By Alieu Amara Suwu
Passing of certain bills and ratification of certain agreements have always seen tough moments in the Well especially from the main opposition. The ratification Framework agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone (represented by Ministry of Finance and the National Revenue Authority) and SICPA S.A. relating to the operation of an independent competent management solution for domestic revenue mobilisation made in Freetown, is no exception, which saw a hectic debate and hanged to be decided based on a vote.
Hon Lahai Marrah of the All People’s Congress (APC), who had picked on an issue in the agreement declined to vote against it by not standing up to be counted despite his colleague MPs on the main opposition bench rose for them to be counted. The reasons are not obvious for declining to vote against the agreement in spite of him being the one to draw attention to the issues.
The voting which was deferred to Friday, 28 October 2022, after the debate on Thursday, 27 October 2022, the government bench included paramount chiefs got 38 votes and the opposition bench excluded National Grand Coalition (NGC) MPs got 33 votes.
Hon Lahai Marrah, APC, who had thoroughly read the agreement, elaborately picked out areas of great concern that the Speaker could not resist and said the concerns were too great to ignore, and he requested explanations from Sheku Mansaray, Deputy Minister of Finance 1, who was piloting the agreement.
Hon Marrah feared that the agreement was porous with regards the amount that would be spent for forensic reports and others – and that the Company would take advantage of lacunas in the agreement to swindle the state of revenue which will directly add as burden on the suffering masses. These skepticisms drew the attention of fellow MPs on the opposition bench including Dr Kandeh Yumkella, the NGC Leader.
After extensive debate on the agreement, the Speaker put the question for vote by collection of voices from MPs, the ayes could not get it all as it used to be but was halted by invoking Standing Order (SO) 46 by Hon Abdul Karim Kamara, APC, notwithstanding that the Speaker had ruled in favour of the ayes. At that point, a head count or secret vote was expected after the Speaker had ordered all MPs outside to come to Chambers and stood down the House for ten minutes. Upon his (Speaker) return, after over ten minutes, he said the debate and situation they were faced with was seen to prove that the current parliament is not a rubber stamp one. The Speaker deferred the voting to the next day i.e. Friday. He warned that no one should contest his decision. This decision was left to the dismay of the main opposition MPs.
