By: Elizabeth A. Kaine
The announcement by the Clerk of Parliament, Hon. Paran Umar Tarawally, that a motion to pay backlog salaries for opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) Members of Parliament will be tabled by December 2024 raises significant ethical concerns in the context of Sierra Leone’s ongoing healthcare challenges.
While Parliamentarians prepare to receive compensation for their “delayed entitlements,” doctors, lecturers, and local government officials continue to advocate for improved living conditions. Thus, highlighting a glaring example of misaligned goals within the National budget.
It is disheartening to note that elected officials are poised to accept payments for services not rendered, especially, at a juncture when many healthcare professionals who work tirelessly and selflessly to save lives— are struggling to make ends meet. The plight of doctors, teachers, police officers, who occupy the front row seats in public service, underscores a critical issue: the National budget appears to prioritize political compensation over the urgent needs of those who are essential to public health and education.
The APC’s decision to boycott their parliamentary duties following the 2023 elections, claiming that they “won the election,” further exacerbates the narrative. The decision to boycott Parliamentary sessions was willful and malicious. The collective action of the party tainted the Nation’s democratic credentials and left a dent on the conscience of an already traumatized populace. For citizens to now learn that such people are going to be handsomely rewarded for dereliction of duty in light of such healthcare challenges, is a slap across the face of all deserving public servants.
Parliamentarians being compensated while their counterparts in local government and healthcare continue to face financial uncertainties? This selective payment undermines the principle of equity and fairness in public service.
Hon. Abdul Kargbo’s call for the government to address the entitlements of opposition MPs, while valid in terms of due process, raises questions about the moral implications of such payments in a time of such economic squeeze. Even with an improved benefit package, Sierra Leone health workers will still be amongst the lowest paid within the Sub-region.
As healthcare providers demand better salaries and working conditions, the government’s decision to prioritize political compensation could be perceived as a betrayal of its responsibility to the citizens who depend on these essential services.
Moreover, the APC’s leadership, by opting to accept these salaries after a period of disservice to the masses, sends a troubling message to the electorates. While Hon. Alfred Ayodele Thompson and Mohamed Bangura courageously took their oath to represent their constituents. The APC party’s decision to engage in a protest that ultimately undermines the very constitution they claim to uphold is perplexing.
Paying salaries for un-rendered services while neglecting those who are actively contributing to the nation’s well-being not only sends the wrong message but also risks eroding public trust in political institutions.
The public outcry is not merely about political compensation; it is a call for a fair assessment of priorities in a country where the health and education sectors are in dire need of support. The government must reassess its budgetary allocations and prioritize the acute shortages across the healthcare spectrum. Professionals and educators who continue to serve despite their daily struggles deserve just and timely compensation.
The moral imperative is clear: prioritize those who work tirelessly for the common good of the society over self-serving political operatives who trample the very constituents they are meant to represent. The government should recognize that true leadership is demonstrated through service to the people, especially those who dedicate their lives to the health and education of the nation’s citizens. Failing to address these disparities not only diminishes the worth of public service but also threatens the social fabric of the nation.
Please, let our healthcare professionals breathe!
