PARLIAMENT FREEZES MDA SALARIES
By: Gibrilla Kamara
Members of Parliament have taken punitive action against several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that failed to appear before Parliament for the 2026 Appropriation Bill hearings.
On Thursday, 19 December 2025, lawmakers expressed strong dissatisfaction over what they described as a deliberate boycott of the budget scrutiny process by some MDAs. MPs condemned the absence as a blatant disrespect for parliamentary procedures and an affront to the constitutional authority of Parliament.
During plenary, legislators warned that the failure of MDAs to submit themselves to fiscal scrutiny undermines transparency, accountability and democratic governance. They stressed that budget hearings are a critical component of Parliament’s oversight responsibility over public finances.
As a punitive measure, Parliament resolved that one month’s salary of the defaulting MDAs be withheld, effective 1 January 2026. The Appropriations Committee reported that several MDAs ignored scheduled hearings without providing any official explanation to Parliament or the public.
Deputy Speaker Hon. Tawa Conteh emphasised that budget scrutiny is a vital element of parliamentary oversight and cautioned that no institution is above the law, reaffirming Parliament’s commitment to enforcing accountability across all public institutions.