Corruption, sabotage, inefficiency, they’re all there

For some time now I have been intrigued by the recurrence of certain characteristics or failures associated with the present government. I like Ernest as a person; I even like him because of his declared intention and objectives of wanting to turn the country around. That does not make me a member of one of the numerous orgainisations that are advocating or better still clamouring for a second term for his Excellency. (Photo: Dr Sama Banya)

How could anybody expect me, a member of an official opposition to wish for a second term for the incumbent President of a rival party when we are waiting to succeed him? It is the perception of those who think that way that has led to a proliferation of praise singers and at the same time calling the rest of us unpatriotic, spoilers etc. But that Ernest is sincere there can be no doubt. However his enthusiasm and determination appear to run into difficulties that are mostly of his own making because, as he is being constantly reminded, ‘the buck stops at his desk.”

There have been scandals in the original Independence Celebration Committee resulting in the replacement of the entire membership.

The leaders of his own pet, perhaps favourite project the Attitudinal and Behavioral Change, ABC committee are in court facing criminal indictment from the Czar of the Anti Corruption Commission; and as the public wait for evidence to be produced in court there are murmurings, nay loud whispers that the ACC may have put its foot wrong because as the knowledgeable claim, the ABC IS NOT A PUBLIC ENTITY and therefore doesn’t come under the domain of the ACC act. I don’t know.

There has so far been no satisfactory reaction to the public outcry against the out-of-court settlement between the ACC and those held accountable for what tantamount to misuse or misapplication of public (the peoples’) legitimate money by the board and management of NASSIT.

The Commissioner-General of the National Revenue Authority Alieu, his wife, and three others are in court charged with corruption offences. Even as that is going on the current management is under a hail of bullets over the printing of GST receipts in Ghana and the cloud surrounding the transaction.

The Standard Times newspaper has not let off one bit on the head of the immigration department whom it accuses of corruption including the construction of a five story mansion  up in hill station a moratorium on building on state land notwithstanding.

Last Friday I called attention to the strange manner in which the government and the Korean contractors ISU are taking the people of this country in general and of the Kailahun district in particular for a ride over the previously awarded contract for the construction of the Kenema to Pendembu road. I invite the honourable minister of works, housing and maintenance Alimamy Petico Koroma to tell me where and when a similar practice has taken place other than under this APC government.

As if there was not enough on our plate, events under the National Power Authority NPA must surely embarrass the head of state no end. It concerns NPA’s inability to sustain the uninterrupted supply of electricity to Freetown and its environs. This supply of electricity has been one of the top priorities and acclaimed successes of the Koroma administration. With the commissioning of the Bumbuna hydro project his Excellency had transformed Freetown from being the darkest city in Africa to the brightest, as the propagandists continued to coo. Readers may recall that his Excellency himself had boasted from somewhere in New York that he had “provided clean and uninterrupted electricity to Freetown.” And so it appeared for a while although large parts of the city continued to complain of being left out of the power bonanza.  The age of the noisy and atmospheric polluting era of the infamous “Kabbah Tiger” generators was over; a new day had dawned with the prospects for rapid economic growth” boasted government supporters. So what has gone wrong? The spate of blackouts was at first a joke, but it has now taken a more serious and sinister turn with constant darkness being the rule rather than the exception in most homes and businesses. Yet all this time there has not been a word from NPA or from the supervisory ministry of Energy and water resources.

This series of events make me wonder whether it is sabotage, corruption or simply straight forward inefficiency on the part of the President’s men, most of who are from the Diasporas.  My poor nephew Ernest, what has he done to deserve this? Will he now have the courage to say enough is enough and to remove the deadwood? That would be a real mark of his statesmanship.

It was a field day for humourists last Friday April 1, also known as “all fools day.” John Benjamin has been appointed as the new finance minister and former Vice President and 2007 Presidential candidate was leaving for New York as Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the UN. It was all fun for those who remembered the day.

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