MDAs Snub Sub-Appropriation Committee Hearings
By Benjamin S. Conteh
Since the commencement of the Sub-Appropriation Committee hearings on Monday, December 2, 2024, several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including the Office of the Chief Minister, the Office of Presidential and Infrastructure Initiatives, and the Governance Advisory Unit, have failed to attend. These key institutions dodged the sessions in the Sixth Parliament.
During a debate on the 2025 National Budget, Speaker Hon. Sengepoh Solomon Thomas had encouraged MDAs to participate in budget discussions. However, many MDAs defied this directive and were absent throughout the five-day deliberations.
At the conclusion of the budget debate, Speaker Thomas announced the indefinite suspension of budgetary allocations to MDAs that failed to appear.
Sub-Appropriation Committees in Sierra Leone’s Parliament are tasked with presenting reports on the activities and deliverables of MDAs. They make recommendations to ensure timely and adequate disbursement of funds for project implementation and require supporting documentation, including detailed expenditure breakdowns, to be submitted to Parliament before budget hearings.
The Sierra Leone Constitution allows for Supplementary Appropriation Bills, which provide for the allocation of approved funds for specific purposes outlined in the estimates.
Expressing concern over the absence of MDAs, Mohamed Alimamy Bangura, Executive Director of Building the Future Foundation Sierra Leone, described the situation as alarming. He emphasized that MDAs are accountable to Parliament for explaining how allocated funds are utilized before requesting additional funding.
Mr. Bangura noted that the MDAs’ lack of engagement undermines the entire budgetary process and reflects a disregard for Parliament as the representatives of the people. He warned that their persistent absence signals a challenging financial year ahead in 2025.
