Sierra Leone Telegraph: 2 October 2019:
The government of Sierra Leone has ended the long-drawn row with many of the country’s former diplomatic staff, including information attaches who served in the country’s embassies and high commissions overseas, over the non-payment of their end of service benefits.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Finance said yesterday, that the outstanding payment of End of Service Benefits to all those who served overseas either as Information or Cultural Attaches, during the APC administration of President Ernest Bai Koroma between 2007 and 2018, have now been partly settled.
The amount disbursed yesterday is said to represent 50% of the total amount due as payment of End of Service Benefits to former Information and Cultural Attaches.
The amount disbursed so far is Le2,054,464,375.8 (Two Billion, fifty four million, four hundred and sixty four thousand, three hundred and seventy five Leones and eight cents).
The biggest beneficiary is the publisher and editor of Cokorioko Online Newspaper – Reverend Leroy Kabs-Kanu (Photo), who served as Minister Counselor and Plenipotentiary at the Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York. He received Le212,454,421.325.
Lansana Fadika, is also among some of the biggest beneficiaries, after serving as Cultural and Trade attaché at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Beijing, China.
Early this year, president Bio approved the payment of millions of dollars in end of service payments to former minsters and senior public officials of the Koroma APC government.
Many observers believe that these payments will go a long way to bridging some of the deep-rooted differences between the government and the opposition APC party, as well as help to build trust and confidence.
Who should Chief Sam Sumana blame for his pension? The answer to that is his so called elder brother (former president Koroma). He was unlawfully fired from his position as VP. Can he reopen his case? I guess if that is to happen he should meet with ECOWAS once more. This man was kicked out of office for no good reasons. Mr. President we love you, please do not forget the teachers.
It’s a good step to pay all the former overseas embassy staff. But Mr President please urge the minister of finance to pay the newly approved teachers immediately or else the pupils will continue to suffer.
What someone has worked for should be given to him or her. Aggressiveness will not solve anything.
Indeed. Full STOP and end of IGNORANCE. A new recruit somewhere there talking about PARENTAL CARE and AWKWARDNESS. Whether you like it or not, President Bio is not only the FATHER of the NATION but, also, THE FOUNTAIN HEAD OF HONOUR AND JUSTICE. ARGUE or DENY! FORCES of words shall meet FORCES of words. Someone somewhere there confused about PARENTAL title and PRESIDENTIAL title.
GOD BLESS YOU somewhere there SIR.
OH BOY!! I LOVE PRESIDENT BIO. This President continues to show and prove himself to be CHAMPION of all Sierra Leoneans. Thank you President Bio for showing such COMPASSIONATE GESTURE. However, I ask you not to forget what is due CHIEF SAM SUMANA. Please make it a point of duty to see to his case as father of the nation and bring it to a speedy conclusion. Presently, you are the father of every Sierra Leonean. Are we going to see Bio PART TWO come 2023? HANDSOME President Bio there smiling with CONFIDENCE. GOD BLESS YOU President Bio.
It’s this sort of fawning paternalism displayed here that’s partly responsible for Sierra Leone’s backwardness. President Bio is the Father of his kids, and not any other Sierra Leonean…full stop, end of story!