By: Mohamed M. Sesay
At the commencement of the two days 13th National Delegate Conference of the Sierra Leone People’s Parties (SLPP), President Julius Maada Bio has on Wednesday the 8th of February 2023, reaffirmed to his party of a resounding victory in the June 24th general elections due to his 2018 New Direction Manifesto Deliverables ranging from Free Quality Education, uninterrupted Energy Supply, massive infrastructural development among others.
“This time again you have reposed the confidence in me to lead the party and I want to assure you that we will win the June 24th Elections without run-off. We are the best party and we should let people know that we are the best party in putting out the right messages to the electorate”, he said.
President Bio noted that he has also made tremendous achievements in the area of road infrastructure and massive improvement in the energy sector because most of the District Headquarter Towns are now enjoying uninterrupted electricity supply.
He also made a commitment to provide energy supply for Kailahun, Moyamba, Pujehun, Kabala among others once the resources are available. He said he has abolished the death penalty, repealed and replaced the criminal libel law which depicts his government as the best in the history of Sierra Leone.
President Bio also disclosed that his government has made tremendous improvement in the Health sector as more health workers have been and uplifted major government hospital across the country. President Bio also reminded that his government has made huge efforts in promoting Gender Empowerment of which the recently enacted Gender Equality and Women`s Empowerment Act of 2022, is a testament to his commitment. He furthered that the Act now provides 30% quota for women seeking elected positions and job opportunities.
President Bio also revealed that the next policy shift for his government would be centered around agriculture.
He said his government would bring in private sector in the business of agriculture for efficiency and efficacy in promoting food sufficiency across the country. In his second term of office, President Bio promised that his government would also inculcate the culture of food production including animal husbandry across the country.
As part of his determinism to win the next election without run-off, President Bio encouraged all delegates and other support groups, to visit every village across the country during campaign.
He expressed great elation for the support of the Limba people for the party. He stressed that the SLPP Party is the best thing ever that has ever happened to Sierra Leone.
The first gentleman discouraged tribalism to the highest magnitude within the SLPP and therefore, encouraged all and sundry not to inculcate an atom of tribalism within the party.
The president also encouraged the party to put all their disputes aside and work in the best interest of the party.
He described the conference as a family meeting and reassured that the SLPP will win the June 24th election.
President Bio suggested for a Delegates Conference to be held annually wherein, development of the party would be discussed.
He said the purpose of the 13th National Delegate Conference is geared towards updating the party and the general public regarding his deliverables and what he intends to do when elected as president come June 24th 2023.
He extended profound thanks and appreciation to members of parliament for the good representation over the years.
President Bio continued that there have been so many misunderstandings saturated around the Proportional Representation system especially in the selection process of Members of Parliament. He therefore, assured that elections would be conducted at delegates level but in a very different fashion. He stressed that the business of a member of parliament is to debate therefore, he wants to give the chance to people to choose their representatives. He said the PR System would also save huge financial burden for the state and would also make provision for smaller political parties to be represented once they got the threshold stated by the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone.