VOICE FROM MATEBOI–Elephant Ebola Finally Crucified in Tonkolili – Kaleidoscope of President Koroma’s Recovery Priorities Launch
By: Jonathan Abass Kamara
The Independent evaluation about the death or crucifixion of the Ebola in Magburaka, Tonkolili district is not unconnected with the slogan of the President Recovery priorities: “Ebola Don go; Leh we make Salone Grow”.
The event for the growth of Mama Salone took place less than 24 hours after the commissioning of power supply to the entire Magburaka Township in a jam-packed District Council compound clouded by Paramount Chiefs, Religious Leaders, Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentarians, Diplomats and Civil Society organizations among other dignitaries.
In my estimation, and in case you want to ask why the President decided to choose Magburaka for the launching of his Recovery priorities, in a simple language, I will say it is a national launching, and with the Tonkolili district being centrally and strategically located to the east, south and north borders, it makes sense for making the travelling of Paramount Chiefs and others from the south, the east, the north and even Western Area easier, but coming again to the clarion call of the President that “Ebola don go! Leh we make salone grow we should by divine faith believe that the launching of his priorities in Magburaka is the final end of Ebola, and to make Sierra Leone grow is not in the hands of donors but ourselves Sierra Leoneans with a sense of patriotism.
Messages
Exploring messages on that historic day, starting with President Koroma;s four major sectors for the second phase of his priorities: The health sector, education, social protection, the private sector, one would clearly see his vision for the growth of Sierra Leone.
He noted the major cause of our water crisis as the disregard for our conservation areas for which we have a role to play in reversing environmental damage. That his government is committed to increasing access to energy, thereby improving the living conditions of 250,000 families and individuals around the country. Turning his pendulum to improvement in education, the Education Ministry he said will train over 40,000 teachers, build new classrooms and introduce a national feeding programme for primary schools using a catalyst for job creation. He opined that with the current collaboration between the Agriculture and Trade Ministries 10,000 more agricultural jobs would be provided, with a targeted support for 1,000 micro small and medium enterprises to enhance competitiveness. Governance issue he noted is one of our greatest challenges as a government and a nation in the year ahead as we work collectively to eliminate corruption in our society. The special attention to improving the operation of the Freetown Port, improving the process of drugs procurement and distribution, and ensuring long-term payroll system sustainably and with accountability staring with the education and health sectors would yield national dividend as demonstrated in the fight against Ebola.
Thanking the wider international community for their support, he noted that the Recovery priorities represent an investment in our people, our infrastructure and new way of working within government and across Ministries, departments and agencies, waving optimistically in the air to bid Ebola a final goodbye to his grave.
Paramount Chief Charles Caulker
The Representative of all Paramount Chiefs across the country on the Podium on behalf of his colleagues described President Koroma as the ‘Architect of modern Sierra Leone’.
World Bank Country Manager
He described President Koroma as a strong, good, focused leader working with local communities, and his priorities, an Agenda for prosperity that now serve as a template to move Sierra Leone forward. He spoke on access to finance, staff motivation, and a call for an excellent land policy, improved education system, certified rural roads network, fertilizer importation, and power of technology, compliance and accountability among few other key concerns.
UNICEF Representative
He commended the President for the establishment of the National Pharmaceutical Procurement Unit (NPPU) Taskforce and community engagement to maintain a resilient zero.
Finance Minister
The Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Momodu Kargbo reassured the President of his Ministry’s support to the 2nd Phase of the Recovery priorities.
Diplomats
Rep[resenting the Diplomatic Corps, Nigeria High Commissioner to Sierra Leone while throwing her voice on behalf of her colleague diplomats commended President Koroma’s leadership and vision to move the country forward.
Civil Society
“We remain committed in high spirit to execute monitoring and to ensure transparency and accountability with support to the delivery team.
These and many more were all the fine deserving sentiments expressed to an action-oriented dynamic President whose dream is to exit honourably with growth and development for the poor, the destitute, the venerable and the haves and have – nots living in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone once the Anthens of West Africa now renamed by some political analysts, “modern Sierra Leone”, looking at EBK’s mirror for sustainable development.
Bringing the curtain down with President Koroma’s slogan “Ebola don go; leh we make salone grow! To add my voice, my message in our lingua – Franca is:
Ebola don go
Gee we plenty kot hart
Put we pan yagba
We nor de sleep na net
Bye-bye oh Ebola!
Bye-bye!
Na you back we wan see
Bye-bye!
