PARLIAMENT ELECTS NEW SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT

Following the resignation of Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu as Speaker of Parliament effective 30/04/2024, the Parliament of Sierra Leone on Thursday 02/05/2024 duly elected Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas as the new Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone assembled, pursuant to Section 79 subsections (1) and(2) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone (Act No. 6 of 1991) as amended in 2013.

After three successive rounds of voting without securing a two-third to elect the Speaker of Parliament, the House went for fourth ballot, given a simple majority and overwhelmingly voted for the Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, who was duly elected as Speaker of the Sierra Leone Parliament, by obtaining 128 (ayes), 10 (nays) or against, 1 void and 6 abstained from voting.

PARLIAMENT ELECTS HON. IBRAHIM TAWA CONTEH, DEPUTY SPEAKER OF THE SIERRA LEONE PARLIAMENT

The Parliament of Sierra Leone, on Thursday 02/05/2024 elected Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh as Deputy Speaker of Parliament, pursuant to Section 80 subsections 2 and 3 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone as amended in 2013 and Standing Order 9 paragraphs 2 and 3 of the rules of procedure in Parliament.

Also, after a successful election for the position of Deputy Speaker, the Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas announced that Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh scored 94 Ayes, 47 Nays, 2 abstained and zero void.

According to the Speaker of Parliament as prescribed in Section 80 in the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh was duly elected as Deputy Speaker of Parliament by simple majority.

ICELAND DELEGATION MEETS SPEAKER AND LEADERSHIP OF PARLIAMENT

The Iceland Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Her Excellency Asdis Bjarnadottir and team comprising visiting Members of Parliament led by Dilja Mist Einarsdottir (Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs), Mr Logi Einarsonon (Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Icelandic Parliament), Ms Elin Rosa Sigurdardottir (Director General of the International Development Cooperation Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Iceland and Head of the delegation) paid a courtesy call visit to the newly elected Speaker of Parliament, Hon Segepoh Solomon Thomas and the Leadership of Parliament on Friday 03/05/2024. In a meeting held at the Speaker’s Board Room, Parliament Building at Tower Hill in Freetown, wide range of bilateral issues including fostering development for mutual benefits were discussed.

PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BOTH ECOWAS AND PAP MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

The Parliament of Sierra Leone has on Thursday 02/05/2024 unanimously adopted the pronouncement made by the Leader of Government Business Hon.Mathew Sahr Nyuma on members of Parliament representing Sierra Leone on both the ECOWAS Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament .

WATER RESOURCES COMMITTEE VISITS GUMA FACILITIES

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Water Resources Chaired by Hon. Musa Lahai on Friday 03/05/2024 week visited various Guma Valley project sites in the Western Area of Freetown, in order to ascertained water catchment areas and projects implementation by contractors.

COMMITTEE ON NaCSA ENGAGES NATIONAL INVESTMENT BOARD

The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on NaSCA chaired by Hon. Mohamed Bello Shaw has on Friday 03/05/2024 in Committee Room One Parliament building, engaged
National Investment Board and it’s sub-agencies, in order to brief Parliament on their operational activities

SPEECH OF NEWLY ELECTED SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT

Honourable Members, I sit before you on this day of our Lord and in the full glare of the citizens of our beloved nation.

Sierra Leone, humbled by this recognition and uplifted by the honour of being elected to the enviable position of the Speaker of the Republic of Sierra Leone Parliament.

I am grateful and humbly accept this role, but I first and foremost want to thank the Almighty God for making this possible because it is only He and He alone that could have made this possible and no man. To him be all the glory and honour.

Permit me also to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Brigadier (Rtd) Dr. Julius Maada Bio and the entire Leadership and Membership of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party for not only nominating me but also believing in my potential to steer the affairs of this great branch of government in supporting our nation’s drive towards our desired development outcomes.
To the outgone Speaker, The Rt. Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu, I say thank you for serving this nation diligently and for distinguishing yourself even during turbulent times. You are and will ever remain a great son of this Land. This nation should not only be grateful to you but should always remember your name. I say thank you to my family, friends and well-wishers for your support and prayers at all times.
I also now heartily thank the leadership and Members of Parliament of the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party, the All-Peoples’ Congress and the Paramount Chief Members of Parliament and by extension the citizens of our beloved nation for giving me this opportunity to serve. It is such an honour to be elected as your speaker.

I am humbled that you would place your faith and trust in me. This election has opened my eyes to so many new perspectives regarding my service to this beautiful nation. I believe this opportunity brings me not only privileges, but rather a greater responsibility. So, I will not rest on my laurels, instead I will consider this a new fold in my service to this Nation, I pledge to provide excellent service to the people we all serve and never to fail, God being my helper.

But to the people of this great home of ours let me hurry to say as I conclude that as I sit here, I want to continue hearing your ideas, getting your feedback and finding out more ways I and the Members of this House can better serve you. Feel free to let us know how you feel and what you are thinking and it is my plea that you don’t judge us before trying to know the motivation behind certain decisions we make and our processes and procedures.
Once more I say thank you. I am truly grateful to Sierra Leone.