The Member of Parliament for Constituency 114 Western Urban, Honourable Dr Unpha Sorie G. Koroma, on Wednesday 25th November 2020 informed the House that despite government’s 11% allocation of the National budget to Health, nothing was provided for the mentally ill persons, neither persons with disabilities.
The Minister of Finance had on Friday 13th November 2020 while presenting the 2021 Appropriation Act, (budget) in Parliament, disclosed that as part of Government’s efforts to address women empowerment, and issues affecting children and persons with disability, they are allocating Le4 billion from the recurrent budget, to the Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs.
Debating the 2021 Appropriation Act (budget), Hon Dr Unpha Koroma expressed doubt on how the mentally ill, persons with disability and the homeless will survivie on a daily basis considering the effect of COVID-19. Even the disabled are mentioned in the 2021 budget in cluster five on the empowerment of women, children and disables, nothing was actually allocated to them, pointing out that the problems of the disabled should be the problems of the government.
Speaking on the issue of the mentally ill persons, he disclosed that there is an outdated law (the 1902 Lunatic Act) that is negatively affecting this category of people, explaining that this Act contravenes all contemporary human rights laws. He called on Parliament to revisit the Act and repeal and amend some of its outdated laws and make it fit for purpose, adding that for far too long mentally ill persons have been neglected.
The Member of Parliament noted that drug abuse is one of the many reasons for mental illness, and called on government to provide enough support for the Drug enforcement agency that is currently operating without a functional vehicle.
In response the Leader of Government Business, Hon Mathew Sahr Nyuma maintained that the budget actually takes care of the vulnerable groups by allocating Le81.1Billion to NaCSA for the implementation of various social protection projects and government is going to provide Le9.7 Billion as counterpart funding to these projects
By Alhaji Manika Kamara