AYV News, May 15, 2025
Following the demise of Hon. Musa Peter Moigua, the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Sierra Leone Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, in consonance with Members of Parliament has demanded for predictable healthcare services for honourablemembers and staff of parliament.
Members of Parliament in solemnity and sombre mood expressed serious concerns over the sudden death of Hon. Moigua and other Members of Parliament who have died in situations that required serious and urgent medical attention.
Announcing the death of the Late Member of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas expressed regrets over the demise of Hon. Moigua, and made a disclosure to Members of Parliament that he had a lengthy conversation with the deceased hours before his demise. “It is sad, he is somebody’s father, somebody’s husband and he is one of us”, he sadly revealed. Speaker Thomas also requested the House to pray for the deceased MP.
Contributing to the announcement, the Opposition Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara from Kambia District disclosed to colleague Members of Parliament that three of their Members are currently battling with their health. “Mr. Speaker, if we are afraid of the people, all the people will do is to replace us when we die”, and stated the names of Members of Parliament who are battling with various sicknesses.
He stressed that colleague Members of Parliament must stand up to demand their healthcare predictability or insurance. “Let me be confident enough and quite sure and ensure that if I have an attack during the course of this work that I am doing, the State can take care of me”, the MP reaffirmed. He explained their challenges and circumstances in tears. He informed that the circumstances relating to their health situations are unbearable, and if it remains as unresolved, more Members of Parliament would die.
Also, Hon. Aruna Massay Ngahinteh from Bo district buttressed the statement of Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara. She made reference to how she battled with her health abroad and commended President Julius Maada Bio for his intervention and support. She expressed that there was no support from Parliament, adding that she is still struggling with her health, costing her personal financial expenses. She sadly narrated to Members of Parliament at the plenary her last discussion with the late MP on the day of his untimely demise.
Deputy Whip 2 of the Ruling Party, Hon. Neneh Lebbie, while recalling what she encountered in Rwanda with her health on official duty, she also demanded healthcare insurance for Members of Parliament.
The Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma thanked President Bio and commended the Minister of Health for their interventions toward healthcare support to MPs. He recalled the healthcare support given to the Late Hon. Moigua by President Bio last year and other MPs, including opposition MPs. He used the occasion to talk about their welfare and spoke about the challenges associated with bureaucratic bottlenecks during the course of soliciting healthcare support for MPs. He said that with the leave of the Speaker, it was timely to appeal to the government to remove some of the bureaucracies in order to give MPs preferential treatments regarding healthcare support. He urged colleague Members of Parliament to embrace provisions in the Parliament Act 2023, adding that those provisions need to be enforced.
The Chief Whip of Parliament, Hon. Dickson Rogers reflected on the generosity of President Bio to support MPs on healthcare. He, however, expressed concerns over the bureaucracies involved in accessing support. He suggested that Parliament have their own budget on healthcare support.
The Rt. Hon. the Speaker earlier categorically stated that President Julius Maada Bio has supported the Parliament more than any other leader in the history of Sierra Leone. However, the Speaker vehemently told Members of Parliament that they now required to have a predictability of healthcare support, in light of reducing unnecessary burden on the President. “We want a situation where, if somebody gets sick, all you need to do is to approach your Leadership, the Leadership approach the Clerk, we do all the papers and we send them down after medical examinations, and we deal with the situations here in Parliament” he affirmed and went on to say “we need some form of predictability”.
Speaker Thomas reiterated that they wanted their own healthcare scheme to be managed within Parliament and referenced to the Parliament Act of 2023. Amidst bureaucratic bottlenecks, he recognised the humane-nature and generosity of President Bio and later called for healthcare predictability for MPs and Staff of Parliament.
In his condolence, the Opposition Leader, Hon. Abdul Kargbo said they are deeply saddened by the passing of Hon. Musa Peter Moigua, a sitting Member of Parliament and the National Organizing Secretary of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).
On behalf of the Opposition in Parliament, he extended their heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family, the SLPP leadership, and their colleagues on the Majority Bench.
He recalled that Hon. Musa Peter Moigua was a dedicated public servant who served his party and the people of Sierra Leone with distinction. “His calm demeanour, respectful engagement, and commitment to national service earned him admiration across party lines. His loss is not only a blow to his family and party but to Parliament and the nation as a whole”, he said.
