By Ragan M Conteh
The Opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Party Member of Parliament, Hon. Lahai Marah, representing Constituency 042 in Koinadugu District, has described the 2020 budget as not been honest and insincere towards the economic realities confronting the people of Sierra Leone.
The APC MP expressed disappointment over the huge increase in the country’s external and domestic debts within just a year of the SLPP regime.
Lahai Marah says after having gone through the 2020 FY budget presented to MPs, he is disappointed over the pittance allocated to teachers indicating that this was provocative to the teachers who are toiling to ensure that the Free Quality Education flagship project succeeds.
Lahai Marah highlighted the fact that several allowances promised to teachers such those for teachers working in remote areas, was never provided for in the budget.
The APC MP also spoke around his apprehensions that the intention of creating jobs for youths and military farms has a political intention largely because, according to him, most of the employment opportunities provided by the New Direction Government are political and have been secured by party loyalists.
He urged government to make the process free from politics.
Hon. Abudul Kargbo representing Constituency 077 in his submission stated that he is not castigating the SLPP government but he is only raising concern around the inconsistency of the budget.
Sahr Francis Bendu of Constituency 027in Kono District, described the 2020 budget as ‘very ambitious’ and commended the 30% increment for teachers.
He urged government to not only include the military in agriculture but also in engineering and construction of feeder roads.
Government, according to him, should budget for modern equipment to be able to bring the military to speed with other militaries in the sub-region.
The C4C MP expressed serious disappointment that the budget has not provided funding for the disability Commission.
SLPP’s Hon. Musa Moiguwa in his own contribution noted that the 2020 budget is in tandem with the SLPP people’s manifesto and also consistent with current trends.
Members of the Sierra Leone Parliament have in the past three days been debating the country’s financial statement for the 2020 fiscal year after it was delivered to the house by the Minister of Finance for parliamentary approval.