Chief Yayah 111 of Bumban Section in the Biriwa Chiefdom, composed of over forty seven (47) distant and remote villages in highly and mountainous terrains, have called on the government and humanitarian community both within and outside the country for support to his people in various social services.
He made this call during an exclusive interview with this medium at his Bumban residence. The Section Chief, a retired military officer who served the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces for thirty-five years in Infantry and Logistics.
He rose to the rank of Sergeant Major and retired in 2016 and later crowned as chief two years ago.
Chief Yayah during the interview disclosed that the section has a population of over four thousand (4,000) people in forty seven (47) villages.
He bemoans the deplorable situation in which his people are living. Most if not all the villages in the section lack clean water to drink, as most of the water sources, according to him, are in swamps which have very dangerous species that makes the water unsafe for drinking.
He appealed for bore holes to be created in these villages to ameliorate the appalling conditions of his people. He also highlighted the critical issues of poor road network and communication in the area.
These, he emphasized, are critical to inter trade and other agricultural activities in the area.
Chief Yayah expressed his frustration that his people walk through rugged terrains to access markets for their goods with a view to secure a living for their children and also to access other social services like health and education.
The section has one Community Health post to serve over four thousand people, and that ambulance and other facilities can only be accessed in Kamabai which is a distance from all the villages in the section.
He reported that issues such as infant mortality deaths and death during deliveries are very low in the area, largely due to his intervention and that of his governing council.
Chief Yayah of Bumban Woos Support for His people
