December 9, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
On Saturday the 4th of December 2021, the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone Madam Fatima Bio has crowned thirty-seven (37) elected wives of the Sierra Leone Police and their deputies from various Police Barracks across the country.
Addressing the gathering at the Police Training School in Hastings, Madam Fatima Bio said the transformations the wife of the IGP has brought into the Sierra Leone Police Wives Association are very critical transformations.
She said it is very difficult for women to organize themselves but the president of the Sierra Leone Police women Association has done such a remarkable job. Madam Fatima Bio acknowledged that every woman’s right is to protect her husband and children adding that, when a woman fails to do such, everything else in society fails.
The First Lady also encouraged that even though the newly crowned women are now mammy queens in their respective police barracks, she advised them that they are still wives of police officers and they must accord them the desired respect as their husbands. She further admonished that they were only crowned as mammy queens because they are married to police officers.
“Let’s us continue to respect our husbands and give them the desired respect due them. Hawa Sovula, continue to be proud of your husband and let the world know that IGP Sovula is your husband and that you love him. At any time you make IG Suvula smiles, the police personnel will also smile because they have what they deserve”, said Madam Fatima.
She continued that she was very pleased to grace the occasion and is committed to provide the necessary support the Police Wives Training School needs. First Lady disclosed that last year she gave one hundred and fifty million Leones to the Sierra Leone Police Wives Association. She also pledged that she will start giving them two hundred million Leones every year effective next year (2022). Madam Fatima Bio also assured them of government continued support towards the Sierra Leone Police Wives Association as long as the financial support given to them is utilized for it intended purpose.
The Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Parliament, who also doubles as the Chairman of Internal Affairs Committee Hon. Alusine Kanneh, commended the leadership of the Police and the President of the Police Wives association for making sure that there are rapid transformations towards the wives of police officers.
He said they opened the vocational school for wives of the Sierra Leone police officers adding that, the institution is now taking cared of very well by the president of the association. He further encouraged the President of the Sierra Leone Police Wives Association not to limit the vocational training in Freetown, but also extend it across the provinces. He concluded by encouraging the mammy queens to uphold the spirit of discipline in their respective barracks as they have been crowned as mammy queens.
The President of the Police Wives Association Madam Hawa Angela Sovula explained that the essence of the association is to enhance proper administration amongst the Police Wives notwithstanding the fact that they live in different communities in various Police Barracks across the country. She acknowledged that the national duties of their husbands are very challenging which is the more reason they need to support them.
Madam Sovula added that some months back, she asked all police wives in various police Barracks to come together and elect themselves especially those whom they think will represent them well and serve their communities diligently. She disclosed that the association has made tremendous progress under her auspices especially with regards the Vocational Training Center located at Kingtom.
Madam Sovula also disclosed that they have extended the Vocational Training center which now has the propensity to accommodate more students.
She furthered that the association has also provided water facilities to Kailahun Police Barrack, Lunsar, Kabala and the Hill Top Police Barrack.
She added that the association is currently providing training facility for 250 students which include the physically challenged persons.
Despite all the success stories of the association, Madam Sovula noted that they are still faced with challenges of which she craved on the indulgence of state actor come to their aid.
In his statement, the Inspector General of Police Dr. Ambrose Michael Sovula congratulated the newly crowned Mammy Queen’s and their deputies. He entreated them to use their authorities entrusted in them in maintaining discipline and bringing development to their respective barracks.
IG Sovula further encouraged them to maintain law and order in their various barracks by arbitrating minor disputes not to escalate into serious conflict. He also admonished them to help the Sierra Leone Police in mobilizing people and other resources for the development of their barracks.