Sierra Leone Telegraph: 09 April 2020:
President Bio has today issued a new directive, ordering the restriction of people movement between districts with effect from midnight Saturday, 11th April 2020, for a period of fourteen days.
Although this is not a national lockdown, the restrictions exempt the transportation of goods and essential services, but impose a night time curfew from 9:00pm to 6:00am.
The official working hours of all public and private sector workers have also been set at 9am to 4pm.
These restrictions – which many say is a curfew, follow the completion of a three days lockdown two days ago, which the president yesterday declared a success.
Many observers say that the three days lockdown was marred by reports of teething problems, including the beating of citizens by security forces trying to impose the restrictions.
Today’s announcement of the new fourteen days curfew, come as a surprise, as president Bio did not mention it in his statement yesterday, about measures aimed at curbing the virus.
Sierra Leone’s performance in curbing the spread of the virus is so far proving to be quite impresssive, compared to neighbouring Guinea and Liberia. who are struggling.
This is a better decision by President Bio to combat the dreadful COVID19 coronavirus. The three day lockdown I guess was just a taster for citizens to get used to the idea. I hope people will adhere to the social distancing rules and stay at home. Well, those who do not listen or disobey the authorities, will find themselves being flogged again and again. In fact they are lucky they were not arrested and thrown into crowded cells.
Please listen to government advice and stay at home. If you move around and you have the virus, the virus will move around as well and infect other people and this will mot be good for Sierra Leone.
Well, you see? Thank you very much President Bio for doing the right thing. Sometimes, it’s good to “three foot” all those “misdirection” advisers and do the right thing. I was just waiting for answers as to why the lockdown of the entire country. Was the lockdown just to trace the primary and secondary contacts of six Coronavirus infected persons. Now, the President has made the decision I was ready to advise him to take.
The decision the President has just taken, was what he should have taken in the first place. However, it is still not too late. This is exactly how you start tracking infected people and isolating the country to get an idea of how this deadly and unknown Coronavirus is moving. Give the Freetown City Council and the Town Councils in all 12 districts the resources to help your government. Also, involve and help the Paramount Chiefs in every chiefdom to help with spreading the news about the dangers of COVID-19.
It also helps you plan for community defense, testing and mobilisation of both your human and financial resources amicably well. What a wise and strategic move by the Father of the nation, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Fountain Head of Honour and Justice and finally, our Leader and President of all Sierra Leoneans.
Also, thank you very much Mr. President for nominating IG Sovula as our new Inspector General. He has done a very good job during the last lockdown process, although there were some isolated incidents concerning human rights violations by some of his undisciplined officers. But not too bad. God guide, protect and bless President Bio.
Great job pormasu Matturi. Give credit where credit is due. We should all stand for the right and truth. This is the only way Sierra Leone will succeed as a country. BTW, there is a finding about a country with citizens having the highest IQs in Africa. That country is Sierra Leone. That research is a masterpiece. People like us who have traveled to so many places knew all along that Sierra Leone has some of the best brains in the world. Sadly enough, that does not reflect on the development of our country.
The nemesis of development of Salone include (but not limited to) the ‘culture of corruption’—(not being true to ourselves- willful dishonest dishonesty, shameless support of all things wrong & evil (de man sabi chap), nepotism, tribalism,regionalism, partisanship and bad statesmanship of the leaders-(starting with Siaka Stevens and his APC). I am not impressed by IG Sovula till he brings justice to the maltreating of his compatriots during the lockdown. Over to you IG Sovula!!