Massive Corruption – Parliament Takes Bride to Approve Budgets

 By Mohamed Faray Kargbo

That the House of Parliament is one of, if not the most corrupt institution(s) in Sierra Leone is no longer a myth. Sierra Leone’s House of Representative is deeply entrenched in shady deals. Unfortunately, such deals have been impacting negatively on the ailing economy of this wretchedly poor West African nation. The revelations in this article will leave you wondering whether our parliamentarians are really serving or starving the people. Let me hasten to let you know that I have been working for the government of Sierra Leone for the past nine years, so I am exposing these corrupt acts not only as an insider but also as a trained and qualified investigative journalist.

BACKGROUND

As a management staff member of the Monuments and Relics Commission and by extension the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs in the Government of Sierra Leone, we are obligated to prepare a budget for our expenditure annually. Every ministry, department and agency of government is required to do the same. Such budgets which are supported by the national treasury are first presented to the Ministry of Finance and later to the Committee of Finance and Public Spending for approval.

Parliament usually scrutinizes MDAs on the previous year’s spending before approving projected expenditures for the ensuing year. Government institutions are required by law to prepare an income and expenditure statement and present to Parliament prior to the hearing which must be attended by vote controllers including ministers, permanent secretaries, account staff, heads of departments and senior management.

THE CORRUPT PRACTICES

In the last five years, we have been withdrawing funds from our coffers to fatten the pockets of members of the Finance Committee. An illicit and uncouth requirement created to force government institutions into coercion when it comes to budget approvals. Between 2017-2022 we gave over (three hundred million old Leones) 300,000,000 to pacify the committee so they could approve our budget without much ado. Please see a breakdown of the amounts we have parted with since I joined the Commission few years ago.

NO	YEAR	AMOUNT	US DOLLAR EQUIVALENT THEN
1	2017	35,000,000	$ 5,000
2	2018	40,000,000	$ 5,000
3	2019	50,000,000	$ 5,000
4	2020	50,000,000	$ 5,000
5	2021	70,000,000	$ 4,000
6	2022	70,000,000	$ 3,500
	TOTAL	315,000,000	$ 27,500

 

Let me reemphasize that this is the money we give as a small government agency whose total allocation is just a minute percentage of the national budget.

So, the practice is for every Ministry, Department or Agency to part with some amount to the lawmakers or risk not having their budgets approved. Big ministries with budgets of 250 billion can hardly get approved without parting with hundreds of millions to the Parliamentary Committee members. The committee members use soft power and coercion to solicit these funds much to the displeasure of the MDAs.

Such is the seriousness of the illicit money swindling that even the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the agency charged with the responsibility of fighting graft, also bribes parliament. So, in essence, tons of funds that should be used for national development are going into the pockets of these criminals who are parading as lawmakers.

With such underhand activities, you are still wondering why Sierra Leone is still a least developed country. You still wonder why our children die even before they reach the age of five. You wonder why our health care delivery system is in shambles.

It is no secret that we have a long way to go. These unscrupulous acts have kept us poor and underdeveloped for quite too long. We have rich politicians but the masses wallow in abject poverty. Most people hardly have food to eat let alone a place to sleep. Unemployment is at an all-time high with university graduates parading the streets looking for jobs that are not available. The economy is rotten, and all the President could do was to appoint a Bank Governor who redenominated the currency only to become a fugitive. The local currency, Leone has plummeted to an all-time low.

I am not exposing these ills of our society because I want to write. Somebody must make the difference. Some of us have watched in awe as our people perish all because those who run the affairs of the country are only interested in amassing wealth at the expense of Sierra Leoneans.

There is an unspoken disgruntlement among the populace. Even civil society activists are complicit in all of this. Our nation is doomed. The act of corruption by our lawmakers is sinking the economy and draining much needed resources that should lift the people out of poverty into a life of prosperity.

Sometime in 2015, the Mayor of Kenema City Council, Joseph Kaifala exposed the Sierra Leone Parliament in a widely discussed corruption scandal. His budget was withheld, and he faced unmerited persecution. He was summoned to Parliament and later forced to apologize before they could approve his budget. The Anti-Corruption Commission investigated but exonerated Parliament. But what do we expect from an institution that is itself struggling with the same mess.

If we allow the status quo to continue, then, our nation will undoubtedly fall below the already deplorable state that we currently find ourselves. Those who should nip this unfortunate situation in the bud are missing in action. Embezzlement of state funds and accumulation of ill-gotten wealth is commonplace whenever the SLPP government takes over governance.

They rigged the June 2023 elections in broad daylight, but we know their mission was to continue what they have been doing-soliciting funds from MDAs to bankroll their illegitimate regime. Some of us would not rest on our oars until the right thing is done even if it means laying our lives for the general good. The Anti-graft agency is very unimpressive when it comes to fighting government corruption. Their selective amnesia is not helping the situation. Their best prey is the opposition All People’s Congress (APC). We need another Moses to save us. Julius Maada Bio and his henchmen are the worst thing that has ever happened to Sierra Leone.

We need to speak with one voice if only we are serious to lift this country out of poverty into a life of prosperity and dignity.

In conclusion therefore, we should ceaselessly work for the attainment of all to see that graft is eradicated not only from the House of Parliament but all other institutions of government. Until then, the struggle for better representation in parliament continues.