Sierra Leone Parliament to Transition to E-Parliament With World Bank Support

The Parliament of Sierra Leone is set to transition to an e-Parliament, significantly digitizing and transforming its core functions into a paperless system.

This initiative, supported by the World Bank, aims to shift the Parliament’s operations from a traditional manual system to a digital framework, reducing administrative costs associated with stationery, fuel consumption, and excessive human resource energy.

It will also facilitate the production of accurate and easily accessible parliamentary documents for members.

A delegation from the World Bank and the Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project recently provided a comprehensive update to the Rt. Hon. Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, regarding the digitalization efforts.

The delegation informed the Speaker that the procurement process has been completed and contracts have been signed to commence work on the e-Parliament project.

The e-Parliament initiative is expected to enhance transparency, accessibility, and citizen participation in the parliamentary process. In his address to the World Bank team, Speaker Thomas expressed his excitement about the Digital Transformation Project, emphasizing the Sixth Parliament’s gratitude for the efforts being made to ensure the project’s success.

Speaker Thomas urged the World Bank to expedite the implementation of the project while acknowledging the necessary studies that must precede its commencement. He requested a shorter timeline for the project’s rollout, highlighting the urgency felt by Members of Parliament to see the e-Parliament realized.

Madam Kaoru Kimura, the Technical Task Team Lead of the World Bank, reassured Speaker Thomas of her involvement in the digitalization of the Ghanaian Parliament, which has greatly improved its operations. She praised the Speaker for fostering an enabling environment for the feasibility study of the Sierra Leone Parliament and emphasized the importance of timely project implementation.

Project Coordinator Kumba Musa provided an update on the status of the project, confirming that the procurement process has concluded and contracts have been signed by the Ministry of Communications, Technology, and Innovation. She assured the Speaker that implementation would begin soon, underscoring the commitment to timely execution.

Speaker Thomas reiterated the importance of effective time management in the implementation of the project, expressing confidence that the investment from the World Bank would be maximized under his leadership.