March 25, 2021
Albert Baron Ansu
Chairman of the National Grand Coalition Dr. Denis Bright has said that both the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party and main opposition All Peoples Congress are contributing to divisive politics in tit for tat power display.
He says it is unfortunate that most of the bad things SLPP has been accusing the APC for are now resurfacing.
A-Z asked him to substantiate such a claim and he was quick to allege divisive politics that is taking the form of regions, and ethnicity, which is a worrisome development.
He said each time one of the two political parties assume power they set out on revenge politics which is not carrying the country anywhere. He said the problem is rooted in the winner take all mentality.
He says: “I feel vindicated for taking the decision to leave SLPP because the values that SLPP had nurtured over the years were disappearing right from the party office.” He says the SLPP has assumed a new image.
We questioned him on how comes NGC lost in its stronghold, Dr. Denis Bright says it is part of the learning curve that they have to accept and reorganize to provide an alternative that has a national outlook.
He says they are not fighting but engaging, preferring to be a constructive opposition, but accused the government of not having the listening capacity.
”We had opposed the decision of government on depoliticizing local government as unconstitutional “but our positioned has been ignored.” He says it is ploy by the government to dominate power at the grass root and eventually have a grip on national politics.
He says there is a mismatch in policy reforms and situation ordinary Sierra Leoneans are contending with based on their market studies targeting retailers, transporters.
“The government should not assume the responsibility of creating employments for the citizenry it should be left with the private sector, but government is not providing the enabling environment for the private sector,” he says.
A-Z reminded Dr. Denis Bright that the prevailing situation should be blamed on COVID and Dr. Denis Bright stated that “It is the same language the APC was speaking during Ebola…”
He dismissed suggestion about government tax holidays for small medium enterprises as not having impact on the people.
He expressed misgivings about the planned census as something that is good for key developmental decision making processes, “but it has been rushed and we are suspicious that is a replay of what the APC did to create new districts…”
Asked if the NGC is well positioned to provide an alternative, Dr. Denis Bright says: “we are going through lot of changes with a new constitution that is about to be introduced to be bottom to top…we believe the alternative is ripe; common sense will prevail, Sierra Leoneans will wake up in the face of poverty and social media.
He laments: “It is shameful that Sierra Leone is where it is at 60 years and we are witness to the phenomenal things that the late Tanzanian President Magafuli was able to do in six years…”