By Ragan M. Conteh
The Member of Parliament from Kambia, representing Constituency 059, Hon Abdul Karim Kamara, has stated that the speech delivered by President Bio, in the Well of Parliament on May 18th 2021, signifies that the President has nothing much to say.
He furthered that the President did not account for which plans he has implemented, adding that even the free education trumpeted is a mere advertisement. Hon. AKK pointed out that the first three years of the Paopa regime have been more of propaganda than development.
He informed that the free quality education flagship project of President Bio is just a mere slogan and an advertisement. Hon AKK made the submission when debating the Presidential speech in the well of Parliament.
Hon AKK however revealed that President Bio has also recruited military men to best their people in the name of fighting against COVID-19.
He continued that the lack of beds, in hospitals, is because “our government is busy buying SUV vehicles” instead of using those monies to procure beds and other health materials.
He disclosed that the health sector has serious challenges, especially at a time like this when people are still paying Le350,000 just to see a medical doctor.
Hon AKK informed that the Paopa regime’s trajectory is all wrong, adding that the judiciary is nothing to write home about.
The MP said for President Bio to say that the country is divided is a complete lack of leadership acumen, adding that no country in the world can make such a statement.
He furthered that, what is very disheartening is that while people were killed in Makeni for a thermal generator, the President was on a picnic with his wife.
He also stated that citizens have been taken out of their jobs. The MP said, “It is only in Sierra Leone that a minister will destroy ballot papers and go scot-free.”
According to Hon AKK, the transportation sector has been left in the hands of drivers who continue to regulate it, but nobody cares.
A bag of rice, according to Hon AKK, is almost $40. “Yet still government is busy increasing fuel price to subject the people to more misery,” he concluded.
The Member of Parliament from Karene District, Hon Ibrahim Bundu, said the New Direction has not worked in the past three years, which is why the New Direction President is now asking to redesign a new pathway.
According to him, the liquidity stress in the banks is still in existence, which has considerably resulted to the economy negatively.
He also spoke on the country’s depleted forest and the waste disposal sites in the city, especially at Bomeh dumpsite, which has resulted to health hazards in the community.
In the area of education, Hon Bundu said, instead of free education, parents still encounter natural increase on education, adding that the quality aspect of education is at stake due to the astronomical increase on charges in schools.
He said government, especially the Ministry of Basic Education, has to do a lot on education if the quality aspect is to be achieved.