ACC GEARS UP FOR A FIGHT OVER EBOLA MONEY...HURRAY!
From the outset we've been calling for the ACC to be a bit more engaged in monitoring funds pouring into this country to fight Ebola. We are talking about all funds including those going through government and its agencies and the many civil society groups that have suddenly carved out a space for themselves in the Ebola war. We will be closely following the case of those WFP people and the 259 bags of rice.
But come on ACC, what have you done about that Heal Sierra Leone and Ministry of Education radio and TV teaching issue? The Heal Sierra Leone guy told a news conference in Freetown that he had supplied all evidence of corruption to you. You have to address this issue one way or the other. Please don't send it the way of the 50th anniversary case.
The ACC is making the right noises but how can we be really sure they are not only looking for a few people. 50th anniversary was a long time ago and in the period following that, many other cases have come and gone. Those convicted are serving sentences or are on appeal. The 50th anniversary people are going up and down this world. Do you guys now understand why we smell something? We are ordinary citizens who've lived in this country for too long to be lectured on such tactics.
OK ACC, we wish you good luck. Please when you visit some civil society groups and government agencies, look for a budget line called SENSITIZATION - it was through that budget line that people went around this country shouting EBOLA IS REAL. Interesting eh! We are waiting.
VICTORIA PARK: THE SHAME IN THE HEART OF FREETOWN
If anyone had told us on the eve of the last Red Movement 4-4-4 romp that the man we would eventually elect as Mayor would leave office four years later without doing anything about Victoria Park, we would have been very offended for the great Bababode to associated with such complete failure. But as Bababode prepares to ask us for another mandate, Victoria Park is worse today than when Bababode became Mayor.
Please let nobody tell us about what that Morgan Heritage man is supposed to have done or not done. Bababode has had more than enough time to demonstrate he understands the social consequences of not having open spaces in what is supposed to be a 21st century city like Freetown.
Victoria Park is a disgrace. Please approach the place from Sam Bangura building and as you pass by cast your eyes to the left and see what used to be the main entrance to the park, notice the mess - corrugated iron sheets used to cover the place have either been stolen or are now rotten and not fit for purpose. We pass by this place daily wondering whether mayor Bababode has any idea what to do about the park.
We plead with Bababode to organise a special fundraising exercise so that people like us can make small donations towards the rehabilitation of Victoria Park. Not too long ago, we suggested that a project document be prepared so that we can plead with Her Majesty the queen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland to pay for the rehabilitation of Victoria Park, since the place is name after her mother.
We also suggested that Hull City in the UK which is twinned with Freetown should be approached. The tragedy is that Bababode is completely missing is action at FCC. The guy appears unprepared for public office but the 4-4-4- thing landed him at the council anyway.
Victoria Park will define Bababode's reign as mayor of Freetown. Watch this space.
SIERRA LEONE FOOTBALL: ALL TIN NAR DOUBLE DOUBLE
Have you noticed anything about Sierra Leone Football? There's a lot happening in this sector. In fact the whole thing is being played out in the media. But just in case you've not realised some of the thing we are about to put on paper, please read. EVERYTHING ABOUT SALONE FOOTBALL NAR DOUBLE DOUBLE.
AWOKA vs. THE QUEEN - the two of them are telling the country they are in charge of running Sierra Leone football. Awoko helped the queen take power one year ago. Now, he helped organise a stakeholder's conference by Skype and then announced that he was now in charge. So the SLFA now has two leaders - one at Battery street Kingtom, the other at the national stadium with no files to work on.
AJINA SESAY AND KALOGA BAH vs. ATTO MENSAH AND JOHN SAMA - Both sets of rival coaches say they are in charge of the national football team. Both sets travel with the same team to international matches and they get paid from the national purse for doing the same thing. The only difference are that Ajina and Kaloga are in Freetown while Atto and John are in Europe.
CORRESPONDENCES TO FIFA - Awoko and the queen's easily irritated Secretary General are busy writing to FIFA saying the same things - Sierra Leone football has failed.
EASTERN REGION FOOTBAL ASSOCIATION - Chairman Morrison and Hon. Konowa are engaged in a bitter battle to establish full control of the institution of football management in the eastern region.
SPORT JOURNALISTS IN SWASAL vs. THE REST - SWASAL journalists who traveled to Cameroon for the Nations Cup match against that country, came back home wounded. They were thrown out of the country by the Cameroonian authorities, as we understand, for lack of accreditation. Their ego was badly bruised. They called for a boycott of all SLFA activities. The result of such an open-ended boycott call, is that many of their members have simply ignored the ban. So we have two sets of journalists, belonging to the same professional organisation but reacting differently to their own resolution.
What a WONDERFUL COUNTRY THIS IS!
HOW SIERRA LEONE WOULD HAVE PERFORMED AT AFCON
For sure we are not at the African Nation's cup tournament in Equatorial Guinea. We really didn't expect to be there, let's face it. After six qualifying matches played across the continent because of Ebola, we picked up just one point from a tasteless draw with Cameroon.
With a team like the one we have and a football administration racked by infighting and incompetence, forget it. But let's say by some Arabian night kind of magic, Sierra Leone had qualified for AFCON 2015.
1. We would be out of the tournament after the first two games. Our team would have lost heavily - no sentiments please. Look at the quality of the football being played and the investment going into all the teams. Sierra Leone football is a joke.
2. Our players would have arrived there in twos and threes. Scores of per-diem loving officials would turn up a week before everybody else saying they want to attend "protocol meetings".
3. Sport Writers would find their way there to give us a heavy dose of the usual grammatically challenged commentaries. Well, they have some excellent commentators but we should not be too scared to point to a few square pegs
3. We would have returned home after two weeks with cries of cheating referees and all that nonsense. Salone man!
(C) Politico 22/01/15
