empty opposition seats in parliament
By Bampia James Bundu
Secretary general of the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party, SLPP,has described the first year of the second term in power of the ruling All Peoples’ Congress, APC, as a failed era.
Lawyer Sulaiman Banja said “APC presides over waste, weak governance structure, high youth unemployment, growing lawlessness, deteriorating infrastructure, poor social service, rampant corruption and growing hardship.”
He made reference to the incomplete road work from Juba Bridge to Tokeh Road which started in 2007 and still lingered on, and claimed that the initial cost of $27million had now escalated to about $120millionas a result of undue delay.
He said the Pademba Road to Ashobi Corner and Bo to Mattru Jong road linking Bo District to Bonthe District, the Makeni to Kamakwie and Fintonia, and Kenema to Zimmi to Gendema roads were still dilapidated or the contractors had abandoned them.
“The government, as a result of endemic corruption, lacks focus and the absence of a coherent road map now requires $250million to complete their several incomplete road projects across the country”, he claimed.
The opposition party politician also described the provisions of regular and sustainable electricity to urban and rural Sierra Leone and being undertaking by the APC was a mere vague project.
“After six years the situation remains deplorable after expending well over $100 million of tax payers’ money and donor funds. Five years since the government declared the completion of Bumbuna Hydro Electricity Plant it is yet to solve Freetown’s power crisis”, he complained.
He also explained that the health system had been seriously weakened over the past six years under the APC and that was beleaguered by inadequate drugs, insufficient staffing, and was fast deteriorating in structures due to neglect and lack of maintenance.
Mr. Tejan-Sei concluded by stating that the democratic good governance that his party fought hard to maintain was being destroyed by the APC, with some of the institutions already are collapsing.
“The educational system is getting worse. BECE results this year is appalling. The growing youth unemployment in the country continues to be a serious problem as youth have been left to feed themselves without jobs”, he alleged.
But government spokesman at the ministry of information, Abdulai Bayraytay dismissed SLPP’s claims, arguing that the ruling APC government had not failed the people of Sierra Leone.He said they were doing their best to meet the needs of the people.
“This government has done well in the area of infrastructure and they are doing more. Infrastructure is not all about roads, we are working hard to put up structures to improve on the country’s infrastructural fertilities”, he pointed out.
The government spokesman argued that they had secured funds for the construction of more structures such as FourahBay College, foreign affairs building and the office of national security.
He described the statement made by the SLPP scribe as “dishonest” to the people of Sierra Leone, because most of the issues he raised were over emphasized.
Mr. Bayraytay recalled that in 2007 when they took over office “the country was as dark as hell”, but the government tried hard to ensure that light was restored in the country.
“We never promised 24 hours light.We promised to increase the electricity supply in the country from 10megawatts to more”, he clarified, adding that they were conscious of challenges the government was faced with in the provision of sustainable electricity across the country.
He said the government had distributed about 880 solar street lights across the country to beautify provincial district towns, and described the 2014 budget as a demonstration of the path to prosperity.
“We will ensure the prosperity reaches all sectorsof the country.This is just a demonstration of that commitment of the president”, he said
(C) Politico 03/12/13
