Sierra Leone Telegraph: 8 November 2019:
The Parliament of Sierra Leone yesterday, Thursday 7th November 2019, passed into law with some amendments – the Bill entitled: ‘The National Commission for Social Action Act, 2019’, following a debate on a Report presented by a joint-committee.
The parliamentary joint-committee chaired by Hindolo M. Gevao MP, had scrutinised the Bill and address many of the concerns raised earlier by MPs, including the composition of the Board, as well as ensuring that NACSA is placed under the direct supervision of the vice president rather than the president.
The aim of the National Commission for Social Action Act 2019, is ‘to provide for the establishment of the National Commission for Social Action as a permanent agency of Government which will be responsible for the promotion and implementation of community-based, sustainable social protection and development programmes and to provide for other related matters’.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on NGOs and NACSA – Mustapha F. Sellu MP, said that “in spite of the concerns raised by MPs, it has pleased President Bio in a cabinet conclusion that NACSA should be placed under the direct supervision of the Vice-President”, whilst calling for the inclusion of the Financial Secretary in the management board, with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security also retained as a board member.
Dr. Alhaji Kandeh Yumkella MP, said that “NASCA should be placed under the direct supervision of the President, who in turn should delegate to the Vice-President”, adding that the board should be composed of experts in development.
Sidie M. Tunis MP, the Leader of Government Business in allaying the fears of Dr. Yumkella, said that “due to the exemplary performance of the Vice-President and in light of the New Direction to make the Office of the Vice-President more functional, it has pleased President Bio in a Cabinet conclusion to place NACSA under the direct supervision of the Vice-President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Hon. Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh”.
The Acting Leader of the Opposition, Ibrahim Ben Kargbo MP, supported the decision of the government to bring forward a law that formalises NACSA as a permanent agency of government, with responsibility for undertaking development activities in every District in the country.
Parliament was adjourned to today, Friday 8th November 2019, when the Minister of Finance – Jacob Jusu Saffa will present the government’s Budget and Statement of Economic and Financial Policies for the Financial Year 2020, for debate by MPs.
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