By KABS KANU :
Holidaymakers returning to the diaspora from Freetown are commending President Ernest Bai Koroma and the ruling All People’s Congress ( APC ) for the outstanding progress they saw in Sierra Leone where they spent the last Christmas and New Year holidays.
One of them, Madam Marie Turay, who is an active participant in the social media, said she spent Christmas at Binkolo . These were her exact words : “Good Morning Sir. Hope all is well. I was in Sierra Leone for a month and I came back on the 16th. The Western side of the country is beautiful. The eastern side is overcrowded because of the traders, motor bikes, taxis and poda podas.. One can hardly move around eastern police and kissy Road. The President is beautifying the country.” She also said :” I spent Christmas in Binkolo. I had great fun being around my people. Binkolo got street lights and the town is lively.”
THE PENINSULAR HIGHWAY
She added that President Koroma has great love for his country and is not bothered by detractors.
Mr. Pavi Jalloh of New Jersey returned yesterday and was profuse in his commendation of the progress Sierra Leone is making under President Ernest Bai Koroma’s leadership. He said : “Oh, my God, Reverend, there is a lot of progress going on in Sierra Leone ” He too however talked about the traffic at the East End which hindered him from collecting newspapers for me from John Baimba Sesay, who took four bundles of newspapers to the ferry port for me. Somebody else returning from holidays would have to deliver the papers.
THE FREETOWN-GRAFTON HIGHWAY : COURTESY PAVI JALLOH
Ms. Fatmata Kamara of New York said she was in Bo and Kenema and spoke about the streets in both townships that have been paved or constructed by the Government. She said she did more Christmas shopping at the Kenema Mall for her relatives .
THE HIGHWAY TO THE PROVINCES : COURTESY PAVI JALLOH
Amadu Jalloh of New York said he spent Christmas in Kabala and showed pictures of street lights in the town.
BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
What was most fascinating about their reports was the news that electricity is now constant in Sierra Leone . Throughout the holiday season, they said they enjoyed an uninterrupted flow of electricity.
Many of the people who spoke with me said they were appalled at the negative stories being peddled on the social media by detractors. “De Pa don try ..You can see a new Sierra Leone emerging, but oh ya, Salone man ungrateful. Too much politics ” .
Many people returning from Sierra Leone do not believe that President Koroma is receiving all the credit he deserves for the magnificent work he is doing in Sierra Leone. The opinion of people is that if Sierra Leone had been a country that has not been consumed by ugly partisan politics which is blinding anti-APC zealots to the truth, President Koroma would have been esteemed far more than what is being seen, because, according to them, no other president in the history of the country has delivered this number of development projects in Sierra Leone.
“We know that the SLPP and other dissident elements are too hungry to return to power . But at least, they should give the present government the credit it deserves for developing the country “, Fatmata Kamara averred . She regrets that dirty partisan politics has overshadowed patriotism.
COCORIOKO , your rebranding newspaper, is on top of this story and will bring you full details and photos brought by holidaymakers.
PHOTO : Signal Hill , Freetown
