Speaker Vows to Enforce Section 95 of the Constitution
By Benjamin S Conteh
The Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Hon. Sengepoh Solomon Thomas, has reaffirmed his commitment to enforcing Section 95 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone during the current parliamentary session.
Hon. Thomas made this declaration on Friday, 15th November 2024, in the Well of Parliament during the presentation of the national budget by the Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fatamadi Bangura.
“From the very day I was elected as Speaker of this House, I vowed that Section 95 will take full effect under my leadership,” he asserted.
The Speaker emphasized that, unlike previous administrations, his leadership will not tolerate unverified claims or misinformation about Parliament. He vowed to take decisive action against those who spread falsehoods about the House, stating that his administration prioritizes transparency and public accountability.
“This is why we encourage people to visit Parliament and ask the Office of the Clerk the necessary questions instead of resorting to speculation. Social media, unfortunately, has been misused to spread baseless claims, and I do not engage with it for this reason,” he stated.
Hon. Thomas issued this warning while addressing concerns raised by the Majority Leader of Government Business, Hon. Sahr Matthew Nyuma, over misleading social media posts about the 2024 Finance Act. A clause in the Act proposed a 5% import duty on rice, which could have led to a 50% price increase in 2025 if passed unamended.
The Deputy Opposition Leader, Hon. Daniel Brima Koroma, called for the removal of the controversial clause to ease the financial burden on Sierra Leoneans. Following intense debates, members of both the ruling and opposition parties unanimously agreed to expunge the clause before the bill was enacted into law.
