By Musa Paul Feika

The Speaker of the House of Parliament, Hon. Sengepoh Solomon Thomas, has accused the Government Printing Press of clandestinely tampering with and inserting clauses and phrases into laws made in the House of Parliament before final publication by the House.

‘I have learned after laws are made in Parliament, people go to the Government Printing Press and insert clauses and phrases that are not part of the law,’ Sengepoh Thomas said.

The Speaker made the statement on Tuesday, 28th May, 2024, in the Well of Parliament during the amendment of the bill titled: “Industrial and Trade Union Act of 2023” that should be amended to “Industrial and Trade Union Act of 2024”.

Initially, the said bill was presented in the House of Parliament by the Minister of Labour and Social Employment, Mohamed Rahman Swaray. The bill was sent to the Legislative Committee for the necessary amendments and was eventually enacted into law.

It is now called the “Industrial and Trade Union Act of 2024”, replacing the “Industrial and Trade Union Act of 2023”.

Deliberating on the bill, the acting leader of the opposition party, Hon. Daniel Brima Koroma representing Tonkolili district, suggested to the House to set a special committee for the supervision of the laws before their final submission and publication or being gazetted.

The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, and Deputy Leader of Government Business in the House of Parliament, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, informed the House that there is already a committee, the Legislative Committee, which should play that role.

Responding, the Speaker ruled for MPs, instead of lawyers, to be included in the committee.

Buttressing, the Chief Whip of the opposition party, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, said the dubious act of tampering with the law has affected an institution that is almost about to close, which institution he did not name.

Speaker Thomas instructed and directed Hon. Bashiru Silikie to include seven (7) MPs as members of the committee.

According to the Speaker, the committee should be chaired by the acting leader of the opposition party, Hon. Daniel Brima Koroma.