SALONE MINISTERS: EVERYTHING COMES "IN THE WISDOM" OF DE PA
One thing De Pa will be remembered for once he leaves office in 2017 is the fact that all his ministers had no ideas of their own. For them, everything is De Pa's vision, initiative, agenda, foresight or endeavour. This is an interesting country. All our ministers are so scared of being sacked that they spend all their time worshipping De Pa.
Yes, we know that it was De Pa that the people voted for – plus Chief Sidikie. But he brought you into government because he believes you have something to offer. So why not prove that?
The other day we heard the Finance Minister of Nigeria being interviewed on BBC, apart from being a master of her subject, she was very eloquent and ready, not like that minister in Sierra Leone who even in the face of the collapse of a major mining company in this country has refused to meet the press. All we are getting are third-hand statements from the companies themselves and government spin doctors.
Not once did the Nigerian Finance Minister talk about the 'vision of Goodluck Jonathan' even as elections loom in Nigeria. We were truly impressed.
Call any of our ministers now and ask about any policy being implemented in their ministry to prove us wrong. This is what you should expect.
POLITICO - Minister of Water Resources, when will all homes in Freetown boast of running water?"
BEST MINISTER – Under the Agenda for Prosperity produced by De Pa, it will happen as soon as possible. The president is really keen on that happening. (Meanwhile everywhere you go in this country people are carrying yellow jerry cans struggling for water).
POLITICO - Minister of Education when will schools re-open?
BRA MINKS - My PRO has already told you. WHO will give De Pa the timeline and De Pa will announce the date in his wisdom. He is very committed to this. And he doesn’t sleep at night making sure it happens soon. (Who is really in charge in Sierra Leone, WHO or the people of this country?)
We could go on and on. This is what we've had to endure for seven years. The guys are hiding behind the shadows of De Pa.
EBOLA RAVAGING PORTLOKO BUT THE CHIEFS STILL HAVE THEIR STAFF
In our war against Ebola, the situation in Port Loko has provided the latest talking point. While many districts are scoring good marks, Port Loko is in serious trouble and because that district is just next to Freetown, there's a lot of concern around the capital. We are still searching for answers but we believe something ought to have happened now to traditional authorities in the particular chiefdom that is in meltdown.
De Pa repeated time and again that he would take away the staff of authority from any chief whose people performed badly in the Ebola war. So we ask, what's happening now to those ones in Port Loko?
We are hearing incredible stories about people still washing and burying their dead instead of using burial teams, people are also exhuming bodies to perform rituals. What is really happening to this country?
When De Pa speaks it's a policy statement that must be implemented. Somehow we are encouraging ourselves to think we are almost at the end of the Ebola war but with what is happening in places like Port Loko we must think again. Even NERC has named and shamed the local authorities there, so let's act against them by confiscating their staff of office until things improve. Or was De Pa thinking… Leh we lefam so. HAHAHAH
Kan Kan Kan has been hanging out there with the people for a long time to supposedly lead the war, can he now produce his results because what we are getting at the national level is a bad picture of his stewardship. Port Loko is definitely now the epicenter.
SALONE OPENS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH FIJI: Yeeaaaaah!
We always want our country to have good relations with other countries. That's why we applaud this move to start diplomatic relations with Fiji. And when we read from the news that Caribbean King in charge of our UN mission in New York was the man who made the announcement, we drew the necessary conclusions.
In fact we were at his sweet wedding in one of those Caribbean countries. We enjoyed coconut and good dancing skills on the beach. If we get round to appointing an ambassador to Fiji, we should warn that person strictly against spending all their time on the beach. The place is lovely and the women are very beautiful like the one whose wedding we attended.
Ok, along those lines, we would like to recommend for appointment as ambassador to Fiji, the Great Mr. Okere Adams – we're not sure he is still a member of the Green Movement. We just don't like the idea of our former minister turning up at Mercury betting office daily. We hope that for once, De Pa would agree with us.
When are we going to open diplomatic missions with High Commissioners in post in South Africa and Kenya? Everybody else is there, we are hanging on the fringes including Fiji.
NJALA LECTURER THROWN OUT OF COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION
If you are planning to be a lecturer at Njala University in the future and then going on to serve as president of the Academic Staff Association, please think about that carefully. That's especially if you are going to be implacable in fighting for your colleagues including some of your bosses.
Recently we published a story about salaries not being paid at Njala University for a few months with lecturers complaining in poverty. Last week we saw a letter from the ASA president putting his hands in the air to admit defeat in his fight to keep his college accommodation. Look at this:
NJALA PREZO: “I have come to the realisation that whenever I stand up for the truth in the interest of the staff for which you have always benefitted, an administrative policy of intimidation is always brought on my neck. These among others include threat of dismissal, verification of my certificates and the latest is a notice of vacation from the University premise.”
POLITICO: Come on bro, what do you expect? If you are going to be heightening the consciousness of other lecturers and causing unease for your bosses, you must be prepared for the some counterattack. Throwing you out of college accommodation is just one such measure.
We are surprised however that the administration went as far as asking for your certificates. How were you employed in the first place? So you didn't present any documents when you applied for the job? That's very interesting. Let's continue reading the letter.
NJALA PREZO: “...no sooner administration pays my salaries for the months, rent and other allowances, a vehicle will be hired and those personal effects moved out of the premise and keys handed over to the estate department.”
POLITICO: We totally agree with you on this. You need money to get a vehicle to pack out. You also need to pay for your new accommodation. So hang in there Prezo until you get the last penny. We understand the official reason for you being kicked out is because you failed to fill out and return your accommodation form. Is that right? At least they have to get a reason – however unreasonable – to remove you because for something like what is the best thing to do between summoning you to the office to fill out the form and risking all the media spotlight and its consequences?
Please invite us to the house warming at your new place. We will take only soft drinks because things are really rough these days at Njala.
© Politico 11/02/15
