By: Musa Yayou
On Wednesday 1st July, 2026, Members of Parliament have ordered a full investigation into the use of US$3,000 allocated to the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone for the construction of steps at Wara-Wara Mountain in Kabala, as well as two other tourism sites.
Lawmakers are seeking clear documentation on how the funds were used and whether the projects delivered value to the beneficiary communities. During hearing hearings with the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, MPs requested detailed records, including contracts, financial statements, monitoring and evaluation reports, and evidence of completed work under the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) project. Attention during the session was also drawn to the Head of Planning and Product Development at the National Tourist Board, Umaru Woody, as lawmakers questioned who was responsible for planning, supervising, and accounting for the implementation of the projects under the programme.
Lawmakers stressed that the passage of time would not limit parliamentary oversight. “If people can be investigated for crimes committed 30 years ago, then this is certainly not too old for Parliament. We want to know what happened to this money,” Hon. Biloh Shaw said. Officials from the ministry, who also hold planning responsibilities at the National Tourist Board, told the committee that the project was designed as a community-based tourism initiative. He explained that it involved community consultations, memoranda of understanding, capacity-building activities and disbursement of funds for implementation.
Mr. Woody further defended the Wara-Wara Mountain initiative, describing it as an adventure tourism site that does not necessarily require large scale infrastructure such as hotels or extensive commercial facilities. However, MPs said they were not satisfied with the explanations, arguing that the physical evidence on the ground did not reflect the reported expenditure. Hon. Biloh Shaw noted that a foreign visitor reportedly had difficulty accessing the site due to poor pathways, adding that even modest improvements such as steps, resting points, and basic facilities would have made a significant difference.
Another committee member questioned the value for money, stating: “I know that place. Le50,000 could have solved the problem. If US$3,000 was provided, where did the rest go?” Parliament also raised concerns that only a limited number of steps appeared to have been constructed despite the funds reportedly disbursed. Lawmakers called for clarity on how monitoring and evaluation were conducted after the release of funds. Committee members further emphasized that responsibility could not be shifted to local councils or other implementing bodies, insisting that accountability remains with the ministry and its technical leadership.
The committee has directed the ministry to submit all contracts, payment records, implementation reports, monitoring documents, and other supporting evidence relating to the three tourism projects. Parliament vows plans to summon relevant local council officials, including the council chairman and former Chief Administrator (CA), to account for the use of the funds. Lawmakers assured that every Leone spent will be examined until a full and satisfactory explanation is provided on how the US$3,000 was used.
