By Sulaiman Jalloh
Sierra Leone Parliament on 8th May, 2024, detained Emmanuel Manah, the Director General of the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) alongside two others for contempt of parliament.
According to Hon. Musa Lahai, the chairman of the parliamentary committee on water resources, Emmanuel Manah had refused to honor the committee’s invitation on four occasions, saying such conduct is contempt to parliament.
“ASP [referring to a senior police officer attached at the parliament police station], what you are going to do for us is that you are going to keep DG Manah at the parliamentary police station until we get the water companies. This is the fourth time we have been asking you to bring the water companies so that we can have discussion with them,” the committee chair ordered, adding the discussion was intended to know how the companies are providing water and the quality of water they provide to people, saying that is there responsibility as parliamentarians.
Reacting to the decision of parliament, the Director General of EWRC said that even if he is detained for a period of ten years, he is not bothered, noting he is not a police officer to arrest his staff to bring them to parliament for committee sitting.
“I don’t have the mandate to bring anybody here, I don’t have the mandate to arrest anybody,” Emmanuel Manah argued.
The Director General was escorted by three police officers.
Contempt of Parliament is an act or behavior that obstructs Parliament in the performance of its functions.
