By Alieu Amara Suwu
Parliament has on Friday, 28 October 2022 carried a motion by Hon Hassan Abdul Sesay, Chief Whip of the main opposition All People’s Congress, recalled that on several occasions he had asked in the Well that Parliament summon the Governor of Bank of Sierra Leone to Parliament to give an explanation about the country’s economic situation.
He said when they (MPs) were passing the Act on redenomination of the Leone currency or implementing the redenomination process, they as opposition MPs have argued on the overall economic effect the process would have on the country.
He said they all understand the global economic trend that is affecting every country including Sierra Leone, and when talking about the war in Ukraine or world economic situation, prudent economic management in a country will help the situation but in their own case, the Governor’s policies have not been prudent and helpful to the country’s economic situation.
In his intervention, Abass C. Bundu, Speaker of Parliament, said it is good to get it clearly understood that the Governor is under the supervision of the Minister of Finance. Hence, he said it will rather be prudent to summon the Minister along the Governor and other relevant institutions.
Hon Hassan agreed to this and said what matters is finding solutions to the country’s economic state.
Hon Kandeh Yumkella, Leader of National Grand Coalition (NGC), got mesmerised by that and said other countries are asking their Ministers of Finance in parliament about how they could solve their economic problems.
He said is not a negative thing to ask them questions but is part of the role of members of parliament and as a legitimate concern notwithstanding that it is a global concern.
He said if they fail to call on the Minister to come and explain to them how the economic problems should be solved they will be realigning their responsibility as Members of Parliament. So he moved a motion that they invite the Minister of Finance and relevant institutions included the Governor to explain to Parliament how they are managing the economy and how the crisis facing the economy should be solved.
The motion was seconded by Hon Abdul Sulaiman Marray-Conteh, Constituency 130, Western Area, and it was carried out after the question was put by the Speaker.
