Many Sierra Leoneans are increasingly skeptical about whether the New Direction Government would deliver on their Party Manifesto within their five-year mandate.
Sierra Leoneans nurture such opinions against the backdrop of a lapse of almost 23 months in power. The government has continuously failed to provide sound economic policies to cushion the rising poverty levels, hike in prices of basic foodstuffs, high foreign exchange rate and heavy tax burdens on businesses.
Poverty and Lawlessness, two of the three peaceful wars, the President declared war during his inauguration are failing.
It appears as if no direction exists over the increasing lawlessness and high intake of drugs by youths.
New drugs and other harmful substances are emerge every passing day putting the health of the country to the greatest test.
The youths seen as the country’s future and the Presidents’ key target for the President’s Human Capital Development agenda are lost to dangerous liquors.
The intoxicants are manufactured by Indian companies and self-made substances such as Pampas Water, Kush, human feaces among others.
Clique violence, disappearance of human beings through ritual killings and illegal Poro initiation ceremonies especially in the South and East of the country is taking its toll in the country.
The Sierra Leone Police (SLP), as stated by the US State Department report on Trafficking in Persons 2018, are incapable of dealing with these serious crimes.
According to the report, they lack the wherewithal to curb the increasing rate of violence and politically motivated crimes against opposition figures by senior government officials, notably, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs.
Government officials especially those around the Presidency at State House have been accused of amassing wealth at the detriment of the President’s agenda.
These officials are reportedly seen driving luxurious cars above USD 15,000 (fifteen thousand dollars) and are continuously accused of remitting thousands of dollars abroad to take care of their families and loved ones at the expense of the state.
Government is also reportedly spending huge sums of money to maintain the officials’ welfare in Freetown from their luxurious mansions from tax payer’s money.
While President Bio is worried about executing the ‘Peoples’ Manifesto’ and gallivanting the length and breadth of the world, these officials are busy enjoying life at the country’s exotic beaches and hotels at the state’s cost.
The Bio Government seems constrained in terms of its international ratings.
The Global Peace Index, The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) 2018 Reports had singled out the government for failing in critical indicators such as Liberty and Political rights as well as Fiscal Policy.
The New Direction Government, for the first time, returned home with a 50-man delegation from the UK/Africa 2019 Summit without a dime.
This was amidst several countries in the sub region such as Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya bagging huge and expensive deals worth over six billion pounds.
The failings of the New Direction Government are visible, but government has continuously remained optimistic that things would turn around for the better in 2020.
They have singled out 2020 as the year of delivery while also banking on their successes in the Free, Quality Education, increased revenue mobilization, social protection and rigorous commitment to fight Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Rape.
But, as Sierra Leoneans are growing impatient about whether the President would safely steer the ship to its final destination, many are also concerned whether the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) is prepared enough to take over state governance.
Sierra Leoneans have based their premise on the current happenings at the APC party where a splinter group dubbed, the National Reformation Movement (NRM) is challenging the despotism and lackadaisical attitude of the Ernest Bai Koroma-led executive to democratic reforms.
This saga has landed the party at the country’s High Court. As the matters unfold, we are beginning to understand that the actions of the NRM for a drastic reformation of the APC has also got the backing of former party flag bearers and other senior party supporters both within and outside the country.
Whiles the NRM continues to be formidable in their fight to reform the APC party, the old guards are busy designing conspiracy theories with the intention to blackmail the NRM.
This internal wrangling are continuing amidst a period when Sierra Leoneans especially APC supporters are looking forward to see the party capitalizing on the SLPP blunders to take over power.
APC despite all of these internal wrangling is also scary of the outcome of the Government White Paper which might implicate a number of the party front runners.
The New Direction, according to reports, is planning to seize properties of past government officials and also ban senior members of the APC who were implicated in various misappropriations of state resources.
Should this come to pass, the situation poses serious consequences for the party’s ability to take over State House?
Will the APC Capitalize on the SLPP Blunders?
