Newly elected Members of Parliament will begins a five-day induction programme, today, Tuesday 17 April 2018, to support MPs with essential knowledge and skills that will enhance the effective delivery of their roles and responsibilities. Essentially, MPs will learn how to be good MPs.
The program is supported by the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), in collaboration with the Parliamentary Induction Committee.
The Country Representative of WFD, said as a way to enable the Committee that was set up to handle the induction, they supported the in-house trainings, technically supported the design of the program, support the process of developing induction materials and also provided funds for the five-day program.
He disclosed the goal of the induction is to equip MPs with basic knowledge about Parliamentary processes, practices and procedures so as to bring them to speed in exercising their duties, provide MPs with information on available services and supports within Parliament to enhance their roles among others.
“The induction is a five days program that will be staggered for a period of three weeks and day 1 will focus on the launch, chamber orientation, procedures for election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker and dealing with the administrative needs of newly elected MPs,” he said.
He furthered that two days are allocated for the induction of keys areas of parliamentary/legislative work, one day for committee work and engaging parliamentary and committee leadership and another day for a look at thematic issues on inclusion and emerging issues from specific Ministries Department and Agencies.
According to the Senior Public Relations Officer of the Parliament of Sierra Leone, Sheku Lamin Turay, during the induction process the Clerk of Parliament is expected to inform Members of Parliament about the importance of the first sitting pursuant to Standing Oder 4 of the Revised 2006 Operating Procedures of the Parliament of Sierra Leone interned with Section 84 subsection 1, 2 and 3 of the 1991 Constitution.
“They will be informed about the election of the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker which will be the first official function of the House of Parliament, and the recognition of the Leadership of the House,” he said, explaining that the most important issues will be the swearing ceremony of MP’s which will take place before the election of Speaker and his Deputy.
According to him the House of Parliament is to be duly constituted before they have the official commencement of the first session of the Fifth Parliament of the second Republic of Sierra Leone by President Julius Maada Bio where he is expected to deliver a State of the Nation address.
Speaking on the official State Opening of the House of Parliament, the Senior Public Relations Officer disclosed after the election of Speaker and Deputy and the recognition of the various Leadership before a date will be set for the President to address the House and Nation as a whole.
He said Thursday the 19 of April 2018 is the expected date for the first sitting of Parliament, which is also that date on which the House is expected to be dissolve to make way for the 2023 general elections is stipulated by law.
“The proposed date of 19 April 2018 is not the ceremonial State opening of Parliament,” he said.
AMK/16/4/18
By Alhaji Manika Kamara
Tuesday April 17, 2018.
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