Has government considered the plight of 14,692 children?
The issuance of the Government White-Paper on the HANCI/MAPS Adoption as created unrest in the operational areas of Help A Needy Child in Sierra Leone; this action taken by government has impel two big peaceful protests in the strong hold of the ruling All People’s Congress Party in Makeni and Magburaka. These demonstrations need not to be under estimated by government because there is possibility that it can be replicated in the NGO’s other operational areas in Kono, Lunsar, Masimera, Bumbuna, Kamakwie, Tambahka, Bo and Matrru, in the strong hold of the Sierra Leone People’s Party and finally Freetown.
Since these demonstrations commenced in Makeni followed by Magburaka, government has being very reluctant to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves. Government is under estimating the magnitude of the NGO’s operations, the number of children and families that are benefiting from the NGO and the categories of children or beneficiaries they are dealing with. It is good to bring to the attention of government that 14,692 children are calling on them to plan their future by allowing the NGO to operate but if they failed, they the children will plan for government. These are children whose entire lives were controlled by the street and they have not been properly transformed by the NGO. We are talking about fourteen thousand and more children. We who know how big the operation of HANCI is; are there for admonishing government to listen to the plea of these kids and not to dent their future.
The kids are requesting that “Government, go on with the investigation, audit the books of the NGO but please allow them to operate. Stopping them means you are stopping our future”.
I have gone through the commission’s findings, the white-paper and the press release, truly speaking it seems as if the white-paper and the press release speak malice for the NGO or something unconnected to the subject. Government should know that this action will not give birth to a good child. If the kids and their poor families discover that the decision of government to suspend the activities of the NGO is not fear, it will create mayhem.
We know that the suspension clause is harsh and as he put it “Government has uttered this statement and it will be despicable for government to go back to it” A senior member in government revealed. One may ask who are these said children 14,692? They are teenage commercial sex workers, teenage mothers, street children, vulnerable families and one hundred and fifty teachers in distance education at the Northern Polytechnic in Makeni? Has government considered what the repercussions will be if this suspension continues?
My biggest question is, should government who claim to fight for children, not consider the plight of the 14,692 children who are supported by HANCI’s work as they at the same time fight for the 29 children living in affluence conditions?
Another strange clue in the white-paper is asking HANCI to pay for the recommended audit from the money they receive to support the education of the less privileged children whilst there are children are being educated in private schools or abroad. It is so clear that this so call white-paper was developed out of malice for only God knows why?
However, I promise to come back on this issue when is enough evidence is gathered to support my claims of malice. Can this government allow malice to over ride its sense of judgment? I rest my case.
Moses Kamara
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