Tihun Village
By Ralph Sesay in Tihun
Residents of Tihun Village, Sogbindi Chiefdom, have blasted the detractors of their son, President Bio, as he sets to put the country on track.
Speaking to nightwatch, over the weekend at Tihun Village, Paramount Chief Stephen Bayon and the elder brother of the President Bio, Mr. Mark-Mos Bio, expressed disappointment over what they referred to as vicious rumours making the rounds about the President’s health.
They noted that they are not happy about the lies being traded on his health, noting that their son is hale and healthy. They expressed satisfaction regarding the way the President is steering the ship, especially on his track record in ending impunity to state corruption.
They expressed happiness that their son is fighting to ensure politics is not view edas an opportunity to enrich one’s self. They said it should be a means to serve the people.
“We know that President Bio and his team are fully aware that they will face similar wrath, at the end of their tenure, if they also engage in corruption,” the villagers unanimously noted.
Paramount Chief Stephen Bio recounted developments in Tihun village. He cited the provision of solar lights and the immediate restoration of GSM communication in the area, which Africell and Orange spearheaded.
Africell has a very crystal clear reception in the community and is currently running free calls in the area.
The Paramount Chief also disclosed that the health sector is pretty good, as drugs and ambulance services are available. The high infant mortality rate, that was prevalent in the community, has been reduced greatly and deliveries at the Community Health Center have also improved, the Paramount Chief noted.
Midwife of the CHC, at Tihun, Jennifer Sargie, noted that they have been able to cut down on teenage pregnancy and the high infant mortality rate. This, she said, is due to their outreach sessions they hold in different communities and the strong community stakeholder engagements.
She noted that local fines are being imposed on people who give birth at home.
On the educational front we were told that Tihun has three schools, two primary schools (R.C. & N.I.M. Primary School and the St. Joseph Junior Secondary School)
We visited these schools and noticed that the structures of both the R.C. Primary School and the only Junior Secondary School are housed in the same area. They are just two buildings of about three classrooms each.
The two structures are largely inadequate for such a huge school going population in the village. The structures are dilapidated and need serious improvements, especially so when we are about to witness the start of the free and quality educations cheme, which is expected to swell up the numbers.
The story is worse for the Gbanda Kemoh Junior Secondary School at Matuo Village. The school is unapproved and has 152 pupils.
According to the Principal, Mr. Mohamed Sufian, the structures are adequate to house more pupils but government should approve the School which has 16 teachers including him.
Paramount Chief of Gbanda Kemoh Chiefdom, Madam Melrose Forster Gberie, appealed to government to consider the youths who are pivotal in the Saturday cleaning exercise. She noted that the support from council is not very adequate.
The once renowned Bumpeh High School in the Bo chiefdom is also largely dilapidated as it is the case with other schools in the area. A very good number of schools are not approved in the area.
Many have noted that Bonthe District, and, by extention the President’s home, is seriously constrained with regards appropriate school infrastructure and the area is flooded with community schools.
Sensitization about the Free and Quality Education is not effective as many school heads, this medium spoke to, have only recounted having met with Members of Parliament in the area and other local stakeholders on the Free and Quality Education.
The construction of the Matru-Jong Bo road, if done with the urgency it requires, will redeem the area known for cross chiefdom border trade.
Since the awarding of the contract and the subsequent bush clearing and grading of the road, no moves have been made to start the road works.
A senior resident of the area, who wants to remain anonymous, has disclosed that the award of the road contract, to First Tricon, was a mistake by Government as the company has not completed any good road since they came into the country. Government, according to him, should have expedited this road by awarding it to a company that has a good track record to do quality roads on time.
It will be recalled that First Tricon Construction company was awarded the Pujehun-Gbondapie road by the previous administration and since then the road work has gone at a terribly snail pace.