Freetown, 9 April 2025 – A delegation from the World Bank and the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project (SLDTP) on Wednesday briefed the Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, on progress made towards the digitalization of the Parliament of Sierra Leone.
During the meeting, the delegation reported that the procurement process has been completed and a contract has been signed to commence work on the e-Parliament project, which is funded by the World Bank.
The team of experts explained that once implemented, the e-Parliament solution will digitize and streamline the core functions of Parliament by transitioning from a manual, paper-based system to a modern digital platform. The project is expected to significantly reduce administrative costs—including expenses on stationery, toner, and fuel—while enhancing efficiency, saving time, and reducing human resource demands. Additionally, the new system will ensure the production of accurate, easily accessible parliamentary documents for Members of Parliament.
The delegation further noted that the digital transformation will improve transparency, accessibility, and citizen participation in parliamentary processes.
Addressing the team in his Chambers, Speaker Thomas expressed strong support for the project, emphasizing the leadership’s commitment to ensuring its successful implementation. He conveyed gratitude to the World Bank and the SLDTP team for their dedication and contributions to the initiative.
He maintained that the Sixth Parliament is extremely excited about this digital transformation, particularly the realization of an e-Parliament, adding that they are grateful for this investment and will ensure that Parliament fully leverages the opportunities it presents.
He urged the World Bank to accelerate the implementation process, while also acknowledging the importance of conducting relevant feasibility studies beforehand. He noted that MPs are eager to witness the digital transition and reiterated Parliament’s commitment to making the best use of the digital infrastructure.
Madam Kaoru Kimura, the World Bank’s Technical Task Team Lead, assured the Speaker of the Bank’s full support. She referenced her experience supporting the digitalization of Ghana’s Parliament, which she said has greatly enhanced its operations. Madam Kimura praised Speaker Thomas for fostering an enabling environment for the project’s assessment and emphasized the importance of feasibility studies and timely execution.
Providing further details, Project Coordinator Madam Kumba Musa confirmed that the procurement process had been completed and that the contract had been signed by the Ministry of Communications, Technology and Innovation. She assured the Speaker that implementation would begin imminently.
Speaker Thomas concluded by reaffirming his concern over the timely delivery of the project and expressed hope that the execution phase would commence without unnecessary delays.
