The Parliament of Sierra Leone on Tuesday, 25th March 2025, engaged in an intense debate over the Bill entitled the ‘State-Owned Enterprises and Governance Act 2025’, aimed at advancing the progress and development of Sierra Leone.
The Bill seeks to establish a framework for effective ownership and governance of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), providing clear guidelines and standards to ensure transparency, accountability, and good governance in their operations. Additionally, it aims to improve economic management, promote fair competition, and enhance public trust in the government’s management of public resources, while addressing other related matters.
Presenting the Bill, Deputy Minister of Finance, Bockarie Kalokoh, explained that the Government of Sierra Leone owns approximately 24 state-owned enterprises. Despite the government’s efforts, these SOEs face several challenges impacting their operations. He emphasized that the Bill was introduced to reform the operations of SOEs, highlighting that its policy focuses on enhancing transparency and accountability, and ensuring efficient service delivery across Sierra Leone.
During the debate, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Honourable France Amara Kaisamba, noted that while state-owned enterprises had previously performed well, their performance had since declined, prompting the government to privatize certain entities. He commended the Bill as a significant step towards the much-needed reform of SOEs.
Honourable Catherine Zainab Tarawallie, representing Bomabli District, pointed out that SOEs have not been taking Parliament and the people of Sierra Leone seriously. She singled out Sierratel, stressing that proper management and attention could solve many of the nation’s challenges. She further urged the Ministry of Finance to clarify the model used when selling government-owned entities to private individuals.
Honourable Engineer Fallah Tengbeh from Kailahun District expressed frustration over the poor performance of SOEs. He remarked that the inefficiency of SOEs led to the creation of the National Commission for Privatization, emphasizing that functioning SOEs should contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economic growth.
Opposition Chief Whip, Honourable Abdul Karim Kamara, raised concerns about the budget allocations to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), which he believed were hindering their operations. He urged that institutions tasked with generating income must operate effectively for the nation’s development, stating that the lack of infrastructure investment would continue to hinder performance.
In his contribution, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Honourable Daniel Brima Koroma, emphasized that the issue of SOEs, addressed by the Bill, is of public interest. He called for SOEs to be invited to explain their inefficiencies, while also highlighting a few success stories, such as the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, National Petroleum, and Rokel Commercial Bank, which could serve as models for others. He suggested that the Bill be sent to the Legislative Committee for further scrutiny.
Rounding up the debate on the government bench, Deputy Leader of Government Business, Honourable Saa Emerson Lamina, stated that the Bill now belongs to Parliament and should undergo proper scrutiny to ensure it benefits the people of Sierra Leone. He acknowledged the financial instability noted in the Bill, particularly in relation to clause 23, which addresses performance contracts in the sector. Lamina called for a thorough examination by the Legislative Committee.
In response, Deputy Minister of Finance 2, Bockarie Kalokoh, assured Parliament that all raised concerns would be carefully considered.
Using Standing Order 51(1), the Bill was referred to the Legislative Committee for in-depth examination before its final passage into law.
