Alpha Amadu Jalloh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 02 October 2024:
My heart bleeds as I reflect on the current state of affairs regarding the MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation) funds, and I am deeply troubled by the discrepancies that surround it.
The government’s handling of this issue is beyond reprehensible, raising the question: is President Julius Maada Bio truly serious about running the Republic of Sierra Leone? Or is he merely orchestrating a charade to fool the people once again, using the MCC as a smokescreen for failure?
If you take a moment to observe social media trends today, it is clear that the government is deliberately deceiving the populace, touting the MCC as a monumental success worthy of celebration. Watch programs like AYV TV’s “Front Page”, and you will see people like Abdul Rahman and Melvin struggling to make any coherent sense of the MCC.
The fact is, the government has twisted this issue into a mess of misinformation, using it as a tool for grandstanding while avoiding the real questions about what the MCC represents.
The government’s constant glorification of the MCC is troubling. Did President Bio or his administration truly understand the terms of the MCC agreement before signing? I highly doubt it. This is not the first time this administration has rushed into agreements that they barely comprehend, only to later misrepresent their significance.
It’s a shame that ruling party supporters continue to spread false narratives about the MCC, all the while ignoring the glaring truths revealed in the recent press release by the United States Embassy.
That press release outlines the strict requirements for disbursement of the MCC funds, yet many within the government and their supporters choose to ignore it, preferring to insult and ridicule those who dare to question them.
The people of Sierra Leone are being misled, and this government has mastered the art of deception, spewing lies and half-truths in an attempt to pacify their followers. In this case, they are selling the MCC as an accomplishment when in reality, it is fraught with strings and conditions that this administration is neither ready nor willing to meet.
President Bio and his team are not serious about the welfare of the people. They have, time and again, showcased their incompetence by embracing projects that yield nothing but false hope. The MCC is yet another example. It is being hailed as a victory when, in fact, it exposes this government’s inability to enact real, sustainable development.
What is our GDP today? What tangible benefits can we claim from the deals and agreements signed by this administration?
Compare Sierra Leone to countries like Kenya. Kenya strikes deals with the United States worth billions of dollars, deals that promise genuine development and economic growth. Meanwhile, we are led by a president who spends his time in office chasing the wind, making empty promises, and clinging to projects like the MCC in the hope that they will elevate his legacy.
After five years in office, with another term underway, President Bio continues to posture and politicize without delivering results.
The irony is that Sierra Leone has the potential to generate over $27 billion from its own resources. But under this administration, we are led like sheep to the slaughter.
Rather than questioning the viability of these projects, party supporters insult their fellow Sierra Leoneans for daring to ask the tough questions. This is the level of discourse that has emerged in the Bio administration where blind loyalty and insults replace constructive dialogue and accountability.
Let’s be clear: the MCC comes with many strings attached. President Bio, lost as he is, celebrates this deal as if it is a mark of triumph. But he knows full well that he is not prepared to meet the conditions set by the MCC, “DA TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT NA DI REASON FO DI MCC allocation”.
This is not a grant given out of goodwill. It is a tripartite agreement that requires thorough planning, execution, and transparency, none of which this administration has consistently shown. Yet, the government continues to mislead its people, and the President’s supporters dance around in circles trying to manage the damage caused by the American Embassy’s press release.
For God’s sake, Sierra Leoneans, take a look at the facts. How many governments around the world tie their nation’s future to a $480 million project that comes with so many limitations?
Take a look at Senegal, under President Macky Sall. Before he left office, Sall achieved monumental development without relying on the MCC. Senegal just launched its first satellite to improve communication and interconnectivity for its people. Was that funded by the MCC? No. Sall’s administration put in the work, invested in infrastructure, and pursued meaningful partnerships that would benefit the country in the long term.
Yet here we are in Sierra Leone, clinging to the MCC as if it is our only hope for progress. Our President has misled us once again, and those who should be holding him accountable are instead enabling his falsehoods.
The American Embassy’s press release has exposed the truth: President Julius Maada Bio is in a tight corner. His administration is not ready to deliver on the terms of the MCC which is to implement the TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT to the letter, and the promise of $480 million now feels like a trap rather than a blessing.
Had President Bio been a capable leader, we would not be in this predicament. We would not be left scrambling to explain away the conditions attached to the MCC or struggling to defend a project that is riddled with stipulations we are unlikely to meet. His failures as a leader have led to this moment of apprehension and uncertainty for the people of Sierra Leone.
Instead of moving forward, we are stuck in a cycle of lies, deception, and misinformation. And those who dare to question this government are met with insults rather than answers. It is a sad state of affairs, and my heart aches for the future of our nation. We must demand better, or else we will continue to be led down a path of ruin by a government that is more interested in grandstanding than governance.
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