By: Problyn J. Alpha
The people of Kono District have given a rousing welcome to one of their sons Augustine Sahr Sheku A.K.A. Sheku Dukono after retiring working Permanent Secretary for various government ministries for more than thirty-seven years.
Addressing a mammoth meeting held at the community Football field in Koidu City, the retired Civil servant Augustine Sahr Sheku maintained that he was coming home after been retired to change the narrative of retirees setting in Freetown and the diaspora.
He said he had served as board members of different organizations thereby contributing to the brain drain in the country.
He noted that that coming home after retirement is to use his expertise to develop the lives of his people and Kono District as a whole. The retired Civil servant also being a master farmer in Kono district intimated the audience that for the development of Kono district, he has under taken the following ventures: building the capacity of farmers , provision of farming equipments, maintenance of feeder roads for connectivity ,etc.
The retiree also disclosed his political intension to run for the seat of Kono District Council Chairman under the ticket of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party, and pointed out that the following will be his plans for the development of Kono District.
Food industry noting as the district is blessed with vast arable lands he will enhance agricultural facilities , provision of market assets, connect farmers to investors and the improvement of existing cooperatives within the district in order to put agricultural activities on the sound footing.
For the youths, he noted how he will use his skill to improve on their God giving talents so that they can become self reliance.
Augustine Sahr Sheku disclosed that his source of funding to actualized his dream said he will explore all available facilities in order to improve the district of Kono and his people as a whole if elected chairman of the district.
He adds that as a way of substantiating his aforementioned plans, Mr. Sheku pointing out that his personal company which operates in Manjama town in Kono District pays at least ten million Leones salary every month.
According to him, his political aspiration is not to seek for power but to empower his people unlike others who see politics as a means of enriching themselves.
” I am vying for the position of the Kono District Council Chairman under the ruling SLPP government because my expertise is in line with its mantra that is the human capacity development that besides am more comfortable working with the SLPP than any other political party,” Augustine Sahr Sheku opined.