Koidu: The Chairman elect of the just concluded Kono District Council (KDC) election Finda Diana Konomani over the weekend took the oath of office, administered on her by the Permanent Secretary of Rural Development in presence of President Ernest Bai Koroma and Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana at the Koidu City Football Field.

Chairman for the occasion, Idaru Kalokoh, said Kono is the first District to produce a woman as Chairperson of a District Council and referred to the day as history in the making.  The day itself he observed would serve as a double edge sword that will also see the handing over of site of roads in Kono to the contractors

GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, STATE HOUSE
TOWER HILL, FREETOWN. SIERRA LEONE
MEDIA ADVISORY

CODE:   SH/28/11                              21st MARCH 2011

KONO DISTRICT COUNCIL CHAIRMAN SWORN INTO OFFICE

Koidu: The Chairman elect of the just concluded Kono District Council (KDC) election Finda Diana Konomani over the weekend took the oath of office, administered on her by the Permanent Secretary of Rural Development in presence of President Ernest Bai Koroma and Vice President Samuel Sam Sumana at the Koidu City Football Field.

Chairman for the occasion, Idaru Kalokoh, said Kono is the first District to produce a woman as Chairperson of a District Council and referred to the day as history in the making.  The day itself he observed would serve as a double edge sword that will also see the handing over of site of roads in Kono to the contractors.

Speaking, the Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure Alimamy Koroma told the large gathering, that Kono was making history as Diana assumes office as first Chairperson  of a District Council. Kono, he said is part of Sierra Leone and not forgotten as Kono people thought. President Koroma he told them has heard their cries and the day will change the history of Kono through infrastructural development forever.

The Minister informed that Kono has been given a full dose of 20 kilometers of road construction, unlike other big towns like Makeni, Bo and Kenema that got only 10 kilo meters each.

Resident Minister East, William Juana Smith presented the Chairperson, to the President, his Vice president Samuel Sam Sumana and the Kono people. He referred to the occasion as an epoch making one and gave a background profile of Diana Konomani
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In her inaugural address Diana Konomani said the occasion is historic and expressed thanks to President Koroma, Vice President Sumana and all those in general who had contributed to her success. She noted that the presence of the President is a clear indication of his love and commitment for the people of Kono.
She acknowledged that the building of Kono will require time and patient and said that her Council will focus on education and teen age pregnancy. She promised that the Council’s limited resources will be wisely and transparently use.

Finda Diana Konomani, called on everyone to come together and work for the development of the country as a whole.

Representatives of Paramount Chiefs and Members of Parliament all commended Diana and promised to work with her Council in line with Government Agenda for Change.

Director General of SLRA Munda Rogers, informed that in addition to the high way road Kono will be provided with 10 kilo meters of roads inside Kono, plus other feeder roads.

Speaking, President Koroma, expressed his happiness to attend the occasion and the warm welcome accorded to him and his entourage. He said the victory of APC in the elections has proved that Kono is not that same of yesterday and that the party is gender positive.

Government, he noted will continue to support Diana as the APC stands for the development of the nation.

With regards to roads construction, he said government was there to commission the roads in Koidu. He also spoke on health, agriculture and education. Roads infrastructure, noted that Kono network will surpass that in Makeni, Bo and Kenema. He also informed that the Kono road project will cost up to US$90,000,000M and that government has started plans for electricity in Kiodu and its environs.

President Koroma called on the Kono People not to take the law into their hands but rather to work together for development.

As part of his visit the President also visited the Kono Power Plant at Simbakoro, where he was taken on a conducted tour of the Plant by the Deputy Minister of Energy Martin Bash Kamara. The six megawatts plant when completed later this year the Minister informed, will serve Kono and its environs.

En route to Freetown President Koroma commissioned the Nimiyema Chiefdom Community Bank in Njiama Sewafe, had a stopover at Masingbi where he spoke to the people of Masingbi and environs in a big meeting organized by Paramount Chief Bai Kruu and Member of Parliament Mabinty Forna.

Together with the Vice President the President also made another stopover and spoke to the people of Makali and Matotoka.