Ibrahim B. Koroma: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 11 October 2022:
In his address to the nation when he received the Governance Transition Team (GTT) report authored by former Chief Minister Prof. David Francis and others, Maada Bio begged us to join them in cleansing the state of corruption back in 2018 when they just arrived. Many of us took them for granted and joined the SLPP’s bashing of erstwhile Koroma regime as bunch of thieves. Oh, Allah forgive our gullibility for we were very unsuspecting!
This is only level 2 in our effort to scrutinize public officials who have taken oath to serve and clean this nation of corruption. Supporters of the SLPP, APC, NGC and all other political parties must be praying for people like us to succeed in scrutinizing those whose corrupt ways are responsible for the ‘bottomless pit situation’ Sierra Leone has found herself since independence.
Every time our government receives donor funds, we the people move one step further into destitution and deprivation. Those donor funds we must repay with heavy national tax revenue. The projects on which government uses those donor funds aren’t beneficial most times to the ordinary citizens apart from efforts from ‘party pikins’ to ‘vuvuzela’ lies.
Most often, projects that they get implemented are cost very high and usually than not, more than half of the allotted funds return to the ‘public thieves’. This is why such public projects short-lived their usefulness prior to their appointed life span e.g., the Mabang Bridge, because their quality is compromised.
The ACC has condescended into a regime defending anti-graft commission. Efforts to get the ACC up and running in alleged corruption cases relating to either the former Chief Minister, the First Lady, Office of the President, officials at the Information Ministry, the Clerk of Parliament vs Hon. Gevao, Hon. Matthieu Nyuma Fake Degree Scandal etc. etc. have produced the most disgustingly undesired outcome of oblivion and nothingness.
False narrative and propaganda have taken our good governance institutions like the ACC, Parliament, Sierra Leone Police and the judiciary hostage that each time a matter comes up against an SLPP official they will prevail against all odds e.g. the alleged murder case of the SLPP chairman Dr Prince Harding.
The Auditor-General’s reports (2019 and 2020) contain massive corruption revelations with hundreds of million dollars in cash losses to the state. Missing in action is the very active ACC commissioner who knows best how to file a corruption case against an opposition personality.
Our MDAs are being accused left, right and centre of massive corruption on front pages of local tabloid on daily basis. The American-based Africanist Press has put out loads of corruption revelations with convincing data that speak to the evidence. A good opportunity for the Bio-led government to have showcased its much-advertised fight against corruption in reality. Guess what! It’s another white elephant project for a government that has too many on its plate already.
No real intent to fight corruption. It’s all political gimmick coupled with a devil philosophy to divide and rule.
About the author
Ibrahim B. Koroma is the Executive Coordinator, Advocacy Network for Community Development (ANCD).
We are yet to address rampant corruption in all private and public sector. Honestly the fight against corruption is a collective fight that each and every Sierra Leoneans should take into account. It also requires the political will of our political actors in the fight against corruption. Corruption is eating the fabrics of the country.
Now when poapa supporters and gullible Sierra Leoneans that supports other parties that have contributed more to the under development of our country since independence , than the British colonial authorities did for our country when they left us with political and civil institutions that were sound and beyond reproach and corrupt free ,you have to ask the inevitable question , DID INDEPENDENCE FOR SIERRA LEONE CAME TOO EARLY THAN IF WE HAVE WAITED FOR FEW MORE DECADES ?. Many older Sierra Leoneans look back in those golden years with nostalgia and quite frankly with survivors quilt why they bought into the lies of the Independence movements of the sixties . One of the many acts of the Stevens government was to dismantle our railway lines and sell it back to the former colonial masters . Make Sierra leone a Republic there by devaluing our Leone versus the British pound sterling and worst to come ,made Sierra leone a one party State through the amendments of the 1978 constitution .That in the nutshell tells you everything about the mindset of our political leadership . All they are interested in ,is to grow their bank balances than grow the economy of our country for the common good by investing in education , health , electricity, housing , roads and connectivity that promote economic activities in our country and help bring different communities together .
If farmers in the South can produce their goods and are able to travel North on four lanes paved highways to sell their goods ,it will not only help grow our economy and create employment , but the Mende famer will able to sell to his Temene or Fulani or Yalunka , Madingo , Loko , Gola ,Limba ,business partners , it will not only able to bridge the mutual suspicion gap ,but it will go a long way to heal the divisions we see in our country today .Some African countries were ready to take their destiny into their hands . You just have to compare the Black African countries that attained their independence in the 60s versus the ones that got theirs in the 1980s onwards . Maybe South Sudan that got theirs recently are the outliers.And some others were not or ill prepared for the task ahead .And Sierra Leone , South Sudan , CAR, and the only country that has never enjoy the fruits of peace and independence the DRC since the murder of their independence hero Patrick Lumumba have all proven beyond reasonable doubt that we can’t manage our affairs without outside assistance .
And one thing these countries have in common is a corrupt political leadership and vast minerals resources that are being exploited by foreigners for the benefit of foreigners . Otherwise ,why are we debating the same issues year in year out about , corrupton , regionalism ,tribalism failing state institutions , like, parliament ,the criminal justice system , the army , the police , the civil service , none of which appeared to have taken up the call of duty offer to execute their mandates as stated in our 1991 Constitution , which should be the guiding principles under which our country and communities are governed. If only we have a government that respects the rule of law , free press and free speech , individual rights to peaceful association and assembly ,and conduct the business of government openly and transparently without any fears or favours, chances are we can see some progress in our national aspirational development goals.Boi talked against corruption of state institution when he was in the opposition political wilderness , with little or no hope of ever getting the keys to State House .Nonetheless he promised once he gets into office his first priority is to fight corruption and work towards bringing people together .But the shutters to his Presidency is coming down slowly and corruption and division on tribal and regional lines under his watch are now on steroids .Where did all go wrong ?