By Africa 24

The All People’s Congress (APC) Member of Parliament from Lungi Port Loko District, Hon. Aziz Bangura, has expressed his gratitude to his colleagues in Parliament for placing a hold on the proposed 5% increase in the price of rice in the country.

Shifting a focus on public debts by the country, he referred the House to Page 6, Paragraph 15 of the budget, thus emphasizing that Sierra Leone is currently at its highest level of debt distress, which he described as extremely risky.

Hon. Bangura also presented a comparative analysis of the debt accrued under the two major political parties, the APC and the SLPP.

He said under the APC government, from 2007 to 2018, Sierra Leone’s total debt amounted to Le 15 billion, that is an accumulation of over ten years.

In contrast, he stated that, the SLPP government, from 2018 to 2024, has accumulated to Le 36 billion in just six years.

He argued that this disparity demonstrates the APC’s superior debt management compared to the SLPP.

Hon. Ibrahim Aziz Bangura further highlighted that, 55% of Sierra Leone’s revenue  allocated to debt servicing, a situation that leaves little room for development.

He revealed that despite the SLPP government taking on more loans, citizens still face severe challenges, such as the lack of sustainable electricity.

He noted that the government still owes money to the Karpowership, even after increasing electricity tariffs by over 300% yet electricity supply remains inadequate.

The MP accused the government of attempting to rebase the GDP to secure more loans and improve its image with international financial institutions like the IMF and the World Bank. However, he warned that this approach would plunge Sierra Leone into deeper economic distress with dire consequences.

On economic challenges and on the Call for a Living Wage, Hon. Ibrahim Aziz Bangura pointed out that despite claims of economic growth, Sierra Leone’s minimum wage remains stagnant at Le 800, while a bag of rice costs over Le 1,000.

He noted that 92% of Sierra Leoneans are food insecure, youth unemployment remains high, and the population is struggling to survive.

He called for a transition from the current minimum wage to a living wage to alleviate the suffering of the people.

Addressing Transportation Challenges, as a representative from Lungi, Hon. Ibrahim Aziz Bangura highlighted the urgent need for budget allocations to procure two ferries to improve transportation between Lungi and Freetown.

He lamented that it has been over six months since two ferries, reportedly purchased from Banjul, arrived in Sierra Leone, but they have yet to be operational.

The current ferries, he argued, are outdated and unreliable, leaving many residents stranded. He emphasized that most Sierra Leoneans cannot afford the $5 fare for private sea transport like the Sea Coach, nor could they bear the financial burden of traveling through Port Loko to reach Freetown.

He appealed to His Excellency the President and the Minister of Finance to prioritize the procurement of more ferries, noting that while plans for the Lungi Bridge are in progress, its completion is years away.

In conclusion, Hon. Ibrahim Aziz Bangura addressed the deplorable state of the Tagrin road, which has been included in the national budget for the past six years with no progress.

He criticized the practice of deploying construction machinery during by-elections only to remove them once the elections are over, leaving the road untouched.

Hon. Ibrahin Aziz Bangura urged the government to take immediate action to fulfill its budgetary promises and address these pressing issues for the benefit of the people of Sierra Leone.