Sierra Leone News: Candidate nomination fees to be debated in Parliament

The Speaker of Parliament, Honourable S.B.B. Dumbuya, yesterday called on the Leader of House and Government Business, Hon. Leonard F. Fofanah, to expedite the process of debating the Statutory Instrument on the Nomination fees by next week.
The proposed nomination fees for Presidential Candidates is Le30 million, Members of Parliament – Le3 million, Councilor – Le500,000, Mayor/District Chairperson – Le1,500,000 and Village Headman – Le250,000, which will form part of the Laws of the country within 21 days without annulment by Parliament.
The nomination fees Order 2017 was tabled by the Deputy Minister of Justice, John Arrow Bockarie, in the presence of the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed N’Fah-Alie Conteh.
The Motion to begin debate on the nomination fees proposed by National Electoral Commission (NEC) was raised by the Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament, Hon. Ansumana Jaia Kaikai of Constituency 087, on 19 September 2017 and seconded by MP Foday Rado Yokie representing Constituency 068 Bo district.
MP Kaikai stated that the nomination fee document that has been laid on the table should be looked into properly by Members of the House.
“In fact, I will move further by saying that I move that this document be debated by Parliament under the relevant Standing Order,” he said. “Standing Order 34 that the Instrument being debated before the expiry date of 21 days. This document is dead on arrival,” he maintained.
AMK/19/9/17
By Alhaji M. Kamara
Wednesday September 20, 2017.