Opposition Questions 2024 Budget Prioritization Amidst High Presidency Allocation

Opposition Questions 2024 Budget Prioritization Amidst High Presidency Allocation

Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, Sierra Leone’s Opposition Chief Whip, has voiced significant concerns regarding the government’s 2024 budgetary allocations, specifically noting that the Office of the President was allocated 291 million NLe, an amount that surpasses the combined budgets of several crucial public service ministries.

In a statement released on 3 December 2025, Hon. Kamara detailed the allocations for key sectors: agriculture at 40 million NLe, basic education at 79 million NLe, and health at 172 million NLe. He argues that this budgetary imbalance suggests a policy stance that prioritizes executive funding over critical sectors—agriculture, education, and health—which are foundational to the nation's long-term development strategy.

This breakdown has reignited public and parliamentary scrutiny over whether the 2024 budget adequately supports the country’s stated national priorities, including the Human Capital Development initiative and the Feed Salone agenda. The disparity in funding has drawn considerable public attention, particularly since agriculture, education, and health are officially designated as central pillars of the government's development framework.

Kamara's intervention underscores intensifying public discourse on budget fairness and transparency, especially as the administration promotes various national development flagship programs. His remarks signal that parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of government expenditure are likely to heighten in the upcoming budget review sessions.