By Emma Black
Speaker Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas
Sierra Leone’s Parliament is on the cusp of a tech leap, on Wednesday,9th April a World Bank and Sierra Leone Digital Transformation Project (SLDTP) delegation briefed Speaker Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas on the e-Parliament initiative a bold push to drag the House from paper stacks to a sleek, digital future.
In the Speaker’s Chambers, the team dropped big news the contract’s signed, the cash is World Bank-backed, and work’s about to kick off, this isn’t just a facelift it’s a full overhaul to make Parliament paperless, slashing costs on pens, toner, and fuel while freeing staff from grunt work, expect sharper records, easier access to documents for MPs and citizens, and a legislature that hums with efficiency.
This isn’t just about speed it’s about opening the House to everyone, said a project tech lead. a digital Parliament means more eyes on democracy, more voices in the process.
Speaker Thomas didn’t hide his thrill, this Sixth Parliament’s all in, he said, praising the World Bank and SLDTP’s vision, our MPs are itching to go digital we’ll back this to the hilt, but he nudged hard move faster. Feasibility studies are fine, he noted, but delays aren’t, we feel the clock ticking.
The World Bank’s Kaoru Kimura, who helped Ghana’s Parliament go digital, sees Sierra Leone on a hot streak. your leadership’s paving the way, she told Thomas. Studies ensure we stick the landing, but we hear you on speed we’ll tighten the timeline where we can.
SLDTP’s Kumba Musa sealed the update the ministry of Communications, technology, and Innovation has the contract locked, and boots hit the ground soon., we’re past planning action’s next, she said, Thomas nodded but doubled down on urgency, set real deadlines and meet them.
This e-Parliament isn’t a standalone stunt it’s a pillar of Sierra Leone’s digital governance dream, wiring up institutions for better service and accountability, as Freetown’s lawmakers trade binders for screens, the nation’s watching a tech-savvy House could spark a broader push for progress.