Maritime Administration presents 2016-2018 Strategic Budget Plans to Parliament
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) has on Wednesday 25 November, 2015 presented their 2016-2018 Strategic Budget Plans to Parliament through the Sub Appropriation Supply Committee at Room (4) at Parliament Building, OAU Drive, Tower Hill, in Freetown.
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Supply was formally opened by the Chairman of Committee Room 4 Hon. Mohamed Amadu Kanu representing Constituency 086 in the Moyamba District which was followed by several contributions from Members of Parliament (MP’s) including the Deputy Chairperson Hon. Rosaline J. Smith representing Constituency 103 in the Western Urban Area, Hon. Dauda J. B. Kallon representing Constituency 093 in the Western Rural Area, Hon Alie Kalokoh representing Constituency 102 in the Western Urban Area, Hon. Sheku Sannoh of Constituency 112 in the Western Urban Area, Hon. Sahr Fotorma representing Constituency O04 in Kailahun District, Hon. Mohamed Jawara representing Constituency 100 in the Western Urban Area, Hon. Hassan Sesay of Constituency 056 in Tonkolili District, Hon. Sheku Kerifala Conteh of Constituency 098 in the Western Urban Area, Hon. Albert Deen Kamara representing Constituency 034 in Bombali District, Hon. Royland Foday Kargbo representing Constituency 036 in Bombali District, Hon. Abu Jajua of Constituency 007 in Kailahiun District and amongst others in order to create more significant impacts towards the challenges and opportunities of the onging Parliamentary hearings of its significant purpose determine the implementations for the proceedings to achieve its main objectives.
The third session of the Parliamentary proceedings consisted of presentations by the Acting Executive Director of SLMA Mr. Alphious Cole, on the rational for which the Committee critically dealt with for both 2014, 2015 and for 2016 Budget Strategic Plans as well as followed by other presentations including the National Commission for Persons With Disabilities (NCDP) Chairman Fredrick Kamara and team, the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC) CEO and Registrar Michaela Macliay, Chief Administrator Tamba Musa from Kono District Council, Moyamba District Council Madam Aminita P. Koroma and team, Chief Administrator Bonthe District Francis Tiffah and team, representative from the Office of the National Security (ONS), MB Keikura and team, representative from the Meteorological Department, Mohamed Lahai Admin Officer and team, representative from the National Commission for Social Action (NaSCA), Director Kelvin Dixon and team, the CEO and team from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Madam Kadiajatu Kalloh, as well as the Waterloo District Council Chief Administrator C. A. Ahmed Conteh and team including all District Councils’ Agricultural Directorates as well as Education Deopartments respectively.
He further encouraged colleagues to be more pro-active by not only limiting their questions within the reports but to also go outside the reports for better understanding of the Committee.
Hon. Amadu Kanu further stated that as Members of Parliament, they have the constitutional mandate through Section 111,112, as well as Sub-Section (6) of the 1991 Constitution to investigate quarries as well as comments raised by and from the public in order to ascertain that information presented for the 2016 budget approval were correct and been utilized for their intended purposes.
He further allayed the fears of MDAs as MPs that they were in no way trying to intimidate, or marginalize them but rather than putting the records straight for the growth of the nation’s socio-economic development in performing their Oversight functions in an efficient manner.
Hon. Kanu further cautioned and instructed the above MDAs to furnish the Committee with all relevant documents in order to ascertain that their reports are true including taxation, bank balance statements of accounts as to whether they followed proper procedures, certificates of contracts as well as other comprehensive supporting documents purported to have been spent on various activities such as overseas traveling, computer accessories, photo copying, printing, among several others.
Hon. Kanu also ordered the Cooperate Affairs Commission (CAC) CEO and Registrar, Madam Michaela Makay to provide relevant documents about her trips as according to her, she received through from the British High Commission as well as Kono District Council whom according to them have expended over Le 50 Million Leones on education this year and later stand down for inconsistency.
He further reiterated similar dissatisfaction on Moyamba District Chief Administrator Madam Aminata P. Koroma’s report as not satisfactory for the achievement of the Committee’s objectives including Bonthe District Council which received the sum of 250 million Leones allocated on Council’s agricultural sector even though the report indicated to have been the lowest items of budget allocation, as well as the Office of the National Security with Thirty-Two vehicles and 49 million Leones expended on insurance as well as 29 motor bikes to re-submit the above relevant documents and evidence stating that activities such as computer accessories, photo copying as well as printing which this order most work and adhere to submit not later than on Friday, 27th November, 2015 at 12:00 pm for external oversight functions.
Deputy Chairperson Hon. Rosaline Jariatu Smith representing Constituency 103 in the Western Urban Area commended the eminent team from the SLMA and all the MDAs for their timely submission of their budget proposals.
She urged the need to improve proper monitoring mechanisms in place to promote taxation for employers, stating that the 2016 national budget needs to have enough funding in order to be able to implement key priority goals including explorations, anti-fiscal fishing and other important areas.
By Mohamed Y. Turay
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