By KABS KANU

The Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh , a man that many Sierra Leoneans admired when he was first appointed to the Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) government for his prodigious academic qualifications and his lofty aspirations as Minister of Education, has suddenly made himself very unpopular as anger and disenchantment with the Maada Bio government escalates in Sierra Leone.

Since he became Chief Minister, Sengeh has got into the habit of making inappropriate and accusatory comments on his Facebook Page and some of his utterances have been described by respondents as provocative, sarcastic and insensitive to the suffering of the Sierra Leonean people.

This week, Sengeh outraged many people in the nation and the diaspora when he blasphemed against the Lord Jesus Christ . Can you imagine him saying that if Jesus Christ was to become head of state of Sierra Leone, he would not be able to fix the country’s problems ? How blasphemous can any man be ? Sengeh also accused churches and mosques of electricity power theft in Sierra Leone.

Sengeh was an admirable man as Minister of Education. In fact, I thought highly of him as an intellectual of the  Oxbridge breed , raised abroad and a man who did not even speak the local parlance, Krio, until I started seeing him engaging people in mean, childish  and petty exchanges in forums. I think Sengeh has so much potentials, but he is not responsible and his uncurbed  youthful exuberance and reckless utterances  have turned people against him.

Being the face of the government now as Chief Minister ,  Sengeh must realize that any statement he makes is a policy statement. He has to be more diplomatic and guarded in everything he says.  As Chief Minister, he  must build systemic and national respect, honor, trust and acceptability. After President Bio, it is Sengeh .Maybe, power has gone into his head because of that  and somebody needs to pull him by his ears to warn him that he is destroying his political career too early.

A SAMPLING OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS ABOUT THE CHIEF MINISTER’S UTTERANCES 

Ishmail Y. Nallo

For Every week you must find a way to exhibit your level of immaturity.

Some of us used to love and admire you but lately you are doing too much.

Bankole Bright

Honestly, when you were the minister of education, you were loved by the majority even the opposition. I can’t just understand why sudden change. The hatred and pressure is too much these days.

Are you concern with this or it’s ok ?

|2024-05-08 09:09:26

This is just a mere and senseless accusations. If such defamed news should come from anybody, Chief Minister should be the last. Am not defending the religious houses at this point but am suggesting that Chief Minister produce evidences to support his accusations. Thanks.

|2024-05-07 23:24:49

Shame to the so called chief minister for accusing religious places. I am calling on the inter religious council of Sierra Leone to step in and called for the minister to resign or else we the people will rise against him

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THE NIGHTWATCH NEWSPAPER REPORT

Chief Minister Accuses Mosques, Churches For Stealing Electricity

By Musa Paul Feika

The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh, has accused mosques and churches, the various Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs), family members and relatives of illegal abstraction, or of stealing electricity.

Chief Sengeh made the statement on Tuesday, 30th April, 2024, during the usual government press briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation at Tower Hill in Freetown.

According to the Chief Minister, the Electricity Distribution Supply and Authority (EDSA) has been running at a loss due to illegal abstraction of electricity by the aforesaid entities emphasising that EDSA have not been receiving payment for the amount of electricity they have been supplying.

He asserted that even if EDSA generated 100 MW (megawatts) they will only be able to supply 80 MW, adding that not everybody will be able to get electricity in Freetown.

David Sengeh assured that the fight against electricity theft is a holistic one, adding that the government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance (MoF) has paid $17 million to Karpowership to supply electricity in Sierra Leone.

He admitted that the government of Sierra Leone has to pay $48 million to Karpowership.

He also affirmed that for the past weeks there is darkness in Freetown and called every citizen to be aware of their responsibility to curb the illegal abstraction of electricity.

The Chief Minister said only Sierra Leoneans can make and change Sierra Leone.

Buttressing, the Deputy Minister of Energy noted that EDSA needs to be reformed disclosing that they are working hard to ensure there is stable electricity supply in Sierra Leone.

He said although most of the engineers and contractors working for EDSA are Sierra Leoneans, not foreigners, there is still illegal abstraction of electricity people or businesses are not paying for.

The Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr Eldred Tunde Taylor, assured that they are currently reviewing the Electricity Act of 2008 for it to be repealed and replaced with a new one that will include punitive measures to be taken against those who are in the habit of illegal abstraction of electricity in the country.