We are, as a matter of fact a progress nation, especially so within the last sixty months. We have come a long way, despite where President Koroma took over from, the mantle of state leadership. From an Agenda for Change to an Agenda for Prosperity, we keep moving and doing more and will continue doing more and more.
On Thursday, October 18th President Ernest Bai Koroma officially presented his party manifesto to the people of Sierra Leone ahead of the November polls. The said manifesto has key areas that should be explained to our people, given that what President Koroma achieved in five years should always be related to the recently launched manifesto, titled, ‘Transformation for National Development’. We have often argued that Sierra Leone is in a transition and this transition is one that is being led by President Ernest Bai Koroma himself.
We all will agree that prior to 2007, Sierra Leone as a post war nation had a lot of challenges that needed, at the time, the type of political will that President Koroma successful provided when he was elected in 2007. As such, we saw what we were able to achieve in roads, in the provision of energy and power, in the fight against corruption in the provision of human right, youth employment, information and communication and even in agriculture. We also saw the tremendous achievements we scored as a country in health care, in the protection of the environment, in education, mineral resources, not to mention the wok that is in progress at the moment even at a time that the President is seeking reelection.
The 2012 party manifesto, presented by President Koroma contained areas dealing with the economy, in terms of efforts to bolster it, it also has in place plans on how to maximize and sustain benefits from Sierra Leone’s natural resources, coupled with plans to improve on the country’s service delivery aspect, and the need to promote and empower the vulnerable in society. It also takes into account the determination of this President and government, when reelected in November, to deepen Sierra Leone’s democracy and new politics, plus the need to promote strategic foreign policy and international cooperation.
In the area of strengthening macroeconomic and financial management, we all will agree that the world still keeps facing financial and banking challenges, plus the challenge of creating more and sustainable jobs to absorb our unemployed youths, among other challenges. It is therefore the determination of President Koroma to put efforts together, aimed at developing a robust and healthy economy, as well as intensifying the fight against corruption, and at the same time, diminishing reliance on food imports. It is also the determination of this government, when reelected to improve on the aspect of procurement and contract managements. Strategies for this include but not limited to pursuing policies that enhance peace and stability as well as those that promote donor confidence. It is also the plan of government to ensure the improvement of the business climate in the country by putting in place and implementing appropriate laws and administrative measures, coupled with plans to ensure, more measures are instituted to control inflation and ensure that public borrowing from the central bank allows money to flow and bolster the private sector.
The need to scale up agricultural productivity is also another major component of the manifesto. We know that by 2007, the government of President Koroma increased investment in this sector from a small and discouraging 1.6% IN 2007 to 10% in 2011. This, in itself is a boast in the sector, given that it is one of the backbones of the country’s economy that contributes about 46% to our Gross Domestic Product. It also supports the livelihood of two thirds of our population. Also of importance to note is that the agriculture sector generates about one fourth of the export earnings of Sierra Leone. So President Koroma’s decision to give more attention to this sector is in line with his desire for a better and improved Sierra Leone.
The objective of President Koroma, as contained in his party manifesto for agriculture, is to sustain the promotion of commercial agriculture, through the smallholder commercialization programme, as well and working towards enhancing support for mechanization, coupled with the need to increase transfer of innovative skills and knowledge to farmers. Strategies have been put in place to actualize this dream by President Ernest Bai Koroma. The aspect of irrigation will be encouraged so as to increase cultivation of inland swamps and create incentives for fish farming. Another strategy is to improve research and extension service deliver, plus the desire to continue promoting efficient and effective resource management bot at the human and material levels in the sector.
Posted by Cocorioko Newspaper on October 19, 20120 Comment
By John Baimba Sesay :
We are, as a matter of fact a progress nation, especially so within the last sixty months. We have come a long way, despite where President Koroma took over from, the mantle of state leadership. From an Agenda for Change to an Agenda for Prosperity, we keep moving and doing more and will continue doing more and more.
On Thursday, October 18th President Ernest Bai Koroma officially presented his party manifesto to the people of Sierra Leone ahead of the November polls. The said manifesto has key areas that should be explained to our people, given that what President Koroma achieved in five years should always be related to the recently launched manifesto, titled, ‘Transformation for National Development’. We have often argued that Sierra Leone is in a transition and this transition is one that is being led by President Ernest Bai Koroma himself.
We all will agree that prior to 2007, Sierra Leone as a post war nation had a lot of challenges that needed, at the time, the type of political will that President Koroma successful provided when he was elected in 2007. As such, we saw what we were able to achieve in roads, in the provision of energy and power, in the fight against corruption in the provision of human right, youth employment, information and communication and even in agriculture. We also saw the tremendous achievements we scored as a country in health care, in the protection of the environment, in education, mineral resources, not to mention the wok that is in progress at the moment even at a time that the President is seeking reelection.
The 2012 party manifesto, presented by President Koroma contained areas dealing with the economy, in terms of efforts to bolster it, it also has in place plans on how to maximize and sustain benefits from Sierra Leone’s natural resources, coupled with plans to improve on the country’s service delivery aspect, and the need to promote and empower the vulnerable in society. It also takes into account the determination of this President and government, when reelected in November, to deepen Sierra Leone’s democracy and new politics, plus the need to promote strategic foreign policy and international cooperation.
In the area of strengthening macroeconomic and financial management, we all will agree that the world still keeps facing financial and banking challenges, plus the challenge of creating more and sustainable jobs to absorb our unemployed youths, among other challenges. It is therefore the determination of President Koroma to put efforts together, aimed at developing a robust and healthy economy, as well as intensifying the fight against corruption, and at the same time, diminishing reliance on food imports. It is also the determination of this government, when reelected to improve on the aspect of procurement and contract managements. Strategies for this include but not limited to pursuing policies that enhance peace and stability as well as those that promote donor confidence. It is also the plan of government to ensure the improvement of the business climate in the country by putting in place and implementing appropriate laws and administrative measures, coupled with plans to ensure, more measures are instituted to control inflation and ensure that public borrowing from the central bank allows money to flow and bolster the private sector.
The need to scale up agricultural productivity is also another major component of the manifesto. We know that by 2007, the government of President Koroma increased investment in this sector from a small and discouraging 1.6% IN 2007 to 10% in 2011. This, in itself is a boast in the sector, given that it is one of the backbones of the country’s economy that contributes about 46% to our Gross Domestic Product. It also supports the livelihood of two thirds of our population. Also of importance to note is that the agriculture sector generates about one fourth of the export earnings of Sierra Leone. So President Koroma’s decision to give more attention to this sector is in line with his desire for a better and improved Sierra Leone.
The objective of President Koroma, as contained in his party manifesto for agriculture, is to sustain the promotion of commercial agriculture, through the smallholder commercialization programme, as well and working towards enhancing support for mechanization, coupled with the need to increase transfer of innovative skills and knowledge to farmers. Strategies have been put in place to actualize this dream by President Ernest Bai Koroma. The aspect of irrigation will be encouraged so as to increase cultivation of inland swamps and create incentives for fish farming. Another strategy is to improve research and extension service deliver, plus the desire to continue promoting efficient and effective resource management bot at the human and material levels in the sector.
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