By Donstance Koroma
Sources from the office of the Clark of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone , Hon. Param Tarawallie have intimated Forum News SL that the 2024 Appropriation process that commenced on Friday 1st December continued to witness low turnout.
According to a realizable source, the office of the Clark of Parliament was astonished to realize that none of the ministries, departments and agencies that were scheduled to interface with their respective parliamentary committees vehemently failed to make themselves available regardless of the fact that a long notice was issued.
On Monday 4th December, 2023, chairmen of the respective committees were also disappointed owing to the fact that appreciable percentage of excepted Ministries, Departments and Agencies that were supposed to avail themselves for budget scrutiny were absence without excused.
Unto date, the Office of the Clark of Parliament still unable to ascertain the reason behind the low turnout of ministries, departments and agencies.
As it stands, Sierra Leone Parliament is yet to make any public statement with regards any punitive measures for MDAs that deliberate disobey parliament invitation for no just cause to make obvious deterrent.
Clarks of parliament , have also raised eyebrows over the habitual nature of certain MDAs intentionally refusing to face their committees on their schedule dates but rather on dates that pleases them, hence the reason why they (Clarks) are yearning for parliament to discourage such going forward.
By the look of things, its appear that the Clark of Parliament will have no option but to defer 7th December , 2023 that had already be scheduled as a closing date for the 2024 appropriation due to reason stated above .
Chairman for Sub-Appropriation Committee 3, Hon.Salifu Osman Sesay, Bombali district attributed the low turnout of MDAs to the late distribution of questionnaires to MDAs.
According to parliamentary source, questionnaires had long been sent to all MDAs electronically, however, the office of the Clark of Parliament failed to follow up on the MDAs to inform them about the electronic copies sent.
As it stands, all eleven sub appropriation committees are expected to have conclude with MDAs allocated to them on Thursday 7th December, 2023 .
Most of the sub appropriations committees will on Thursday 7th December definitely face huge pressure as majority of MDAs that are yet to face their respective committees may wish to explore the remaining day.
