By Ragan Conteh
Residents of Bo and Kenema cities have decried the Sierra Leone People’s Party government on the continuous blackout in the two cities which has caused serious economic backlash for the masses in that part of the country.
According to some residents, for the past months going to a year now they have suffered serious reaction as a result of the lack of electrify supply, especially so when the country is currently under economic retrogression.
Madam Christiana Saquee residing at Hangha Road in Kenema City told this medium that they have again returned to the dark days since the New Direction took over governance of the state, stating that they voted for change but described the current situation as cause for many in south east of the country.
“Thieves ransack our residents on a daily basis as a result of the perennial blackout in the two cities,” she said.
Munda Samia in Bo City said they expected the current government to pay key attention to the south-east of the country like the opposition APC government under the Presidency of Dr.Ernest Bai Koroma did in Makeni and other main cities and towns in the north of Sierra Leone, especially Makeni that is currently enjoying constant electricity supply.
“Bo and Kenema cities are among the darkest cities in not only Sierra Leone but the world over, as the situation has reflected negatively on the lives of residents including students and business people who on a daily basis survive on electricity supply,” he asserted.
“what is more disturbing to us as residents of Kenema and Bo is the failure by SLPP authorities especially the Ministry of Energy to even talk to the people about the current deplorable electricity situation,” one Hair Dresser, Rugiatu Kamara in Bo said.
Managers and owners of Hotels and Guest Houses also spoke about the poor electricity situation which has caused a lot problems to their business, adding that if such is not addressed, there is likelihood of closing their businesses in that part of the country.
They further explained that the spate of armed robberies wherein their customers were attacked at night, this they said has sent bad signals to their investors and visitors in their hotels.
They appealed to the government to swiftly address the current situation before it goes out of hand.