By Ragan M. Conteh
Members of Parliament from Kono District in the Eastern Region have expressed their dissatisfactions with the failure of the Ministry of Finance to include their district in the Le1.7 trillion Supplementary Appropriation Budget 2020.
In his submission in Parliament, the Leader of Coalition for Change (C4C), Hon. Emerson Lamina said it was very disgusting to hear the Minister of Finance highlighting several projects and programmes for the development of the country without mentioning the diamond-rich district.
According to Hon. Emerson Lamina, 40 roads were highlighted by the Finance Minister for construction in several districts without mentioning a single Kono road that is equally in dire need of construction.
“Our roads in Kono, especially those liking the district headquarters of Koidu city to other chiefdoms, are in terrible condition; we want the Minister in the next budget to consider roads in Kono District,” the C4C Leader appealed.
He averred that Kono was hugely contributing to the country’s breadbasket and should therefore have a fair share of the national cake.
Another Kono MP, Hon. Paul Sahr Sam expressed similar disappointment in the failure of the Finance Minister to mention Kono with regards how the Le1.7 trillion should be used in the next six months.
“I did not even hear about the proposed Kono University, Kono is intentionally left out by the Ministry of Finance,” he said.
Hon. Paul Sahr Sam reiterated that their district was contributing enormously to the national income generation and should also have the right to benefit from the national proceeds.
Responding to concerns raised by the Kono MPs, the Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa said Kono was part of the New Direction Agenda, especially regarding the construction of roads connecting all chiefdoms.
Mr. Saffa allayed their fears by assuring that the Ministry of Finance through the Ministry Works and Public Assets would soon undertake feasibility studies of many roads including the Koidu road linking Guinea borders and all chiefdom roads.