickbacks but that is the reason why we are fighting corruption, and that is the spirit the President just expressed in paragraph 4.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, I do not want the Leader of Government Business to misquote me because we are on record, and this is a Parliament of record.

I never said so.

48 HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: Okay, let me make my point.


So I just want to make it clear that this is a thanksgiving to the President.

He did not refer to any Political Party; fighting Corruption is with the intent of avoiding people we give contracts who just do cosmetic development.

Let him do not refer to the discourse to that of the APC today or the SLPP tomorrow because that is not the spirit.

I thank you.

THE SPEAKER: Carry on, Honourable Tholley.

HON.


JAMES O. THOLLEY: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on that note; referring to the cosmetic developments, whatever way, whatever colour you give it; I stand to refer to the wise words of a great Philosopher thinker Socrates who once said and I quote: “The secret of change is putting all your energies to developing the new and not in fighting against the old”.

I am sure as the Leader of Government Business said Government is continuity.
If there is continuity in this Government, the Leone Stars would have hosted the game here in Sierra Leone.

Instead, we have to go out of this country and that one is a slap on the jaws of Sierra Leoneans.

Now, let me go to the second point.

We are left with no question but to ask, where are the ostentatious infrastructural facilities this Government has created, where are they?
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me go to the next points which are COVID-19 and Health Care on page 2, paragraph 7 and it reads: “We have achieved this as a result of proactive engagements, rigorous planning, central coordination and thoughtful actions that have been informed by data and expert advice.

We have leveraged homebuilt technology solutions.

We have also prioritized protecting lives and livelihoods and supporting the most vulnerable of our citizens throughout our COVID-19 response”.
This one was a very good move but the question is, if we are talking about the protection of lives and livelihoods of the people of Sierra Leone, one has to ask questions; what priority have we given to protecting the lives of Sierra Leoneans when there was rapid an indiscriminate killing of Sierra Leoneans without any action been taken?

I would not labour on that because my colleague Member of Parliament has stated those which are: the Tombo Killing, Makeni killing etc.

etc.
etc.

When our brother made his contribution, he said we are enjoying partial 49 blackouts today as a result of cosmetic facilities created.

But if the facilities created in Makeni that was supplying electricity were cosmetic, we have enjoyed the cosmetic facilities for many years without interruption.

It was this Government who took the standby generator that has caused the blackout.

You took cosmetic facilities to deliver on your Manifesto.

Now let me go to the next point.


THE SPEAKER: You have a minute to wind up.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Okay, Sir.

Now we are talking about the Healthcare.

He has named so many that would have helped Sierra Leone, and I want to give him some praises like for the development of the healthcare, improvement of potential referrals and transportation.
I want to suggest here that for the Government instead of spending thousands of Dollars supporting numerous people going out of this country for medical facilities especially for spinal injuries and spinal related myopathies, let there be structures like that of having facilities of neurosurgery.

Let us have neurosurgeons trained here so that the thousands of Dollars we spend will be enough to create those facilities and the human aspect.

Finally, I would go to the last point.

THE SPEAKER: No!

No!


You cannot.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Mr Speaker, I was interrupted.

THE SPEAKER: I am sorry, your time is up.

HON.

JAMES O. THOLLEY: Thank you.

THE SPEAKER: I now give the Floor to the Honourable Nenneh Lebbie.

HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me quickly preface my intervention by just making the record straight.

We are all brothers and sisters here, we have the Mother of the House and the Mother of the House is Honourable Veronica Kadie Sesay.
She is my sister, I do not want any animosity between us; let us make sure we maintain that.

I thank you.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member?

HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: Yes Sir.

50 THE SPEAKER: You should actually be able to draw a line between seriousness of purpose and when people are totally unserious; and the best way you can approach that kind of situation is just to ignore them especially these younger elements to my left.
They have a motive for calling you Mother of the House, but they are not succeeding because there is only one Mother of the House and we all know it.

Carry on please.

HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me spend this 10 minutes to quickly appreciate His Excellency the President for graciously delivering his notes on the 18th of May to this House of Parliament.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, before I go to the few points that I really want to raise I want us to note one or two things as Members of Parliament.

One is that Rome was not built in a day.

Two is development is not an event but a process.

And the process is on, and I want to applaud His Excellency the President for maintaining the process.

And three, I want us to equally know that every development process has challenges.
And perhaps these are the challenges they take to criticize us but if they do it constructively, believe you me that will be fine.

Let us do not be partisan, let us think Sierra Leone and move Sierra Leone forward.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, having said that; I want us to consider the Agricultural Sector mentioned on page two.
The reason why I am extending my gratitude, and on behalf of my Constituency is because if we take our memory down the lane we would know that Sierra Leone used to export rice.

But for reasons which I do not want to mention perhaps they will say I want to politicize it.

Tormabum, Rokuprr which they are talking about; if we are to just go down memory lane; we would know that Rokuprr, Tormabum and all these rice cultivated areas used to be very functional.
I know Agriculture is not just about rice cultivation but rice is paramount here because that is our staple food and that is why previously in the years by, we used to have rice cultivation in this country as a paramount activity that yielded so much and we never went hungry in this country.

But soon as we decided to go into the system of buying rice from another country, we started experiencing hunger.
But thanks to His Excellency 51 the President because he has started to revive what we initially enjoyed in this country and that is Tormabum.

He has launched it, and I can assure this House that we will get there, “Paopa Salone go bette n wi go eat.

Like I said, it is a process, and therefore let us wait.

You cannot plant today and you reap the benefits of it tomorrow.
When you plant today it takes some time therefore, I want to give this country the hope that what has started will end up and it will end up well.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, having said that; few days back; I heard some of my colleagues trying to criticize the educational system in this country.

Education, as we all know has gone down the drain for some years now.
I was part of this Parliament in the Committee of Education going round looking for ghost teachers and believe me, you must have mystic powers if you want to see ghost teachers, and I never saw one.

We came with our reports telling this House that there are no ghost teachers and that we should move ahead and employ teachers.

But believe you me; we spent so many years as my tenure was from 2007 to 2012 as Member of the Education Committee looking for ghost teachers.
THE SPEAKER: And you did not see a single ghost?

HON.

NENNEH LEBBIE: I do not have a mystic power to see a ghost Mr Speaker.

What is amusing here on Basic and Senior Secondary School Education, I want to refer this House to page 3 of Paragraph 17.

With your leave Mr Speaker, let me just read: “We are recruiting and training thousands of teachers and hiring and deploying more school inspectors to every District.
If training a future workforce of this nation and making it globally competitive is called raising the wage bill, then that is good for the future development of this nation”.

We are gainfully employing teachers, is not replacement and it takes time.

I know the number of unemployed teachers is great in this country but I want to give this country hope.

I want to give our Membership here hope that at the end of the day, we must achieve what we have planned.
I know that I am still part of this Education Committee, there are development programs that will make us achieve what His Excellency has outlined in this paragraph.

52 Mr Speaker, Honourable members, just to save time, I want to spend more time on fishing sector.

If we can just have a look at page 12, I want to spend the rest of the time talking about Fisheries because it is a concern in this country.

Sierra Leone does not have the fishes as the required natural resource that we are supposed to enjoy.
We have so much fish in our waters, but we are not enjoying fish as we are actually supposed to enjoy, and this is all because we have people I really do not want to use this word but that are unpatriotic.

Because we have people whom we call our fishermen who go out there to fish and sell stock to other countries particularly to Guinea, Senegal etc.

etc.

Why are they doing this?


For those of us Members of Parliament living in the riverine areas, let us try to engage our fisher men for them to know that they are Sierra Leoneans.

When they go out fishing they do what we call transhipment, they sell the fishes to other countries and this is not good for us.

But until we create the awareness by just encouraging them to know that they are Sierra Leoneans, and that Sierra Leoneans must enjoy the benefit of what they are doing.
And quite recently, as recent as this morning, on our local media I saw the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources and her team trying to expose those who are doing bad fishing methods in this country.

I saw on the screen baby fishes being harvested from our waters.

Fish that you and I cannot consume are the ones they use to prepare feeding for other animals like those maintaining piggery, poultry and so on; this is very sad!
The last time, me and my team went to Conakry-D the town chief of that Conakry-D was so passionate about this kind of bad fishing method.

Believe you me, the Membership who was there can attest to that, the man almost cried when lamenting over this kind of bad fishing method.
At the end of the day, the entire problem goes to the Minister as some people may tend to politicise it by saying when Party A was there we enjoyed fish and now that this Party has come, there is no fish but believe you me it is because of this bad fishing method.

Let us try to encourage our fishermen as that is their own activity, but let them make sure that they really pay attention to their own country and let them adhere to what the Ministry wants.
We have standard nets that the Ministry has asked them to go on fishing with and for that I want to appreciate the Minister so much; she has been very proactive.

I want to congratulate those who exposed those I prefer to 53 call country enemies that are doing bad fishing method by taking our stock to other countries.
We have done so much in the Fishing Industry; of course I want to applaud this Parliament because it has helped the Minister to legislate some regulations that are now helping the Ministry to get funds that will be utilised for the development of this country.

If we look at paragraph 78 on page 12, I just want to read the last three lines: “The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources will work with all stakeholders for the effective implementation of the fishing project”.
I am stating this one for this House to know that the Minister will soon bring this document to Parliament.

I really do not want us to pre-empt what will happen after that, but I am sure the reason why I decided to read these last three lines is for us to know that when that document shall have seen the light of Parliament, the Minister will definitely do the needful.
You know people are blowing this thing out of proportion, they think if they bring this Black Johnson issue that has the tendency to create animosity will stop the Ministry from going ahead with the good things that this Fish Harbour will bring.

I want to assure this House that the Fish Harbour will really bring sanity within the Fishing Sector.
There is serious syndicate going on in this Fishing Sector, but with this Fish Harbour we are intending to have in this country, believe you me it will bring much yield to this country and the Fishing Sector.

It will definitely help us in employment as we have our youth out there that are unemployed.

The location and all other issues related to that will be discussed in future plans as they come to this Parliament; I consider them to be another episode.
But I do not want us to pre-empt what will happen, let us receive the document and that will come shortly, I can assure this House that the Minister and her team will definitely do the needful.
THE SPEAKER: Madam, I think before you close, the issue of the Chinese Grant has been raised by previous speakers, and I want to exalt you considering the provision in paragraph 7 of Section 118 of the 1991 Constitution that you advice the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources to endeavour to bring the Grant Agreement from China so that it can be laid on the Table of this House without further delay.

54 HON.

NENEH LEBBIE: Mr Speaker, consider it done.


She has started the process already, I am sure the documents are here in Parliament but because of this five allotted days on the Debate of the Presidential Address, perhaps that is the reason why we have not heard of it but I can assure this House that that will be laid as you have rightly said.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on that note; let us think Sierra Leone and let us move this country forward.
His Excellency the President Julius Maada Bio has done so much with no excuses.

Though we know we are facing a pandemic that is affecting the whole world but that notwithstanding He is moving forward addressing issues of concern and He is a listening President.

I want us to think Sierra Leone and move this country forward, I thank you very much.

[Applause] THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member for her contribution to the Debate.
My last speaker before we adjourn for lunch is the Honourable Mustapha M. Sellu.

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to join other colleagues in thanking His Excellency the President for a Speech well delivered here.

Before I start my presentation, I want to look at few issues that my colleagues on the other side made mentioned of during their debates.

I want to look at infrastructure that was discussed by the Honourable Member from Allen Town.
He said this present Government is using the same contractors that were used by the previous regime.

Yes, it is possible because most of these contractors are Sierra Leoneans and the intention of this Government is not to take people off their jobs, but we can use the same contractor with a different scope work.

Secondly, the concept for value for money is key in great competition.

You have to ensure quality assurance in doing all of these projects.
I thing that is why this Government in its wisdom have used contractors that were used previously for the jobs but with different scope of work as the value for money concept is in place.

[Applause] Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would now move to the other point about which the Honourable Member made mention of school enrolment.
Yes, some people did say that they are running this country as a business whilst this Government is running this 55 country as a programme and in a programme we have line of activities or projects and in this case, one is the Free Quality Education Project.

We are not losing sight of the fact that because of the intervention of the Government in the Free Quality Education Project, the enrolment must increase which is the key achievement that this Government was looking for and it has happened.
But now presently this Government and other partners for the Basic Education are now constructing schools just to decongest the schools that are overcrowded; and that is key also.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I also want to look at the issue of Covid-19 which my colleague on the other side was talking about.

He said this Government is busy buying jeeps instead of buying ventilators.

You see, when you talk about mobility, it is something that is very key in terms of quality service delivery.
You cannot deliver quality service without mobility because the personnel have to move from one point to another in taking samples.

So these vehicles I think are there to enhance the movement of these personnel.

The Honourable member from BKM also made mention of the issue of the Mid-term Census.

The Mid-term Census is something that is legal and Constitutional.
If you go to Section 2 of the Census Act of 2002, it is very clear that, Mr Speaker with your leave I would read: “The President from time to time has the right to direct in consultation with the Minister a census to carry on”.

So that is something I want this House to know about also.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I now lament on my point which is “Governance Reform” from the Presidential Speech on page 5 of paragraph 33.
My colleague on the other side the Honourable Daniel B. Koroma was talking about the world ranking in the “Justice Peace Project” 2020 report that I am here to present this afternoon.

I want to take from 2017, 2019 to 2020.

HON.

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

I did not refer to “World Justice Peace Project”, but I referred to “World Justice Project”.

So he may be referring to a different document.

HON.
HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the documents are here, before my submission I will handover this document to the Leader of Government 56 Business for the onwards submission to your desk Mr Speaker.

The document is here, I am referring to this “World Justice Project [WJP]” released 2017/2018, the Rule of Law Washington D.C. 31st January, 2018.

Mr Speaker, he was quoting from the same source that is why I am giving out the source for your edification.
I am taking this document directly from that particular source which was published on the 31st of January 2018.

Now let me take you to the summary for Sierra Leone.

THE SPEAKER: Can I see the document?

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Yes, Mr Speaker.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I now move to Governance Reform.

The Honourable Member was saying, this President did not made mention of anything about Corruption.
This President cannot come here in the third year to talk about strategies of tackling Corruption, He made mention of that during the first year and second year and that is the more reason why we are now MCC Compact eligible which is worth $44.4Bln.
So I think he is there now talking about achievement not to talk about strategies again because the strategies he had outlined in year one and two is now yielding the dividend that we are supposed to get and that is why we are qualified for the Compact and the key indicator among all the indicators is fighting corruption which we have succeeded to do.
So He cannot come here again in year three to tell us about strategies, He is here now to give achievements based on what we have instituted as a Government, I think that is something we have to take into account as it is very key.

Mr Speaker, though you have the materials with you, I would still continue while the document comes.
THE SPEAKER: For the edification of the House, the document he has handed over to me is entitled: “World Justice Project [WJP]”, and there is one that is dated January 2018, February 2019 and March 2020.

I want to believe if I remember rightly, you laid great emphasis on the 2020 document and in fact I inquired whether the publication for 2021 was out and you said no and of course I do not see any 2021 document here.

So carry on, both of them are referring to the same document.

57 HON.
57 HON.

MUSTAPHA SELLU: Mr Speaker, I would continue but let my document come back.

HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Let him acknowledge that he cited the wrong document in his opening statement.

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: I did not Honourable Member on the other side.

I would still start from 2017.

Sierra Leone in any way has not been ranked among the poor performing countries in this document.
There are countries that have performed very poorly that we think they should have performed better under the Rule of Law, Fighting Corruption as the key indicator, the right to justice, governance reform and so on.

Sierra Leone has never dropped to that point.

In 2017, Sierra Leone was 95 before we took the reign of power.
I think these are all the reasons why we qualified for the MCC Compact because this particular project is been hosted in D.C. Washington and the MCC Compact are closely following this report and that is why we have got this credit.

I would now move to 2019 specifically to Sierra Leone.

If you go to the WJP Rule of Law index 2019 performance, Sierra Leone overall global ranking: “constraints of government powers: 75 over 126 countries”.
If you go to regional ranking, it states “14 over 30”, “open government: 93 over 126” and the Honourable Member yesterday was referring to Sierra Leone as one of the worse countries looking at these indicators.

So the indicators are here outlined and I will provide these for the edification of the House and the general public.

I will provide all these details before my presentation ends.

I would now go to 2020.


Sierra Leone placed 17 out of 33 in the sub-sahara African region, Washington D.C. 11TH March 2020.

The World Justice Project released today its Rule of Law Index 2020 which is an annual report based on national surveys of more than 130.000 households and 4.000 legal practitioners and experts around the world; this is the document Mr Speaker, Honourable Members.

I am now moving to the index course.


The Honourable Member was saying in 2020 our rank was 100, I would say it is not correct.

I would now submit the soft copy to you via WhatsApp which proves that we climbed up the ladder to a position of 93 instead of 100,.

Do not worry Honourable Member, I will submit the entire document after photo 58 copying them for the edification of the public and Honourable Members.

I now humbly submit these documents to my Leader of Government Business.

[Applause] HON.
[Applause] HON.

DANIEL B. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, my expectation was for him to go through the rankings.

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I now move to the economy since I have tendered the reference documents to my Leader of Government Business.

THE SPEAKER: You have exhausted your time.

One thing I have noticed from this enclave here, every time your Leader is out of the Chamber you have a field day.
So I am going to advise your Leader to be patient enough to spend his time in the Chamber.

Honourable Sellu, you have exhausted your time.

HON.

MUSTAPHA SELLU: Mr Speaker, can I round up?

THE SPEAKER: No, you cannot, you have exhausted your time.

HON.

ALUSINE KANNEH: Mr Speaker, he was interrupted continuously by members on the other side.

THE SPEAKER: I give you two minutes.


Mr Leader of the Opposition, I have discovered something, every time you leave this Chamber I get nothing but commotion from Members to my left.

Not from Independent Members but the enclave behind you.

I want to exalt you please to be patient enough to be in the Chamber while we are debating, because every time you leave, I end up getting a lot of commotion.

HON.

CHRENOR R.M.

BAH: Mr Speaker, I was in a meeting with the Leader of Government Business.
THE SPEAKER: How can you be when he was here?

HON.

CHRENOR R.M.

BAH: We were in a meeting, he will tell you.

THE SPEAKER: Where, by zoom?

59 HON.

CHRENOR R.M.

BAH: No he left me to conclude something else, we were together.

THE SPEAKER: By zoom?

HON.

MATHEW S. NYUMA: No, not by zoom, he went to ease himself in the gent.

THE SPEAKER: I noticed that mic is on, it is not faulty because it has just been put on.

HON.

DR MARK M. KALOKOH: Mr Speaker, Point of Order.


THE SPEAKER: I am not entertaining any Point of Order.

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Is 30% a passing mark?

No!

Somebody was saying the hill-by-pass-road was completed up to 30%, but that is not a completion it is far below passing mark.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me go to the inflation rate.

In December 2020, the inflation rate was 10.45%, in January 2021 11.

50%, in February 10.

87% and March 2021 of this year it has dropped to 8.95%.
In the midst of Covid-19, I think this Government must be applauded as a responsible one that is tackling Fiscal Discipline.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, before I end, I think this Government is the only government that has provided resources to take the National Football Team to the African Cup of Nations [AFCON].

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on that note; I want to thank you very much for your time and your listening ears.
[The House stood down at 1:32 p.m. and resumed at 2:45 p.m.] THE SPEAKER: I give the Floor to Honourable Mackre.

HON.

YUSUF MACKRE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on behalf of my Constituency, I want to thank His Excellency for His Speech delivered in this House sometime last month.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, before I go to the issue proper, I want to correct the Honourable Unpha Koroma.
For the records, he said: “The government is 60 promoting timber logging in this country.” I want to tell the Honourable Member that he misinformed this House.

Since the 21st of May, the Government has stopped timber logging till the 21st of October, 2021.

So for the records, timber trading has been stopped from the 1st of June to the 21st of October, 2021.

Mr Speaker, if you want I can read.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, you have ten minutes, that is all I can remind you about.

HON.
HON.

YUSUF MACKRE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I would refer you to page 12 paragraph 79.

The President said: “Addressing environmental issues is critical for sustainable development”.

Sierra Leone is the third country that is vulnerable to the effect of Climate Change, but what are the problems which I think is necessary for us to know as Honourable Members?
In Sierra Leone or in West Africa, we are vulnerable to Water Pollution, Air Pollution, Natural Resource Depletion; Global Warming; Deforestation and also Food Insecurity.

All those issues are been caused by human activities on the environment.

The President is highly committed to making sure that he promotes good environment in this country.

As for deforestation, the President launched the promotion of Tree Planting i.e.

5 Million trees to be planted in three to four year time.
Since last year, I would assure you that out of One Million Two Hundred trees that were supposed to be planted, the Ministry of Environment successfully planted One Million One Hundred Thousand trees and that denotes 91.6%.

HON.

ABDUL K. KAMARA: Mr Speaker, Point of Order!

I just want to clarify as a Member of the Environment Committee.

As a Member of this Committee, sometimes when we have some of these reports, we expect chairmen of committees to give a correct picture of what happens on the ground.
He knows very well that the implementation of the Tree Planting he is talking about is A total fake and nothing is happening on the ground.

He was on the African Young Voices [AYV] Television and he was very angry to tell the country that the people who have been given this contract are doing nothing and he is here now telling us they have planted over One Thousand trees.

61 HON.

YUSUF MACKRE: One Million One Hundred Thousand trees.

Mr Speaker, he is interrupting.

HON.


ABDUL K. KAMARA: No, I am not interrupting you.

Mr Speaker, again let me draw your attention, we have had three other Presidential debates; it is abysmal that the MDAs are not here.

THE SPEAKER: Take your seat.

HON.

YUSUF MACKRE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, for Air Pollution, you can see in the Chiefdom Headquarter towns the Government is promoting Solar Mini Grid Project to embark on electricity provision in the rural areas.
And that is only to ensure that we minimize Air Pollution which by using a Solar Mini Grid to provide electricity.

It can also minimize carbon monoxide which is very bad for our health.

There was a time Water Pollution was a problem in this country and on which one of our Honourable Members raised a point.
Now the President is highly committed, there is inter- ministerial task force formed by the President which comprises of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Lands; Ministry of Mines and the Ministry Tourism.

They have done their tour and we saw so many illegal mining that was going on in those rivers and most of those drainages have been destroyed because the President want to maintain a clean water system in our country.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, if I could really respond to a statement made by the Honourable Member from Portloko who said the Vice President should make sure he construct a road from Pathefu Junction to his village, I want to tell this House that yes the Government is committed to doing that but however, we are also faced with the challenge of doing repairs on the roads that were constructed during the APC regime.
And secondly, the Government is also committed to paying backlogs to contractors who were also not paid during the APC regime.

Also for the records, the construction of the road from Moyamba Junction to Moyamba town which has already been completed was awarded but there was no money by then to fund that particular project.

62 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, Food Insecurity is also an environmental issue.
As you know the President has just launched a Tormabum Project which can promote agricultural activities.

I would tell you that this Project is also extended to the Portloko District.
Let me also tell you Honourable Members because yesterday one Honourable Member was saying that he was not involved in the project development, as a stakeholder you should also ensure to make yourself available to be part of development processes because development can only be sustainable when you as stakeholders you are part of it.

So please make sure you are part of the agricultural project in Portloko so that it can be sustainable, and you people can also claim ownership.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me now talk on Sport.

We know that the discipline of Sport was almost dead in Sierra Leone especially that of Football.

Immediately after the President assumed power, what He did was to support the Premier League as a key start by then and we saw the result.
Let me tell you, the President also promised that He will depoliticize Sport and we saw what happened in Makeni wherein the Sierra Leone Football Association [SLFA] election was free and fair without the interference of any Political Leader and we saw the aftermath which was a victory for the Leone Stars and when that happened we even saw Opposition Party members went in jubilant mood at State House for His Excellency.

THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, you have exhausted your time.

HON.
HON.

YUSUF MACKRE: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, on that note; I would like to encourage Honourable Members on that side to stop depoliticising their activities because gone are the days when people used to politicise even naming ceremonies in this country.

THE SPEAKER: You have exhausted your time; I give the Floor to Honourable Charles Abdulai.

HON.
HON.

CHARLES ABDULAI: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to join previous speakers in thanking His Excellency for a well delivered Speech on that faithful day in 63 this Well.

It is obvious a lot of controversies come from speaker after speaker for obvious reasons we know on the other side.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to refute one or two things here before I can go to my speech.
When the President said in His Speech that they are redesigning the path way to development or rebuilding this nation, I think this one has been misunderstood by a lot of speakers here.

So I want to set the record straight there.

To redesign, I think most of my colleague Members on the other side and even on this side are programmers, why do we do mid-term review?

The reason is simple; we do mid- term review to check if things are going according to plan.
The right Honourable Member from Kambia, I think you and I have been in this game for quite a long time when we were out there, so we know you knew very well that the President was right to say to redesign the development trajectory.

We do mid-term review to at least see the developmental strides that are not working well.

The simple analogy is, as a driver travelling on a smooth road, sometimes you reach rough and moody road you have to stop a bit to adjust and then you continue your journey.
That is the reason why He said, in spite of everything there must be challenges so let us redesign and use other strategies to see how things will work better than how it has worked.

So therefore let us look at the Third Wave of the Covid-19 which every Member of Parliament including Mr Speaker and people in this country were glittery about.

Therefore, the Health sector is going to redesign its strategies to suits the mechanism in curbing this Third Wave of the pandemic.
So therefore, His Excellency was right to have said: “to redesign our strategies”.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I also want to refute the Honourable Lady on the side who knew it is correct to set up parallel structures in the educational structure because this is the sector that is taking care of 21% of our GDP.

Do we still maintain those core Staff in the Ministry?

No!
No!

We make additional structures to at least implement programs relating to this particular institution because 21% of our GDP is not a small amount.

So therefore I can say it is deliberate to have set up parallel 64 structures so that we can implement the Free Quality Education in the best way it can benefit the children of this nation and this country as a whole.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in the same vein; people were arguing about a lot of issues that came up with controversies but I want to advice colleague Members to limit our deliberations to the subject matter which is debating the Presidential Speech.

I want to leave you with an adage which my grandmother used to tell me: “My grandson, when growing, one day people would tell you go and say this but they will never tell you go an answer the questions that follow.
That is the reason why it is but necessary to be yourself, do not rely on what people tell you”.

THE SPEAEKR: I am really surprised, is that the new music from Lungi Airport?

HON.

ABDUL KARGBO: Mr Speaker, I am commending the Member of Parliament, he is saying sense Sir; I am the only one commending him.

HON.

CHARLES ABDULAI: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, a lot of speakers were refuting these salient points that were stated by His Excellency in His Speech.
Learning from the experiences of Sierra Leone, people were saying the strategy used by this country to fight the Covid-19 was not the right way but a lot of commendations have come from outside this country and within to say our country is of low risk for Covid-19.

Therefore, this Third Wave now, as we are redesigning our strategy, we may want to look at how best we can train our medical personnel, having the necessary equipment and putting resources together so that we can handle the Third Wave.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the Human Capital Development stated by His Excellency in His Speech in paragraph 4 is very useful to us as Members of Parliament.

Are we going to leave our people in abject poverty of ignorance without letting them know that learning is better than Silver and Gold?

This was very deliberate, let us go back and advice our people, let us have something that can earn us our living till death.
If we really go by most of these texts, a document like this would advise us Members of Parliament, the Government and institutions.

65 THE SPEAKER: Honourable Member, your time is up!

HON.

CHARLES ABDULAI: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.

But I want to reiterate that as a Member of Parliament, on behalf of the people of Bunpeh-ngao, I want to thank His Excellency the President especially for the road project we have just approved here in this Parliament from Bo to Mattru-Jong.
THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution; I also thank the Honourable Member who stop before him.

I now give the Floor to the Honourable Kassegbama.

HON.

AIAH D.S.

KASSEGBAMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, first of all I would want to thank God for such an opportunity again.

I want to thank His Excellency for such a wonderful and awesome Speech delivered on that wonderful day.
I believe he spoke as a Leader but contrary to that, there are certain things that I would like him to know that are going on with all what he said on that day.

Suspension of S.O 5[2] HON.

AIAH D.S.

KASSEGBAMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, originally and in reality; people know Kono to be diamond mining area but I want to say this today for His Excellency to know that Kono is not only diamond mining or gold mining or other minerals mining area.
There are other parts of Kono that do not have any minerals and the people depend on Agriculture.

The issue of bread and butter in this country should not be centralized in one area; it should be decentralized in other parts of the country.

For my own Constituency which is 026 Sandor Chiefdom, there are no minerals there.

Everything about my people is Agriculture and I am talking specifically on Agriculture here.
According to His Excellency’s Speech on page 2 of paragraph 10 I would read: “Consistent with National Agriculture Transformation Programme, my Government remains committed to implementing programs and activities to boost rice self-sufficiency, crop diversification; livestock development and sustainable forest and biodiversity management”.
Talking about right to food for every Sierra Leonean, I would like this House and His Excellency to know that my 66 people depend only on Agriculture and if we want to bring the bread and butter issue to a thing of the past in this nation, we need to empower the agricultural people who are in the interior.

One of my colleagues said something about e-voucher and I want to say our people do not know anything about it.
Some weeks back, the President was in Tormabom to launch the Agricultural Farming Project but I want this House and His Excellency to know that there are parts of the country that are only depending on farming and my Constituency which 026 is one of those parts in this country.

There are certain places in this country where you cannot access any mineral but everybody know Kono for minerals.
So people would just ignore the Agricultural aspect of Kono, but I would tell you as I am standing here me and my team are having over 20 different kinds of farms.

So we need to support our people in terms of Agriculture if really we want this bread and butter issue to work in this nation.

Talking about the LE50Mln Credit Facility; how many of our people will have access to that?
I believe since I came to this House as a Member representing constituency 026, I have not heard anything about Government assistance to my people in Agriculture and I would like this House to know.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, talking on the Health sector; we know “Health is Wealth” and in krio it states: “wel bodi na gentri” [S.O 2].
According to the President’s Speech on page 2 NO.8: “As we transit into the vaccination stage my Government will take action to maintain health care financing at sustainable levels, continue to reduce maternal and under 5 mortality rate”.

These words: “reduce maternal and under 5 mortality rate” I would like His Excellency to know that saying it is one thing and people benefitting from it is another.
In my Constituency, mostly women are carried in hammocks to find the nearest hospital or health centre, there is no Ambulance.

I would assure you that my Chiefdom is the biggest or largest Chiefdom in this nation which is the Sandor Chiefdom and is having only one ambulance that cannot reach everywhere and we do not have access to health centres.
There are certain places you go, women are carried in hammocks because the health centres are far away over 20 miles and I believe Government needs to look into that 67 and see how they can work on that particular system so that we avoid maternal and under 5 mortality rate.

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Mr Speaker, Point of Order.


Since we are talking and the nation is watching us, is there any Chiefdom in this country that has not got any ambulance that is 20 miles away from the peripheral health units in this country?

The 20 miles proximity is what I am challenging.

In this country for peripheral Health Unit or Maternal Health Post to be 20 miles radius off, that is not correct.

At least you can say 5 miles or 10 miles but to say 20 miles, I disagree with that.
Mr Speaker, let him clarify that by showing the Chiefdom Headquarter town and the nearest peripheral Health Unit so that the Ministry can take care of that.

THE SPEAKER: When you were given the Floor, I am sure you did not welcome the many interruptions.

HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: Mr Speaker, if you are giving award for that I should be given award because they interrupted me throughout my debate.

I am just trying to do clarifications.

THE SPEAKER: And now you are taking the opportunity to do the same.
HON.

MUSTAPHA M. SELLU: No, we are live whiles debating, we need to make clarifications.

To say 20 miles radius or proximity from one peripheral health centre to another, we need to get this as a Government so that we can address it; that is just what I am asking for.

THE SPEAKER: The Honourable Member is talking about his Constituency, you cannot stop him.

Carry on Honourable Kassegbama.

HON.

SAA E. LAMINA: Mr Speaker, standing on S.O 35[4], I want to make this very clear for both sides of the aisle.
I am aware for the fact that this is a very serious House of which Members are expected to stop the intermittent interruptions.

I hold the belief; if you are lucky to catch the eye of the Speaker you definitely would have your bite.

Whilst the Honourable Members is debating, I implore all Honourable Members to give him time.
We should not forget the fact that this House has produced Chief 68 Minister in the person of Sir Milton Margai, this House has produced a Prime Minister in the person of Doctor Siaka Stevens and it has produced a President in the person of Ernest Bai Koroma.

Therefore, it is a very serious House and because it is a very serious House, I expect Members of Parliament to live by S.O 35 and be decorous, we are expected to put on a maximum decorum as spelt out in S.O 35.
So I implore on our Honourable selves to give the Honourable Member time for him to debate as required by Section 98 of the Law.

THE SPEAKER: Thank you for that timely intervention.

I have repeatedly reminded Members of Parliament in this Well about the provisions in S.O 33, not only that I have also alluded to S.O 35 but no one seems to be paying heed.

Carry on, Honourable Member.

HON AIAH D.S.


KASSEGBAMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I know my colleague Member is trying to keep my time away but I would work on it.

As I continue, President talked about Maternal and Under 5 Mortality rate and that is what I am emphasizing on.

For it to be reduced, we need to have more health referral centres in our constituencies that would not be too far away for these women.
We are talking about women and children, for us the men, we know our own situation but to protect the women and children we need more health centres in our constituencies.

As I earlier said I am having the largest Chiefdom in this nation which is the Sandor Chiefdom with one ambulance, we need more.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the President talked about National Cohesion on page 18 of paragraph 122 which states: “Legislation that establishes an Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion has been ratified”.

Yes, ratifying it is one, the implementation is another.

My question is who are the ones that will be on that Commission?
My submission today is that, I am sure it will be good for us to give priority to religious leaders that will be above politically influence to be part of that Commission.

I am sure with that, they will work in the interest of Peace and National Cohesion for a peaceful atmosphere in this nation.

With all what we have gone 69 through with previous and current governments, I believe for a nation to succeed there has to be peace.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in conclusion; I would not talk here without referencing the word of God.

For us legislators, for us as leaders in this House, I read Ephesians chapter 6 from verse 5 and the Bible says: “Servants be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling in singleness of your heart as onto Christ”.

Verse 6 says: “Not with eye service not as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart”.
Verse 7 says: “With good will, doing service as to Lord and not to men”.

And verse 8 says: “Knowing that whatsoever good things any man doeth the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be burnt or free”.

These should be in our consciences.

We as leaders today leading our people, we need to be very; very, conscious of what we are doing.

I am sure for every institution or nation to succeed, depends on the Leadership; our people are in need.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, as I conclude; health centres; Agriculture and all other areas colleagues have been talking about, the word of God says: “Whatever you do shall be paid back to you”.

Most times our colleagues would say, the benefits of politics can only be attained on Planet Earth; you will have no pay tomorrow.

But I would say is a lie, whatever thing you do today some people will see it before they die and everyman will have to face judgement.

Therefore know what you are doing.


Thank you very much Mr Speaker and God bless this nation.

THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable Member for his contribution; the next speaker on my list is the Honourable Ibrahim Bangura.

HON.

IBRAHIM A. BANGURA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to thank His Excellency the President for the Speech he so graciously read in this Honourable House on the 18th of May, 2021.

Because of the exigency of time, I would now want to zoom in on Infrastructure.
Let me on behalf of the people of Constituency 076 in the Kafubulom Chiefdom to express our thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the President for his intention to transform the Freetown International Airport.

For us this is 70 a laudable initiative and a step in the right direction because the livelihood of our people is highly contingent on the Freetown International Airport.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me now move to the Energy Sector.
Electricity in the Western area and some areas in the Provincial Headquarter towns is a challenge.

For me I can even say Electricity is under life support.

I am a Member of Parliament residing at Lumley; I can say we are currently suffering from low voltage of Electricity.

Even to switch on our appliances at night is very difficult for us and these are issues we have been channelling to the appropriate authorities but yet still nothing is been done.
At a time like this when this Government succeeds in increasing the tariff of Electricity on citizens, yet still they cannot provide for us sustainable Electricity.

Makeni that is once referred to as the City of Light has now been degenerated to the City of Darkness.

Even Kafobulom Lungi that used to enjoy 18 hours of uninterrupted power supply, we are now getting 4 hours of electricity that also we are getting it through rationing.
If you have electricity today it will take more than four days before you can also access electricity again and that has been a challenge for us at Kafobulom.

Since the inception of this Government, we are still suffering from interrupted power supply.

The generator that was taken from the people of Makeni is too small for us in Lungi.

Kafobulom has now been transformed from a mere cosmopolitan to a City so we need more generators so as to sustain our electricity in that part of the country.
[Applause] our people are suffering over there especially those that are dealing with frozen and perishable goods, they are not making the necessary profits in doing the business.

So I am urging His Excellency the President to give more attention to the area of Electricity for the people of Lungi.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me now move to the Transport Sector with a particular reference to Sea Transportation because I am one of the Honourable Members from the riverine constituencies.
His Excellency the President talked about Marine Safety and the development of jetties but take a look at the current state of the jetty which is a deplorable one, and if proper measures are not taken, it will be catastrophic.

These are issues that I have raised with the Chairman of the Transport 71 and Aviation Committee but nothing is been done in that regard and our people are suffering.
Up till now, we are still seeing heavy duty vehicles loaded with bags of cements, iron rods and bags of rice accessing that place but up till now nothing is being done in that regard.
His Excellency the President in paragraph 76 in the 2020 Presidential Address did promise the people of Kafobulom with two ferries but up to now as I am speaking nothing is been done in that regard [Applause] and for me I consider the Statement of His Excellency the President as a Policy Statement especially when he has been branded as a “Talk and Do” President but nothing has been done in that regard.
[Applause] our people are suffering, Sierra Leoneans are suffering, the cheapest and safest way through which our people travel to Lungi is the ferries.

Majority of our people are pro-poor, they do not have the finances to pay $40 to go through Sea Bird or through Sea Coach to cross over to Lungi or Port Loko, they pay LE7.000.

The cheapest means of transportation of our people to Lungi is the ferries.

Of the ferries we have, two of them cannot stand the test of time.
For the past one month we have been having only one ferry that is in operation and it is only last week that we have got another ferry.

So it is very difficult for our people to cross over to Lungi especially in the raining season.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, let me now move to access to water.

Access to water in the Western Area has been a problem and most especially in the Eastern part of the country.
If you go now to the Eastern part especially at the Low-cost area, you would see late at night from 10:00 p.m., you will see boys and girls stranded fetching water for their parents till 3:00 a.m. in the morning and this has led to high rate of Teenage Pregnancy because the boys are harassing these girls when they have that opportunity late in the street.

So I am urging the Minister of Water Resources to see how best he can bring in solutions to mitigate these problems.
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to end with the Music Industry.

I have been a musician before and once a musician is always a musician so I want to talk on behalf of the musicians in this country.

In 2018, His Excellency the President did promise that He is going to review and enforce the Copyright Law.

His Excellency the President also promised that he is going to establish an Entertainment Centre for the musicians of this 72 country or actors or actresses but nothing like that has been done.
The musicians also are Sierra Leoneans but whenever we have national programs we pay international musicians thousands of dollars whereby we give the local musicians stipends but they are also Sierra Leoneans who have their families, so we need to look into that.
I want thank His Excellency the President for appointing my Constituent in the person of Amara Dennis Turay commonly called Kao Denero to act as Ambassador in that entertainment industry to see how best he will be able to transform the music industry.

So I am talking to Kao Denero to at least see how best he can be able to transform that entertainment industry to a better one.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to lend my voice to this Debate; thank you.
[Applause] THE SPEAKER: I thank the Honourable for his contribution and more especially for keeping within the time.

I now give the Floor to the Honourable Cecilia Bangura.

[Applause] HON.

CECILIA M. BANGURA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, after taking a critical look at the Speech of the President; to me all these pointers of the President are all on the contrary.

Percentage of such success stories highlighted by the President are misleading and of no existence.
[Applause] on the first three paragraphs on page 1; the President proposed about inclusive and peaceful society.

THE SPEAKER: Would you please recognise that the voice you are hearing is coming from a lady and more importantly a lady from Karene District?

[Applause] HON.

CECILIA M. BANGURA: Mr Speaker, the question I would like to ask is how is it possible to achieve inclusive and peaceful society against illegal sacking of government workers that have security of tenure?
[Applause] we live in a country where a huge percentage of MDAs are headed by this President’s tribesmen and regional cronies?

Is this the meaning of Inclusive Governance?

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in Section 5[2b] of the 1991 Constitution says: “The security, peace and welfare of the people of Sierra Leone shall be the primary 73 purpose and responsibility of Government”.
[Applause] looking at the current trend of Electricity blackout, lack of water supply in the City and transportation challenges experienced by the general populace and the failure of this Government to attempt in addressing such basic needs of the people is a breach of the Social Contract by this Government that campaigned on the platform of “Paopa Salone for Bette”.
[S.O.2] Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, paragraph 13 on page 2 of the President’s Speech mentioned about $54Mln investment in Agriculture and Food Security but we all know that such investment has not reflected on the lives of our people.

I want to urge this Government to move from the bureaucratic lip service to addressing the reality on the ground in ensuring access to quality food by the average Sierra Leonean which is one of the biggest challenges our people are faced with.
Let this Government try to address the bread and butter issue first as a priority.

[Applause] Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, the President on page 7 paragraph 46 of His Speech made mention of several roads that are under construction.

For the past three years, I want to bring to your attention the Makeni-Kamakuie road in the North-West region, District of Karene linking tambakan and madina to Guinea as the most neglected and abandoned road.
[Applause] THE SPEAKER: Honourable Members, I am sure we all subscribe to the Policy of encouraging women and the best way we can is at least to encourage them to stand up in this Well and speak out.

[Applause] if one of them is trying to do so, why do not we give her all the encouragement she needs rather than harassing and intimidating her?

I am really surprised at some of you; I am amazed!

Some of you have been Lecturers in the University and you are busy harassing the lady.
Honourable lady, I would give you extra time.

HON.

CECILIA M. BANGURA: This road like other neglected roads in the northern region was under construction before this Government took over and this President has twice in this Well of Parliament mentioned that His Government will complete this road, but it is to no avail.

74 Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, finally; I want the President to know that Karene District is part of Sierra Leone and equally important as Bo, Kenema and Bonthe.
If this Government is so serious about the National Cohesion they are trumpeting, then fair distribution of the state resources should be at the centre of its administration.

I thank you, Mr Speaker.

[Applause] THE SPEAKER: I want to take this opportunity to thank the Honourable Member for a very brilliant speech.

As a descendant of Karene District, I am very, very proud of our Honourable lady.

HON.
HON.

ALLIEU E. KOROMA: Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to take this opportunity to thank His Excellency the President for His Speech here in the House of Parliament which I believe is His Strategic Plan for the year 2021.

For the sake of time, I want to focus my address on key thematic areas critical for sustainable development i.e.

Agriculture, Food Security, the Environment; Sustainability and Self-reliant.
On page 2 of paragraph 10, the President said: “Consistent with the National Agricultural Transformation Programme, my government remains committed to implementing programs and activities to boost rice self-sufficiency, crop diversification, Livestock Development and Sustainable Forest and Biodiversity Management”.
Unfortunately for me, there are no verifiable indicators to showcase the increase in rice production for the past three years and consequently, our people are now experiencing chronic hunger and malnutrition in the entire country.

[Applause] it will surprise you to know that the Global Food Security Index ranked Sierra Leone 108 out of 113 countries as food insecure.

Consequently, we are now having more able street beggars and physically challenged people than ever before in the past three years.
In a country like Sierra Leone where the necessity to meet today’s needs supersedes the uncertainties of the future, there will be no development plan and this is exactly what is happening in Sierra Leone.

Unfortunately, I want to announce to you that there is a new outbreak disease called hunger disease.
Thousands of our people are suffering, if you go presently to the village communities, you will surprise to know that thousands of our people are going without food especially 75 during this time of June, July, August which is the hunger season; and Government is now boasting that they are improving Agricultural production in the country which is false; to me it makes no sense.

[Applause] if you go to the market now a bag of rice is LE350TH.
Majority of our people cannot afford LE350TH to purchase a bag of rice, so consequently people are going without food for every day.

In Food Production, there are a lot of things to consider, if we want to increase our food production, we would want to look at what development experts call the three AAA i.e.

Availability, Accessibility and Affordability but these are completely absent.
If you look at the road networks to travel or to reach remote communities where we have our local farmers producing food, they are very appalling to see the least.

There are lot of things that are very absent in the production food.

For example, there are no credit opportunities for our local farmers and if we want our local farmers to produce food for the entire country’s consumption, we have to encourage them to have access to Agricultural Credit.
We have to also organise our famers into Cooperative Farming for them to do farming as a business but this is completely lacking in our country.

We are not really encouraging our farmers; we do not even have extension services for our famers to build their capacity to run farm as business.

These are all the things that are now disturbing us.

Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, I want to move to the Environment.
I read this document with dismay knowing that the President is emphasizing the fact that He want to protect the Environment.

This is really sad, if you look at the whole program for example, how can you provide the opportunity to protect the environment while you are encouraging your farmers like in Tormabom to do organic farming i.e.

using fertilizers and pesticides to produce rice?


If you said you want to protect your Environment and you are encouraging farmers to use environmentally unfriendly farming methods, then it makes no sense.

And worst of it is, you say you want to protect the environment and you are encouraging Timber Logging.

If you go to the rural communities, all the roads have been destroyed by the activity of timber logging in the country.
So for now, we do not even have time at least to plant crops, we cut down 76 our trees and we cannot replace them.

So these are all the problems with the environment that is completely depleting.

Every day we have environmental degradation.

For us to protect our environment, we need to give the people the opportunity to take ownership of their development processes.
If we do not do that, we instead encourage our farmers to use environmentally unfriendly methods then we are not making sense and of course we will continue to suffer from the severe hunger that we are now experiencing.

Just like I said earlier that, there is an outbreak of this particular hunger disease and is very serious and it is killing thousands of our people.

In the streets of Freetown, you would see able young guys saying “yu borbor dae oh, pa ah dae fil hangri”.

[S.O.
[S.O.

2] for us to increase our food availability in our country, we need to encourage our farmers to practice environmentally friendly methods so that they can produce food without disturbing the environment.

I thank you Mr Speaker.

[Applause] THE SPEAKER: I sincerely want to thank the Honourable Member for his contribution to the Debate.

As I listened to him, I keep asking myself where you have been all this time.
Honourable Members, on that note, I am pleased to announce that I have managed to meet my target of 15 Speakers today and is a convenient point for us to take an adjournment.

ADJOURNMENT [The House rose at 3:45 p.m. and adjourned to Thursday 1st of July, 2021 at 10:00a.m.

prompt] 77 78