Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has urged Members of parliament to be bold enough to pass the Safe Motherhood Bill.

The proposed law seeks to protect women’s reproductive rights and the “free will” to undertake abortions of pregnancies.

Although religious (Muslims and Christians) leaders have asked MPs not to sign into law the Safe Motherhood Bill,  which they believe is a version of the previous Abortion Bill of 2015, president Maada Bio has advised for its enactment in parliament.

Mr Bio made the statement on Thursday 23rd January 2025, while addressing critical stakeholders on the bill at State House.

The President expressed frustration over how the bill has been subjected to “unfair grandstanding and misinformation” but, he said” since Sierra Leone is a Secular State, it is the responsibility of MPs not to be timid” but to do what he refers to as the right thing and pass the bill into law.

“Pray that your daughter is not the victim of rape or of a severe medical complication that requires a safe termination procedure, that is when you will know the importance of this bill,” President Bio said.

The President has already declared this year as a year of “bold actions” and has maintained that he remains committed to saving the lives of women in the country.

The Leader of the Legislative Committee in Parliament, Honorable Abdul Marray Conteh, said Parliament has had at least two substantive engagements between the government and critics of the bill.

He informed that the Committee received 18 position papers with 16 in favor and 2 against.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Jalikatu Mustapha, made a compelling case for the bill, highlighting the critical need as it seeks to advance the rights of women and to protect them from all preventable traumas and deaths.

She said the bill has accommodated lots of views from religious leaders and reviews on the document have been made.

A  number of the religious leaders in the country have expressed their strongest opposition to some of  provisions contained in the Safe Motherhood Bill.

Bishop Akintayo Sam-Jolly who spoke on their behalf said up to 50% of their concerns about the bill were being addressed.

The bill is expected to come to the plenary of Parliament next week following a wide range of consultations led by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information and Civic Education.

However, there are deep worries among the people and religious circle of more abortion deaths of infant children and pregnant mothers when the Safe Motherhood Bill is signed into law.