The Deputy Leader of the opposition in Parliament who serves as Acting Leader Hon. Daniel Brima Koroma representing Koinadugu District has called on the incumbent party to reconsider the Mamamah Airport project.

He said constructing it will create more jobs and revenues for the country.

Hon. Koroma made this appeal on the ruling party on Thursday 18th July, 2024, in the Well of Parliament.

That was during the ratification and singing of the following agreements which include, bilateral relationship on Air Services Agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, dated 3rd December, 2023.

The ratification also includes the agreement for Air Service between the government of Sierra Leone and United Emirates for the services between and beyond the respective territories, dated 23rd October, 2014.

A bilateral agreement between Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the government of Sierra Leone; Air Transport agreement between the Republic of Sierra Leone and the government of the Republic of Singapore, dated 26th December, 2013.

Reference was made on the administrative package for ratification of protocol amending article 59 (a) of the convention on International Civil Aviation, dated 2016 and administrative package for ratification of protocol amending Article 56 of the convention of International Civil Aviation dated 6th December, 2016.

Hon. Koroma argued that Sierra Leone does not need cash to own an airline, but only needed the political will and bilateral agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and manufacture ring companies.

He also called on the present government to reconsider the issue of Mamamah Airport construction arguing that having only one airport in the country is not much an ideal situation.

Making referencing to other countries, he said, some have three or four airports operating.

Hon. Koroma said having an airline in the country, will create more employment and revenues for the country.

He said being that Lungi International Airport had been avoided by some travellers, therefore, he sees nothing wrong to have another airport, Mamamah Airport.

The Airport, Hon. Koroma said, it shouldn’t be a political issue, adding that it will benefit every Sierra Leonean.

He noted that the aforesaid agreements are no means controversial and therefore pleaded with the other MPs to speedily ratify the agreements.

He stated that the best way Sierra Leone will benefit from the above-mentioned agreements is to have its own airline.

He encouraged MPs both from the ruling and opposition party to ratify the agreement and make sure Sierra Leone benefits from the agreements rather than allowing other people to benefiting from the country’s aviation sector.

Responding to comments, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, who presided over the sitting, elected for the second time, agreed with the acting opposition leader’s submission describing his points as salient.

As a nation, Hon. Tawa Conteh said “we need to come together and try to equate ourselves with other countries in the sub-region referencing our neighbouring country Ghana.”

He said few years ago they Ghana was behind us, but now the Ghanians are ahead of us.

As a result, the Speaker said there is a need for us to engage as a country and  find out what had gone wrong and work hard for us to bounce back or make Sierra Leone a greater nation.

The Chief Whip of the incumbent party refuted the acting opposition leader saying that President Bio’s government should not continue with the Mamamah Airport project because it was not started by the present administration.

Hon. Rogers stated that if the Mamamah Airport project construction had been started by the previous administration, the present government would have continued with it.

But he advised his colleague MPs to still debate and look into it, the Mamamah project.