Freetown, Sierra Leone, July 31, 2026 –
Opposition Member of Parliament representing Western Area Urban, Hon. Unpha Sorie G. Koroma, has strongly criticized the Government’s increasing dependence on borrowing, warning that the country’s fiscal strategy could undermine private sector growth and long-term economic stability.
Speaking during the debate on the 2026 Supplementary Appropriation Bill in the Chamber of Parliament on Friday, Hon. Koroma argued that the supplementary budget reflected the Government’s inability to effectively implement its original 2026 national budget.
He noted that the original budget was presented under the theme “Enhancing Domestic Revenue Mobilization for Sustained Economic Stability and Improved Revenue Generation,” while the supplementary budget is now anchored on “Strengthening Budget Credibility to Safeguard Macroeconomic Stability and Protect the Livelihoods of Citizens.” According to him, the change in theme clearly demonstrates the economic and fiscal challenges confronting the Government.
While acknowledging that external factors such as rising global fuel prices and inflation have affected economies around the world, Hon. Koroma maintained that the Opposition has a constitutional responsibility to hold the Government accountable for its management of the country’s finances and to provide constructive oversight.
Turning to domestic revenue performance, the opposition lawmaker expressed concern over the Minister of Finance’s disclosure that revenue collected during the first half of 2026 fell below target due to weak performance in Goods and Services Tax (GST), customs and excise duties, and road user charges.
He questioned why Government revenue continues to underperform despite the high volume of commercial activities taking place at the country’s ports. According to him, heavy movements of trucks and cargo destined for neighbouring countries suggest that revenue collections should have been much higher.
Hon. Koroma further raised concerns over reports that some transit containers allegedly fail to leave Sierra Leone and are instead offloaded within the country, with their contents sold on the local market without the payment of the required customs duties. If such allegations are accurate, he said, the country is losing substantial amounts of much-needed revenue.
He therefore called on the National Revenue Authority (NRA), the Customs Department, and the Sierra Leone Ports Authority to tighten monitoring mechanisms and ensure that all transit cargo is properly tracked and accounted for.
The Western Area Urban MP also criticized what he described as the Government’s excessive reliance on domestic borrowing to finance the fiscal deficit. He argued that continuous borrowing from commercial banks deprives the private sector of access to affordable credit because financial institutions prefer investing in Government Treasury instruments.
According to Hon. Koroma, this trend discourages private investment, limits business expansion, reduces job creation, and ultimately weakens economic growth. He warned that excessive borrowing creates a cycle in which Government is compelled to expand public sector employment, increasing the national wage bill and forcing the country into even more borrowing.
He urged the Government to prioritize stronger domestic revenue mobilization, eliminate revenue leakages, and reduce unnecessary borrowing in order to place Sierra Leone on a more sustainable economic path.
Hon. Koroma also questioned the decision to reduce budgetary allocations to key sectors such as agriculture despite the Government’s continued promotion of the Feed Salone initiative. He stressed that agriculture remains vital to ensuring food security, creating employment opportunities, reducing food imports, and driving economic transformation, adding that any reduction in funding should be clearly justified.
He further emphasized that adjustments in the health sector must result in tangible improvements in healthcare delivery, including the availability of essential medicines, stronger health services, and better outcomes for citizens.
Concluding his contribution, Hon. Koroma acknowledged the impact of global economic pressures but insisted that the Government must focus on addressing domestic revenue leakages, strengthening customs administration, improving accountability at the country’s ports, and creating an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish.
His remarks added a strong opposition perspective to Parliament’s ongoing deliberations on the 2026 Supplementary Budget, with renewed calls for prudent fiscal management, transparency, and sustainable economic policies.