By Ragan M. Conteh

Members of Parliament from the Committee on Transportation headed by Hon Maada Lebbie have accused the shipping companies of reaping off Sierra Leoneans’ monies.

Making his submissions the Deputy majority leader of government Business in Parliament, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, said shipping companies are reaping off Sierra Leoneans by imposing exorbitant charges on them.

Hon. Silikie made the statement on Wednesday 7th August, 2024 during a committee sitting at Committee Room one in Parliament.

As a result, the deputy majority leader was left with no option, rather he ordered all shipping companies who have been clandestinely collecting monies from people going against the Financial Act of 2024 to refund those individuals.

Hon. Bashiru said the exorbitant charges requested by shipping companies are causing commodities to skyrocket in the country.

Hon. Silikie cited section 93 (3) which gives the committee in parliament to allow MPs to inquiry into the activities of Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) focusing more emphasis on defaulting agencies.

He assured that the committee would ensure that they correct anomalies so that next Financial Act of 2025 will extremely be clear.

Hon. Silikie said even though the government is trying to control the inflation, prices are moving unprecedentedly in the country.

“We all know this is the country of law and this is the house that makes laws and do follow ups through its oversight functions. We as people’s representatives are bound by law to protect the interests of Sierra Leone. The fact that we are encouraging business people for their businesses to thrive, we are also discouraging citizens not to take the laws into their hands.”

“We seat here because our people voted for us,” Hon. Bashiru explained.

He said they had briefed President Bio about the proceedings, adding that the supreme arm of government, the executive and the judiciary, also have enormous powers to effect change in the business sector.

“If we don’t keep to our promise to the people of Sierra Leone, the people will vote us out. As Parliamentarians, we are going to take our rightful place of governance,” he assured.

He promised to hold series of meetings meant to address the situation in the port.

“We are going to ensure that if you are doing business with us, you do it within the spirit of the law stressing that the law is supreme. If you not are pleased with the law, it is better for you to come to Parliament to review the laws,” he cautioned.

As a representative of the people, he said, they will not allow people to circumvent the law as the law is the law.

“As lawmakers, we have made frantic effort to make laws to ease the burden on our people, but with all of the laws enacted, we have not seemed any improvement,” he noted.

During the proceedings it was revealed that some of the shipping companies operating in Sierra Leone including WACA Sierra Leone limited, M.S Mediterranean Seas shipping companies among others had been levying extra charges at higher prices on owners of unloading containers.

The leader of government business asked requested shipping companies to refund monies collected starting from January 2024 to supposedly individuals or the government.