By Mohamed T. Massaquoi in Pujehun.
With funds generated from property rate collected in 2013, the Pujehun District Council has awarded scholarships to 150 junior and senior secondary school pupils in four schools in the Pujehun township.
Addressing the gathering at the award ceremony, the Chief Administrator of the Council, Bockarie Buanie said the scholarships were worth some Le 12 million and covered a one-year composite fee for the beneficiaries.
He therefore urged the people of Pujehun to pay their taxes to the council, which he said was one of their sources of income generation to undertake development projects in the district.
Buanie assured the gathering that the Council would work restlessly to implement their performance contract that was signed by the chairman of the council.
In his statement, Deputy Chairman of the Pujehun District Council, Kalilu Fofanah said that for as long as people were paying their taxes to the council, they would not relent in undertaking development programmes for the district.
"If more is earned from property rate this year, our next target will be scholarships for 500 pupils" Fofanah said, adding that their main aim was to reduce the high level of school dropouts as a result of parents' inability to pay school fees.
He said this was the first time the council had awarded scholarships to pupils in Pujehun and commended the international NGO, Welthungerhife for initiating the idea to the council.
One of the beneficiaries and a pupil of Saint Paul's Secondary School, Sulaiman Sawanneh commended the council for the venture and pleaded with them to continue the initiative. He assured them of making good use of the scholarship.
Veronica J. Sillah a beneficiary parent also commended the council for the gesture.
(C) Politico 13/05/14
