Diompillor America - News around the Kissi Community

29 October - Review of Sierra Leone Media Reports29 October 2007 UNIOSIL/PIO
[Disclaimer: Excerpts below are from print media and news agency dispatches. UNIOSIL cannot vouch for the accuracy of the media reports].
PMDC, SLPP mend fences
A front page story in the Concord Times newspaper reports that the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC), and the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) supporters, who were at daggers drawn in the town of Niahun Buima in the Kenema district, had agreed to put an end to their differences and work towards peaceful coexistence. The paper reports that the PMDC Regional Organising Secretary, David Keikula Samai, paid tribute to “all stakeholders” in the chiefdom, particularly tribal authorities for their initiative in working for peace and reconciliation. Samai, the paper further intimates, said although the PMDC and the APC were in an alliance, that did not mean that PMDC was dead as a party. “The alliance with the APC was to allow for a peaceful democratic transition” and to remove the structures which divided Sierra Leoneans as a people. Section Chief Moray Kojo of Dakpana Section, the paper further states, called on all forces of division to unite for the sake of national development. All parties, the paper goes on, pledged to work with the new President Koroma’s administration in spite of whatever political affiliations they might have had before the elections. Ruling APC party chairman of Mano Junction, Mohamed Bangura, the paper says, lauded both the SLPP and PMDC for their peace building initiative.

President Koroma poised to retake Yenga
President Ernest Bai Koroma is reported in the New Vision to have vowed that his All Peoples Congress government would vigorously pursue the land dispute in the border town of Yenga, at the summit of Heads of State of the sub-regional organization, the Mano River Union. The story goes on to reveal that President Koroma made the assertion on Friday, 26 October 2007, while addressing a twenty-two member delegation of the Makona River Union at State House; and underscored that every avenue would be exhausted to resolve the Yenga issue once and for all. He reportedly recalled July this year, when he was prevented from entering Yenga, citing security reasons; an indication that the matter was yet to be resolved despite assurances from the erstwhile government of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party. The story quotes President Koroma as reiterating, “this time around, we must take moves that will bring us to a definite end. We cannot wait any longer. We must resolve it peacefully.” The Makona River Union was an initiative of residents in the Moa and Makona River basin within the Mano River Union, supported by West African Heads of State, to maintain peace and security in the sub-region. Regional Chairman of the Union, Francis Tengbeh, disclosed that there were eight hundred thousand Sierra Leoneans, Guineans and Liberians living in the area, adding that each member of the organization maintains his/her nationality and that the Union’s constitution prohibits anybody or group from using one country for the purposes of creating instability in another country.

Sacked ACC Chief demands end of service benefit
Erstwhile Head of theAnti Corruption Commission (ACC), Professor Joko Smart, who was shown the exit door some two weeks ago, has demanded a colossal sum of Le214 million from the government as an end of service benefit for the two years he served at the helm of the Commission. According to Standard Times, while staff of the ACC were calling on the government to investigate the former ACC henchman for what they called questionable dealings during his term in office, Mr. Joko Smart was putting pressure to bear on the government to settle his end of service benefit. The report continues that disgruntled employees of the ACC had catalogued a number of concerns ranging from maladministration to other vices, which they wanted the government to investigate rather than succumbing to Professor Joko Smart’s pressure by approving his claims.

Information Minister and colleagues face media
Two newly sworn Ministers of Energy and Power; and Presidential and Public Affairs have told journalists of their Ministries policies and plans of action at a maiden press conference hosted by the Minister of Information and Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo. Addressing the press, Alhaji I. B. Kargbo, told the media that a press conference of such nature would be conducted weekly not as propaganda machinery, but a vehicle to made available factual information to the public on the activities of government. He said the regular press briefing is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to create a culture of civilized politics in which the government would not refuse to talk to the people, but would embrace every opportunity to disseminate facts about the government and its programmes. The Minister of Energy and Power, Haja Hafsatu Kabah told journalists that the long awaited Bumbuna Hydro electric project would be completed by 2008 as 90% of work had been completed; and the funding gap of Euro 30 Million been made available by the donor community. In the interim, she said the government had completed arrangements for emergency power supply in Freetown, which is expected to be in operation by December this year as a temporal measure until Bumbuna becomes functional. Presidential and Public Affairs Minister, Alpha Kanu, said the government was going to be very transparent and would encourage continuous dialogue with the people. “We are prepared to listen to the people all the time to help us correct ourselves if we want to go wrong” The New Citizen quotes him as saying.

SLPP in crisis - Paper Claims
A front page story in The Exclusive newspaper reports growing divisions within the opposition SLPP over the party’s leadership, following the resignation of the former leader and the party’s standard bearer, Solomon Berewa in the recently concluded elections. Several names, the paper claims, were being bandied around to fill the leadership void among which the paper says were former junta head of State Rtd. Brigadier Maada Bio, John Leigh, (both contested the party’s leadership with Solomon Berewa in 2005) and Maigor Kallon, a former foreign minister in the 60’s. The paper quotes party sources as saying “we are not going to make the same mistake. This time round, we are going to ensure that the leader we shall present to the people meets all the requirements”. The paper quotes party sources as saying that “the fitting candidate for the leadership slot should be rich, young and marketable”. The chairman of the party, Unisa N.S. Jah is serving as the party’s leader until a substantive is elected “some time next year.”
Minister vows to restructure education system

Newly-elected Minister of Education, Dr. Minkailu Bah last week disclosed that his Ministry was contemplating reforming the present 6-3-3-4 system of education in the country. He reportedly reiterated that the current crop of school children was a disgrace, which he attributed to the lack of quality education, New Vision narrates. According to Dr. Bah, the value of education in the past could not be matched with the present system, where scores of school children cannot speak or write correct English in schools and colleges. In order to correct the anomaly, the former Head of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at Sierra Leone’s premier University, Fourah Bay College, underlined the need to bring together all stakeholders to chart a sustainable way forward. He maintained that despite the daunting challenge, he was optimistic that the current appalling educational system would be enhanced by creating access, increasing enrollment in schools in addition to providing trained and qualified teachers. According to the story, Dr. Bah held the view that increase in enrollment matched with increase in qualified and trained teachers would no doubt enhance improvement in the educational system. He reportedly concluded by affirming that all the lofty dreams would be realized if stakeholders commit themselves by giving the Ministry the required support and cooperation.
(Compiled by UNIOSIL, Public Information Office)