The Ministry of Transport is grappling with a significant SLE 737 million debt tied to vehicle procurement, as it outlines its budget plans for the 2025 fiscal year. During a recent budget presentation, Deputy Director Haroun Conteh emphasized the ministry’s need for a total budget of SLE 750,108,000, which would cover the operations of the Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Directorate of Transport, and the Sierra Leone Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation Bureau.
The ministry’s key objectives for 2025 include completing the Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP), distributing 196 vehicles to district staff, providing 114 new vehicles for ministers, reviewing the National Vehicle Fleet Policy, and developing a comprehensive government vehicle database. However, despite procuring 241 vehicles over the past two years, only 45 have been delivered due to financial limitations.
Concerns have been raised regarding the decision to continue procurement without adequate funds, with Director Taslima Jah questioning the ministry’s approach. In response, Permanent Secretary Charles Tom Kamanda assured that all activities had received approval from the Ministry of Finance. Conteh also clarified that bundling vehicle procurement with operating costs has led the Ministry of Finance to view their expenditures as excessive, resulting in underfunding for basic operations, which has hindered the ministry’s ability to meet its goals.
