By Septimus Senessie in Kono.
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Russia, John Yambasu has blamed himself and a host of other Kono politicians for the “deplorable” state of affairs in the district. He took responsibility and apologised for his part. Speaking on the local state radio, SLBC Kono, Yambasu said that he, Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Finda Diana Konomayi, Minister of Transport and Aviation Balogun Koroma and other senior public office holders hailing from the district were responsible “for failing and disuniting you [Kono people] for our personal interests.” He went on, “we have to accept responsibility first before we forge ahead with the development of our district.” Yambasu admitted that not much was being done in the “human, infrastructural and inter-personal developments” of the district in their tenure of office, stating that there were still chiefdoms in Kono where children work three to four miles to access education, h lamented over the “poor agricultural facilities and the lack of basic social amenities like electricity, pipe-borne water and good road network” leading to and within the district. He said his acceptance of responsibility and public apology was because “we do not show leadership to you by asking [the President] on your behalf for these developments while we keep fighting ourselves.” He said that in the first term of the Koroma administration, Kono did not benefit from anything tangible to show as development “except the worst road network leading the district, the snail pace of work on the 20 kilometers of road in the township and the lack piped water” despite repeated promises. Yambasu blamed this on the vice president and Miss Konomanyi whom he said had not been in good terms in five years. “It is no secret to anyone that the vice president and the local government minister are not in good terms with each and they do not see eye to eye,” he said, adding that any house divided against itself could not stand. He said that while they were busy settling conflict between the two, others were busy lobbying President Koroma for developing in their own districts. He recommended the formation of a think tank comprising five responsible senior citizens who were apolitical and development-oriented and focused. This body he said would serve as a development machine. © Politico 06/08/13
