By Nasratu Kargbo
The Leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) in Parliament, Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumekella (KKY) has called on his colleague Parliamentarians to tighten the 2023 budget, saying the country does not have enough money to spend and should therefore cut down expenditures in not so important areas, whilst prioritizing others.
Debating in Parliament on the 2nd December 2022 on the bill entitled ‘’the Appropriation Act 2022’’, Dr. Yumkella said that there is global crisis which may last to 2025, and therefore stressed the need for parliament not to go with the business as usual approach by just approving all that is being proposed by government.
He said the constitution gave legislators the power to appropriate the country’s resources and that they should ensure prioritization.
The NGC leader said in his four and half years as MP, he has never seen parliament reduce or cut on some proposed expenditures by government, and stated that MPs and the government as a whole should be prudent, realistic and deliberate in managing the country’s economy.
He explained that monies should be deducted in some sectors and invested in key areas such as agriculture and education. According to Yumkella the country needs to produce more in order to reduce importation, stressing that if the country produces rice its importation will reduce including inflation.
On some people’s perception that the country has made improvements in agriculture in terms of productivity, he pointed out that improvements can be determined when productivity reflects in the market by lowering price, and low importation amongst other indicators.
He mentioned how the budget for agriculture has been declining each year, and urged in addition to education, agriculture should be prioritized.
Comparing the country’s inflation rate to others across the sub region, he highlighted that Ghana’s is at 40 percent, Nigeria 20 percent, Guinea 12.4 percent, Liberia 8 percent, whilst Sierra Leone is 29 percent and still rising. He explained that other countries have a higher inflation, but despite that, they are doing well because they export products and their exchange rate is not high.
He said Sierra Leone’s food price inflation which is at 35 percent continues to rise, a situation that he stated has worried World Bank and all donors supporting the country. He explained that ascending food price inflation affects the common man, noting that they have other responsibilities like sending their kids to school.
Dr. Yumkella said ordinary Sierra Leoneans are suffering, and he is worried the crisis is being recognized in the document (budget), but claimed nothing has been done to reduce spending.
In proffering solutions on how to ease the suffering of the masses and focus on developmental strides that can create an impact of the people, Yumkella said the government should stop unnecessary travels at least for the next six months.
He said MPs should scrutinize the travel budget of Ministries and cut it down by 70 percent so that money saved, can be invested in other key areas. He spoke of institutions like the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) that received only 5 percent of what they requested. “We have to save somewhere and.. and travelling is one”, he said .
Monies spent on hospitality and workshops should be checked, institutions that do extra budgetary expenditure stopped, and a moratorium placed on some of the roads earmarked for maintenance, and the funds diverted to agriculture, he suggested.
Dr.Yumkella talked about the delay in the process of clearing goods at the Quay that is causing problems for the business community and recommended digitalization of the port systems to ease the problems associated with clearing of goods.
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