Usman Boie off to Europe and America
Runner up of the just concluded Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) flag bearer election yesterday left the shores of Sierra Leone on a tour to Europe, America and continental Europe to say thank you to supporters of his party.
Usman Boie who probably will arrive in the United Kingdom by SN Brussels today is expected to rest for a week or two before meeting with party supporters, friends and fans for a talk.
The man whom many referred to as a philanthropist and redeemer will also meet SLPP Diaspora supporters resident in continental Europe to interact and chat the way forward with them.
He is expected to visit Sierra Leoneans in United States to say big thank you to them and to assure them of his loyalty still remain in the SLPP party.
In his words, Usman Boie, told this press that his trip to the United Kingdom and elsewhere is meant to respectfully appreciate those who in diverse ways supported him during his campaign for flag bearer of the SLPP and to also take a soothing rest with his family, who for about a year now has missed him.
He said that he is still SLPP and will not rest but unquestionably propagate the views and aspirations of the party at home and abroad.
He emphasized on ‘unity’ and enticed all to follow the party’s motto ‘one people one country’ which, according to him, directs conduct of party officials and supporters.
Just last week, Usman Boie was at the Attouga Mini stadium eastend of Freetown, to address party supporters on hosts of concerns affecting the SLPP party.
He nevertheless called on the membership of the SLPP party to preach against tribalism and intimidation as was observed in the concluded party convention.
Speculations are rife that Usman Boie takes the lead among a number of names that have come as possible running mate candidates to Maada Bio.
He is practically seen as a popular and well known political figure in the north and western areas of Sierra Leone.
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stallon
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Freetown — According to a Wikileaks cable released last week, former US Ambassador to Sierra Leone Ms June Carter Perry reportedly filed a report in February 2009 that Russia, Iran, Libya and others are competing for the mining rights to uranium deposits discovered in Kono.
It said key local players have sent out feelers for the best international offer and the Russian government ‘would even stage a coup to assure control of the mining rights…an active Iranian mission, a surprise (and still not fully explained) visit from Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi.
It started with a tipoff by an expatriate mining and business executive in Sierra Leone who approached the interagency Embassy officers on January 30 to relate his concerns that uranium deposits in Kono could be sold to hostile powers, including Russia, Iran and Libya.
The unconfirmed report stated that the executive, who was married into a well-connected Sierra Leonean family, was approached by a long-time Russian associate claiming to be acting on behalf of the Russian government in the matter, to assist in securing mining rights for the uranium via his family connections following Russia’s failure to secure them through regular Sierra Leone government channels.
The then ‘Secretary General’ of the Ministry of Mines, Alhaji Osman Boie Kamara, was said to have blocked the Russian attempt to secure the uranium concession in favour of other foreign interests.
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Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana, a Kono native, and the [former] Attorney General Abdul Serry-Kamal were also implicated in looking for foreign assistance, with Sam-Sumana tasked by Kamara to approach the Chinese, and Serry-Kamal assigned to look into mining companies to do the digging. The source claimed his fears were confirmed when Serry-Kamal approached him independently and asked him to find someone to do the mining, though Serry-Kamal allegedly expressed concerns that the uranium might fall into the “wrong hands”, including the Iranians, and is thus part of the process to prevent that from happening.
According to the source, the uranium had been uncovered by the Tejan Kabbah government but no deal as struck for unknown reasons despite the many expressions of interest.
12th September 2011Emmanuel "Shelley" Conteh, Mankato, MN
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I’m not sure you’ll publish this reaction, but if you did kudos to you for respecting free speech!
Your reportage and coverage of Usman Boie always makes your medium suspect to accusations of biasedness. Indeed, he’s a fine gentleman, who has a clean and interesting record, but his actions have not and would never elevate him to the role of a “redeemer”! That word “redeemer”, I’m pretty sure, would send a chilling reminder to many Sierra Leoneans who know all too well what it means when they tried it on Valentine Strasser, Maada Bio and the other goofballs in the National Provisional National Council NPRC) military junta!
Your press should be very careful in the way it uses words, especially when applying adjectives to prominent Sierra Leoneans.
9th September 2011