Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh has announced the payment of all backlogged salaries owed to All People’s Congress (APC) Members of Parliament, in line with the Agreement for National Unity.

In a public statement on Thursday, the Chief Minister attributed the move to “the gracious kindness of President Julius Maada Bio,” noting that the payment fulfills Resolution 4 of the peace pact. “Today, we are happy to inform all fellow Sierra Leoneans that the backlog salary of all APC MPs has been paid. This was part of the Agreement for National Unity. I told you, together,” he wrote.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over the functioning of the Tripartite Recommendations Steering Committee a key structure established under the Agreement for National Unity to improve transparency, inclusivity, and integrity in Sierra Leone’s electoral process.

In a formal letter to the Chief Minister, who serves as Chair of the Committee, Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr expressed frustration over what she described as “structural and operational shortcomings” that she believes are undermining the Committee’s mandate.

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Mayor Aki-Sawyerr, one of the 24 members of the Steering Committee, said that while she remains honored to serve, the Committee has not operated according to its Terms of Reference or Mode of Operation.

She cited the absence of a functional work plan, the non-existence of operational sub-committees, and the lack of a platform for members to contribute to the constitutional review and legal reform processes.

According to the Mayor, of the 24 bi-weekly meetings planned for the first six months of operations, only seven have been held since the Committee’s inception in July 2024, two of which involved development partners and external observers.

She also raised concerns over the recruitment process for the Secretariat’s Coordinator, claiming that members were not informed and only learned about the appointment through social media. “There is no regular reporting of the Secretariat’s activities to the Committee,” she wrote, calling for greater transparency and member inclusion in decision-making.

The Mayor’s letter further revealed that similar concerns have been voiced by other members. On June 19, 2025, the Executive Director of the Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI)  also a member of the Committee made a second appeal within the same month for a meeting to discuss the Committee’s Terms of Reference. His calls, like the Mayor’s, have reportedly gone unanswered, with no meetings held since May 29, 2025.

Mayor Aki-Sawyerr urged the Chief Minister to urgently operationalize the Steering Committee in line with its founding principles. “The oversight role of the Steering Committee is absolutely necessary, and it is imperative that it be exercised,” she stressed.