By Kemo Cham
The Sierra Leone government has announced the disbursement of Le33.4billion as part payment of retirement benefits for ex-officials who served in the administration of former President Ernest Bai Koroma.
The government in a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance said the money meant for the former president, his vice president and cabinet ministers, among others, represents 50 percent of what they are owed as end of service benefits and gratuities.
The beneficiaries include 59 officials who served as either ministers or deputy ministers. Also on the list are 44 former diplomats, 38 former heads of agencies and departments, 154 officials who worked in subvented agencies and 74 officials qualified for contract gratuities.
“The amount disbursed represents 50% of the total amount due as payment of severance benefits and gratuities, while arrears due of the monthly pensions have been paid up to 31 May, 2019,” the statement said.
It added that going forward the monthly payment of the officials starting June 2019 would be paid by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust.
The move is expected to lay to rest a major bone of contention between the Sierra Leone People’s Party-led administration and the main opposition All People’s Congress which has made the issue of non-payment of end of service benefits as a key concern among its members who served in the former administration.
But the government blamed the delay in payment in part by the failure of the former administration to provide for end of service benefit in the 2018 budget.
The Ministry of Finance also said this disbursement was made possible by budgetary support from the International Monetary Fund.
© 2019 Politico Online
