Freetown, July 9, 2026: The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, has called for greater transparency, accountability, and stronger parliamentary oversight in the approval and implementation of major energy agreements.
Speaking during Thursday’s debate on proposed amendments to the Bekongor Hydroelectric Power Project agreements, Hon. Kargbo questioned the rationale for altering contracts ratified as recently as 2023 without first reviewing their implementation. He urged Parliament to examine why the original agreements had not been fully executed, the justification for increasing the project’s generation capacity from 120MW to 150MW, the financial implications of the amendments, and the reasons behind changes in the project developer’s identity.
The Opposition Leader also raised concerns over the omission of key provisions from the original agreements, particularly those relating to dispute resolution, arguing that Members of Parliament were unable to make a comprehensive comparison before considering the amendments.
Hon. Kargbo cautioned against sacrificing parliamentary scrutiny in the pursuit of investment, stressing that Parliament has a constitutional responsibility to ensure long-term agreements protect Sierra Leone’s interests and deliver lasting benefits to citizens.
He further called on the Parliamentary Committee on Energy to strengthen its oversight role by regularly monitoring ongoing projects, engaging developers, and reviewing agreements that fail to meet agreed milestones. Additionally, he urged stricter monitoring of tax and customs waivers granted to investors, including requiring beneficiary companies to submit detailed Bills of Quantities to ensure incentives are used for their intended purposes.
Hon. Kargbo emphasized that his intervention was not aimed at discouraging investment but at promoting responsible governance, safeguarding public resources, and ensuring energy projects deliver meaningful outcomes for Sierra Leoneans.
Source: APC Strategic Communications Unit