Issues At Large 1-26-10

The Lying Minister

Alhaji Alpha Kanu (Khan), Minister of Mineral resources and presidential Affairs in the Ernest Bai Koroma administration is no stranger to controversies. Long before becoming a minister of government, Kanu had made waves as the man who took money from intending Muslim pilgrims with the promise that he will take them to Mecca. Well, the deal backfired as it was really meant to be and the hapless pilgrims had to content with spending their Ramadan sleeping on the floor of the Lagos International Airport lounge.

Now, the same Kanu has shown his trade mark colours by publicly announcing in his master’s (Ernest Koroma) presence that he is a liar. Check out Sierra Express Media edition of Monday 25^th January 2010.

There is nothing wrong in coming out clean and confessing to be a liar. The problem is that when a minister of government lies, the people get jittery and everybody becomes doubtful of the sincerity of the whole cabinet. The question is: If a man who has been appointed to the important position of minister can say he is a liar, can we believe the president he is serving?

In point of fact, even though Alpha Kanu came out to say that President Koroma has never lied in his life, we are still uneasy because the bottom line is that Kanu might be lying in saying that the President has never lied in his life. Is this not another blatant lie?

What about the mining policy which Hon. Kanu has successfully forced on the people notwithstanding the glaring failures in it as pointed out by no less a person but Andrew Kaillie, a professional in this field.

The fact of the matter is that since Kanu has been honest enough to say he is a liar, from hence, we will always take all words from his mouth with…a pinch of salt of course.

No one can afford to trust a liar, especially a lying cabinet minister.

Killing A Presidential Candidate

Professor Ritchard Mbayo went to his home land of Kono district and announced his plans of becoming a presidential flag bearer of the SLPP, but had to flee for his life when he received threats that he will be killed.

One of those heading this threat against the SLPP president flag bearer is a young man by the name of Anthony Daunde, a man gainfully employed by ZAIN, one of the country’s leading GSM service providers.

One would have expected the people of Kono to be comfortable with democracy, especially a man like Daunde, working with a non partisan multinational company like ZAIN. But Mr. Daunde is a well known fire brand supporter of the APC who believes that the only way for the APC in Kono is to stone all their political opponents to death. It is rather a pity that Kono District, one of the most marginalized under the present administration should be so extreme in their view that they would even resort to terrorist tactics to ensure that the APC remains in power forever.

But while there’s a lot of Daundes in Kono who think stone throwing is one of the tenets of democracy, a lot of people think there is a need for the Campaign for Good Governance to set up workshops for people like Anthony Daunde to ensure that this country is not dragged into another senseless war that at the end will not profit anyone.

VP Sam-Sumana May Kill APC

Every day, the APC is losing tens of supporters in Kono, and I am not talking of ordinary voters, I am talking of the real McCoy’s, the ones who have given their life, and have lost their best friends to support the APC. The reason is not hard to find. The fact is that Vice President Sam Sumana has become the most unpopular personality in the whole of Kono District.

To most people, supporting Sam-Sumana has been the biggest disappointment in their lives. Recently, this writer was in Koidu and was informed that when a delegation went to the VP and asked why he has not shown an interest in Kono, he replied: “I will only help Kono after I become president.”

He was also asked why he has not been visiting the district as the president has been doing in the North, especially in Makeni. His reply: “I will not go to Kono till I have something to carry to the people. This is a very unfortunate and rather senseless statement coming from the second gentlemen of the republic.

Answering the first statement. Can we attribute from Vee Pee Sam-Sumana statement that he is confident of becoming president in this country; I really doubt it, and lot of people in Kono also share my views. Sam-Sumana should realize that he has a commitment to the people. He might have failed to secure a seat in the constituency in which he contested but that does not in anyway mean he has the right to marginalize the people of Kono.

Also, in his second statement in which he said he will only go to Kono if he has something to deliver. The question is: How long will the people of Kono wait for their son to get something. Incase he has nothing to deliver, will that mean he will not go to Kono?

Get Well Soon Kotor IB

The erudite Minister of Information and Communication Alhaji I.B. Kargbo is not well and this has already dampened the spirit of numerous Sierra Leoneans both within the APC as well as in the PMDC and the SLPP who love to listen to the government spokesperson. I.B. as he is popularly known is a gem in the present government and an important resource person in the country.

If Sierra Leone had a lot more of such men, we will be far ahead in our development strides. We hope he gets well and returns back to his job in informing Sierra Leoneans about the government’s commitment.

It is also important that Kotor I.B has a rest from his hard work and this means being far from the usual throng of people who make it their habit to trail the statesman for financial help. In his office, in his house, in his village and even in the Mosque when he goes to pray, this man is not left alone as he is chased all over the country by all sorts of fortune seekers. When IB returns, in the name of Allah, let us please, please, allow him to recuperate in peace.    

Professor Kaikai’s Second Coming

Professor Kaikai is back, and it seems this time for good. The professor had tried to bring great changes when serving as Minister of Information under the SLPP government of Tejan-Kabbah but was repeatedly discouraged and finally silenced completely because he was seen as a threat to some SLPP big wigs like Ngor Berewa.

The decision by President Koroma to appoint Professor Kaikai is already welcome news to most people who see the present government as composed purely of Northerners.

But while the president has been praised by some sections of the public, his inner circle of party stalwarts are said to be unhappy with the manner in which a well known SLPP member has been given a job that would have been better of filled by one of their own.

This might well be the first sign that President Koroma has started becoming his own man rather than pandering to the caprices of die hard APC cadres who see nothing good in anyone except their own lot.

There is a need for the government to have a national character by ensuring that all Sierra Leoneans are properly represented. Maybe this will be extended to the Cabinet as well as other government departments and parastatals.

Meanwhile, we hope the professor will not start keeping vehicles of the SLBC in his private residence as he use to do when he was information minister, resulting in staff, including camera operators and anchors walking on foot to cover important government functions.

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