Congratulations Mr President, but …
About a fortnight ago David Tam-Baryoh was asking on his Monologue programme whether his Excellency and his government were listening. The subject was the acute shortage of fuel at the time and the hike in the price when it was available in most to double or three times the regulation pump price. The problem was compounded by the confusion over the unplanned and hasty manner in which the metric system had been introduced. As had been predicted by many of us, with the exception of the sycophants and the praise singers that increase has led to a corresponding increase in the prices of everything including the most essential ones on which the life of the ordinary citizen depends. It was a dangerous situation and one which had led to damaging riots in other African countries. Mercifully, the atrocities of the wretched civil war were still fresh in the minds of our people for them to even contemplate such extreme reaction to a dangerous situation. Even at that the chairman of the national youth coalition gave a twenty one days ultimatum to the government asking for a reduction in fuel prices to their original level or they would demonstrate. The APC government which has a reputation of being impervious to all criticisms realized that the threat was coming from a group which could not be ignored as it constitutes a very sizable proportion of the country’s population.
Those of us who are old enough could recall the students’ strikes of the late 1970’s-80’s. Usually by the time the students were half way down the hill from mount Aureole unemployed and other elements would already have begun to wreak havoc on the city, with vandalism and the looting of shops and markets. Everyone is aware of the degree of youth unemployment in the country today and the inferno that would engulf the entire country were the youth to carry out their threat. That may be the reason why the President himself took the initiative of calling a consultative meeting of all stakeholders in the fuel industry, the oil importing companies, labour, transport operators, government ministers, the coalition of civil societies, (was Charles Mambu present or was he up in Segbwema doing PR work for the Korea ISU contractors?) and of course representatives of the national youth coalition. That is the way a responsible government should deal with any explosive situation. It is for that initiative that I congratulate my distinguished ‘nephew’.
My joy at the President’s action was however mired by the information that different committees had then been set up to deal with different aspects of the problem. It is said that that whenever you intend “no action” on any subject simply refer it to a committee. I hope that in view of the importance and urgency of finding a solution to an issue of such importance without delay that this should be an exception.
I wonder why my ‘nephew’ has not responded in like manner to my humble appeal that I had addressed to him in connection with my pension. I had refused a state pension a technicality and my appeal was for his Excellency as the Fountain of honour to get the committee to review the case both on its merit as well as on humanitarian grounds. Mr. President, how often has your dear uncle not waved to you as your convoy drives past him walking to his office? If only people knew they would tease me with glee, “there goes the President’s uncle on foot all the way from Sumaila Town to Naimbana Street.” Please direct Osho to call me for interview.
Ah, the mortal remains of my young friend Mohamed Daudis Koroma were laid to rest last week in his village of Mathoir at mile 75 on the Masiaka to Bo highway. It was very thoughtful of his Excellency to attend in person, no doubt as mark of appreciation for the late young man’s output as a junior minister in his administration. However a motorist who was driving to Freetown was attracted by the large number of packed vehicles on the roadside. He counted no less than 142, mostly four-wheel drive Toyota jeeps. I am sure they belonged to ministers and other government officials. But why such a colossal waste on fuel when all the minister of Transport had to do was to put ten SLRTC buses at the disposal of the mourners. But nar Salone dis; everyman/woman wanted to be seen in their official vehicles with flag flying.
Newspaper proprietors have given notice of an imminent increase in the selling price of newspapers. They attribute the decision to the increasing cost of production. While this may not be in dispute, proprietors must be reminded that they make their profit more from advertisements rather than from retail sales. Even they must admit that they have not been doing too badly lately from advertising revenue, unless they would have us believe that all those many advertisements are being carried gratis. Advertisers also watch for a newspaper’s circulation. With the very high, almost unaffordable cost of living today, how many people are going to afford the price of more than one newspaper per day, if at all? Are the newspaper proprietors concerned that a drop in sales would result in a corresponding drop in advertising revenue? My advice, for what it may be worth, is that they study the situation and the expectant equation very carefully before they go ahead with their plan.
I wonder whoever advised the honourable Vice President to attempt a visit to Mandopolahun in constituency 04 in the Kissi Tongi chiefdom of Kailahun district last Friday, a day that had been allocated to an opposition political party to campaign in the township. Did the honourable VP himself consider the implications of his visit with all the security, the convoy of vehicles, the accompanying Paramount chiefs from Kono with their retinue? More on this in the next edition.
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