By Donstance Koroma
His Excellency, the Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, on Friday 20th July launched the New Direction Magazine, which captures President Julius Maada Bio’s achievements in just one hundred days in office.
According to the Vice President, the forty five (45) page document showcases how fiscal discipline have helped increase revenue from 15%-20%. This increase, he said, will stimulate human development, strategic reforms in the health sector and also improves doctors’ and patients’ ratio.
The Vice President added that it will intensify the training of nurses across the board. It will also take into consideration strategic steps in the energy sector; it will diversify the economy in the fisheries and marine sector through increasing license fees for fishing companies and injecting new additional investments to improve sports, among others.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rado Swarray said when their government came to power they had problems getting vehicles for ministers to go to work. He said, as a ministry, they have increased access to quality telecommunications and drive down cost.
The Minister added that his ministry had also developed a Telecommunications Action Roadmap for rural connectivity in safe and unsafe communities. He said the ministry had resolved the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation and the Sierra Leone Postal Service industrial strike actions.
According to Mohamed Rado Swaray, they have reviewed the National Telecommunication Law and completed the Electronic Transaction Bill, which is now slated for Parliament.
The Minister of Information added that the government has also made tremendous strides in repelling Part 5 of the Public Order Act, which criminalizes libel. He pointed out that the said document is with Attorney General for her legal advice.
The Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa stated that the economy would have crashed by now had it not been for the intervention of President Bio’s government. He noted that the economy is being managed as a result of the harsh measures taken.
He said, from the months of April, May and June, one hundred and four billion leones (Le104b) was raised as a result of the Single Treasure Account System (STAS). He added that before the SLPP took over the reins of power, allocations to ministries were not forthcoming, but they are receiving same now under the New Direction.
He recalled that, in 1992, the country was not part of the IMF programme and President Bio was able to bring it back during the NPRC regime. He said he has made another history by bringing in IMF programmes back on course after he won the recently conducted polls.
Expanding on reasons regarding the inflation of foreign currency over the leones, he pointed out that most members of the previous government have stored their wealth in dollars and many Sierra Leoneans and donor partners are currently on vacation. These, he said, are factors that push pressure on the dollar.
He however disclosed that the exchange rate will be stabilized come September.
J.J. Saffa disclosed that plans are underway to set up a National Monitoring Agency that will help in the area of monitoring. He noted that he inherited a ministry without any structure but has structured it to enable them meet their overall objectives.
“The Ministry of Finance has increased budget allocation to the Ministry of Fisheries and Marin Resources owing to the fact that in less than 90 days, they had raised 48.69 billion leones,“ he said.
The Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay stated that he inherited a terribly bad system, and he was left with no option but to engage the Karpowership.
He said a five man committee has been set up to look into the EDSA top-up issue to ascertain whether it is a deliberate attempt by some unpatriotic Sierra Leoneans to sabotage the New Direction government.
Alhaji Kanja Sesay said the Management of EDSA has attributed the problem to system failure as the cyber internet providers are stationed in South Africa. He disclosed that the cyber internet providers will arrive in Freetown on Saturday July 21st, 2018, adding that he will surely update the public about the outcome.
Dr. Memunatu Pratt, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, stressed that she inherited a broken and disorganized sector, but said she has laid the foundation for tourism infrastructure for sustainable development.
The ministry has designed an integrated strategic plan for the institution; engaged with a number of investors ready to invest in the sector; organized a workshop to improve on the poor relationship between the public and the ministry.
It has also developed a Tourism master plan. In fact, they have serious plans to remove makeshift structures in the beach areas. According to her, the ministry is about jobs and investments.
Other speakers from the Education and Fisheries and Marine Resources ministries also highlighted their challenges and successes to indicate gains made in their various sectors.
The launching of the New Direction Magazine, which was done by Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, climaxed the ceremony.