By Ragan M. Conteh

The Sierra Leone People’s (SLPP) party, female Member of Parliament, Hon Mariama Sonia Zombo from Pujehun District, has given a notice of Private Member Motion for the prohibition of early marriage in Sierra Leone.

According to Hon Zombo, the Private Member Motion is to ensure the prohibition of early marriage which provides and aims for the protection, prevention and compensation of victims of early marriage in Sierra Leone and other related matters.

She stressed that the private member motion will also seek to bring together laws that specifically designed to protect underage girls in the country.

Hon Zombo stated that in Sierra Leone there is no law that specifically formulates rules to protect girls from early marriage and that the said present bill tends to bring all laws to ensure early marriage becomes a thing of the past in Sierra Leone.

Reacting to the MP’s notice of motion for a private member motion for the prohibition of early marriage in Sierra Leone, the Speaker of Parliament Hon Sengepoh Solomon Thomas, thanked the female MP from Pujehun District for pushing forward the notice of such a motion bill.

The speaker said under his watch, he had encouraged all MPs from both sides to emulate the example of Hon Zombo by bringing progressive bills through a Private Member Motion in the Chambers of Parliament.

He went on that such bill when passed into law will give not only the MP who had brought the bill to parliament wider recognition but to also the entire house.

The speaker revealed that bills should not only come from the executive armed of government but also from members of parliament who think some laws should be enacted through a private member motion.

He, therefore, urged Hon Zombo to do the needful regarding the motion she had raised in the Well, adding that the house will look forward to the bill.