OVERVIEW OF THE COMMITTEE DEPARTMENT:
The Committee Department in the Sierra Leone Parliament was established by the Parliamentary Service Act of 2007. The Department has an administrative structure headed by a Director, with Deputy Director, Principal Clerk, Senior Clerk and Clerk of Committees.(Note: The position of Deputy Director, Principal Clerks, and Senior Clerks have remained vacant for years.).
To provide efficient and effective clerical and administrative support services for Parliamentary Committees.
Result-oriented Parliamentary Committees, based on proactivesness, team work and proficiency.
The Committee Department has the key responsibility to assign Clerks of Committees to various Committees in Parliament in order to carry out their oversight responsibilities in the MDAs.
A Parliamentary Committee is a small group of Members of Parliament created and empowered by Parliament to perform specified tasks. Committees consist of Members drawn from recognized parties in Parliament based on the strength of the parties in Parliament. (Section 93 (5) of 1991 Constitution). Committees hold their meetings in Parliament but may convene outside the precincts of Parliament with the permission of the Speaker.
In all Parliaments in the world, the functions of Parliaments are performed through the Committees of the House. A great deal of the business of the House is therefore transacted in Committees. It may be difficult to consider in detail on the floor of the House the legislative, oversight and deliberative functions of Parliament. The composition, terms of reference, powers, functions and procedures for conducting Parliamentary business in Committees are regulated by the Standing Orders (S.O.) of Parliament.
The proceedings of the Committees are recognized as proceedings in Parliament. The House generally enjoys full protection under the Constitution for proceedings in plenary, which by extension cover proceedings in Committees. The proceedings in a properly constituted Committee of the House are therefore proceedings of Parliament.
The oversight functions of Parliament are performed by the following category of Committees called Sessional Oversight Committees, which includes the following;
Sessional Oversight Committees (Section 93 (2) of Constitution)
The functions of the Sessional Select Committees are provided in the Standing Orders of Parliament (S.O. 70 ff). There are also constitutionally mandated Committees as listed below;
That notwithstanding, oversight powers under Section 93 subsection 3 of the 1991 Constitution have been extended to:
SERVICES OFFERED TO MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
HOW TO UTILIZE SERVICES AVAILABLE:
All Members of Parliament are free to contact any Clerk of Committee, or the Director of Committees for assistance.
DEPARTMENTAL EXPECTATION:
TO ENSURE ALL PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES ARE RESULT ORIENTED THROUGH EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
DESIGNATION | PERSONNEL | PHONE | OFFICIAL EMAIL |
---|---|---|---|
Director of Committees | Mr. Julius Moriba Songa | 076-786725 | jm.songa@parliament.gov.sl |
Committee Clerks | Ibrahim Jalloh | Ibrahim.jalloh@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Mohamed Koroma | mohamed.koroma@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Alie Kamara | a.kamara@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Kemoh Marrah | kemoh.marrah@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Augustine Sesay | augustine.sesay@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | David Saffa | david.saffa@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Rita Sesay | rsesay@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Mahmoud Barrie | mahmoud.barrie@parliament.gov.sl | |
Committee Clerks | Chernor Sulaiman Bah | chernor.bah@parliament.gov.sl |
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