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The Ministry of Transport is facing a staggering debt of SLE 737 million related to vehicle procurements for the 2025 fiscal year, as revealed during a recent budget presentation. Deputy Director Haroun Conteh highlighted the ministry’s financial struggles while seeking a total budget of SLE 750.1 million, which includes funding for the Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Directorate of Transport, and the Sierra Leone Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau.
Conteh outlined the ministry’s key goals for 2025, which include completing the Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP), delivering 196 vehicles to district staff, providing 114 new vehicles for ministers, reviewing the National Vehicle Fleet Policy, and developing a government vehicle database. However, despite procuring 241 vehicles over the past two years, only 45 have been delivered due to financial constraints.
The Director of Budget in the Ministry of Finance, Tasima Jah, questioned the decision to continue with these procurements despite the evident lack of funds. This concern was echoed as Conteh explained that the consolidation of vehicle procurement with operating costs had led the Ministry of Finance to view their expenditures as excessive, further limiting their operational budget.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Charles Tom Kamanda, assured that all activities were approved by the Ministry of Finance.
However, the ongoing financial shortfall has significantly hindered the ministry’s ability to execute its planned activities, raising concerns about the feasibility of achieving its 2025 goals.
