FREETOWN — The Parliament of Sierra Leone on Friday, 31 July 2026, intensely debated and passed into law the Supplementary Appropriation Act 2026, aimed at revising budget provisions for government services in the current financial year to support national development.
Minister of Finance Sheku Fantamadi Bangura told lawmakers that the government remains committed to strengthening fiscal policy and revenue mobilisation.
He stressed full compliance by mining companies and other agencies with tax rules, collective efforts to uphold budgetary credibility and sound macroeconomic policies, transparency and accountability, and stabilisation of the exchange rate.
Finance Committee Chairman Hon. Keikura C. Vandy referenced Section 113 of the 1991 Constitution to affirm the legality of the supplementary budget.
He praised the Ministry of Finance and the National Revenue Authority for improved collections, noting wider GST compliance among shops, and disclosed that the government paid US$3.4 million in fuel subsidies in May 2026 alone.
Opposition and independent voices raised several concerns. Hon. Salieu O. Sesay (Bombali) highlighted declining domestic revenue, called for stronger economic measures and better taxation, questioned the large allocation to the Office of the Chief Minister relative to other ministries, and flagged inflation and fuel subsidy issues.
Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, argued that the real test of a budget is whether spending matches stated priorities rather than its overall size.
Hon. Abdul Kargbo, Leader of the Opposition, said the supplementary budget pointed to a weakening fiscal position driven by low domestic revenues, higher spending and heavy commercial-bank borrowing; he also questioned cuts to the Feed Salone Programme despite agriculture being presented as a growth driver.
Other MPs placed the challenges in a broader context. Hon. Mustapha Sellu (Moyamba) attributed much of the pressure to external shocks, including sharp rises in international petroleum prices linked to the Middle Eastern crisis.
Hon. Festus Lansana (Kenema) recalled that when the original 2026 budget was approved, inflation had fallen to 4.4% and the Leone had remained relatively stable, with both official and parallel exchange rates more contained than in previous years.
Hon. Ing. Fallah Tengbeh (Kailahun) backed the bill as necessary to address unforeseen economic and security needs.
Hon. Dr. Unpha Sorie Koroma noted the role of global shocks while insisting the opposition must maintain oversight, and raised concerns about transit containers allegedly being offloaded locally without payment of customs duties, causing significant revenue losses.
Additional contributions focused on specific priorities and management. Hon. Umu Pyne (Moyamba) supported the bill and called for higher allocations to the Ministry of Gender, urging closer coordination with Education and Health to benefit women and girls.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh emphasised prudent public-finance management, citing operational and logistical bottlenecks at the ports and noting that unexpected global fuel-price increases had forced the introduction of a subsidy absent from the original budget.
Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, Opposition Whip (Kambia), stressed Parliament’s duty to scrutinise the supplementary budget carefully and cautioned against hasty contract ratifications without full assessment of long-term economic implications.
Leader of Government Business Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma defended the measure, describing the Finance Minister as transparent and attributing current difficulties to successive external shocks including COVID-19, the global fuel crisis and the Iran-Israel conflict.
He called for a fact-based debate and expressed confidence in the minister’s management of the economy.
Responding to the points raised, Minister Bangura assured Parliament that the government would continue working to overcome the economic challenges and promote growth and development.
