As a party that is determined to reclaim governance, the All Peoples Congress (APC) must not forget where they came from, those that guided them, and literally fed them. The party must not forget who brought them back into governance after their last democratically elected president was overthrown to be followed by a president from the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) in an election that was alleged to have been manipulated to give the SLPP candidate an advantage to claim electoral victory overseen by the then Brigadier Julius Maada Bio. The party must not forget Ernest Bai Koroma.
The use of social media to address critical issues that affect the party has seen many elders, executives and former party leaders embarrassed by social media personalities cropping all over the internet. This has led to a situation where there is no respect for authority. It can be recalled that one or more social media types associated with the APC are notorious for not only using motherly invectives against all and sundry but for also being obstinate and acting in a very condescending way towards men and women of honour in the party that are supposed to be held in very high regard.
If the APC expects to reclaim State House and repeat or exceed the successes of the Ernest Bai Koroma regime, then who better than EBK himself that should be encouraged, engaged, and celebrated? This is the time for EBK’s ideas, expertise, connections, sources, and wisdom to be courted. He should not be forgotten in the wilderness that he has been forced to live since he was accused of being part of those convicted for planning to overthrow the government by unlawful means on 26 November, 2023.
The failure of the Maada Bio regime to make any meaningful impact on the nation’s economy is a political disaster. After six years on the helm the head of state is on record that neither he nor anyone else will be able to solve the nation’s economic problems. But this is the same economy that Ernest Bai Koroma, then working with scraps, made a stunning success of. Under EBK revenue and expenditure were rationalised and waste reduced, which created fiscal space to operate.
Under EBK’s astute handling of the economy according to Dr Kaifala Marah, the APC government was able to halt domestic borrowing, which action if left unchecked at the moment, crowds out the private sector and escalates domestic debt. The best President Sierra Leone has ever had reduced domestic interest rates from 27 per cent to below 5 per cent and brought inflation down from 12 per cent to 6.4 per cent. It was under EBK’s rule that we saw the largest roads infrastructural projects that delivered over 1,000 kilometres of paved roads that created jobs for thousands of young and people with the requisite training and or education irrespective of origins or leanings.
Electricity was restored to the darkest city in the world in under 100 days after EBK took office. Water was brought to Kenema, Kailahun, Pujehun, Bo, Makeni, Port Loko, Mile 91, and Kabala. In terms of energy, 50MW was delivered from the Bumbuna hydro dam alongside additional projects like the Charlotte, Bankasoko and Makali hydro, solar parks, barefoot women’s solar project, 6MW in Lungi, 8MW in Kono, and the facilitation of the CLSG power supply network.
Sadly, none of the farsighted president’s successes was sustained and pursued by the current regime that has not been able to deliver the kinds of successes EBK delivered. Instead of making things better the Maada Bio led government keeps making things harder almost every day. This government regime has made a mess of things and should be shown the exit door. Therefore, the APC cannot be so caught up in their intraparty squabbles for members to now forget EBK’s continued relevance and importance to the party’s ambitions to reclaim State House.
Ernest Bai Koroma is a household name. Here is the only former democratically elected president of Sierra Leone that is still alive and well. He still has the acumen and love for the party and country for him to make a great impact, even from retirement, and from Nigeria. As the party is finally coming together to plan a way forward that starts with peace and unity in the ranks, then the ex-president must be high on the list of people to be used on the campaign trail.
While it might not be possible for the old man to enjoy the fruits of his labour by living and being buried here under the current dispensation, the very same social media that was being used to break the party apart can and should now be used to bring Ernest into the play. As the festive season draws nearer, people should call the old man to wish him well. Those so inclined and can afford to should make personal trips to him to let him know that he is still valued, missed, loved, admired and needed in our journey to set Sierra Leone right back on track to the progress that he made us realise is possible.
Any excuse by any executive or president that the economy is unfixable should be met with details of how President Ernest Bai Koroma performed miracles by using the same scarps he was given to make a success of our economy.
By right EBK should be at Makeni enjoying the fruits of his labours. But Nigeria is not the end of the world. All hands are therefore called to be on deck to not forget EBK. Anyone that ends up being the party’s flagbearer would do well if he plans on using EBK as a draw card at campaign rallies. Just his voice and smile alone can win votes! Lonta!