By: Mohamed M. Sesay
Thousands of inhabitants of Bonthe District have on Friday the 2nd of June 2023, converged in rutile and Mattru Jong respectively where they made an indelible pledge to re-elect President Julius Maada Bio without run-off.
Senior former APC stakeholders in the district also declared and endorsed President Bio’s re-election without run-off.
Addressing the gathering, Deputy Speaker of the Fifth Parliament Hon. Solomon Segepoh Thomas, welcomed the President and expressed thanks and appreciation to the people for coming out in their numbers in support of President Bio’s re-election. He admonished the people that development has been visible under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio.
He added that Bonthe Island has gotten their own generator for an uninterrupted electricity supply. He assured the people of Mattru Jong that they would soon get their own generator. He called on the of Bonthe to vote massively for President Bio re-election.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Princess Dugba, described the occasion as a special blessing for Women of Bonthe. She added that President Bio has empowered the women through the 30% Gender and Women Empowered Act, and provided Free Quality Education and other opportunities for women and girls. She therefore, called on the People of Bonthe especially the women to champion President Bio’s re-election without run-off.
Chief Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa said the re-election of President Bio on June 24th 2023 is as assured as the day of judgement day. He also assured the President that campaign strategy across the Bonthe District is going on perfectly well adding that, even the campaign resources are well managed. He said people are now proud to be a native of Bonthe due to the tremendous development of Bonthe. He said they as locals of Bonthe appreciate and proud of what they have so far. He expressed thanks and appreciation to the youth of Bonthe Districts for their tremendous sacrifice towards the party and for the District as well.
First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, said Bonthe is blessed as they produced the best President ever in Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio. She said she would not campaign for President Bio in Bonthe because President Bio had added value to Bonthe District. She added that she had no doubt in the People of Bonthe District as they had proved their love for President Bio in the 2018 elections. She expressed the importance of President Bio’s inclusive Free Quality Education.
Madam Fatima Bio called on APC to underscore that the 2023 election campaign is not about APC and SLPP but continuous development under the leadership of President Bio to that of the failed ideology of the APC. She reiterated that President Bio had empowered women through the Gender Empowerment Act. She e called on women to vote President Bio for the sustainability of Free Quality Education, Women Empowerment, Human Capital Development, electricity among others.
Former Vice President of the All People’s Congress Party (APC) Victor Bockarie Foh, called on all those who are in APC in Bonthe to join him support President Bio’s re-election. Victor Foh said he had tremendous admiration for President Bio and the SLPP which was the more reason he had endorsed President Bio’s re-election.
“I held all positions in the APC except for the Presidency. But I admire President Bio because he is a man of peace and development which is the more reason I have endorsed his re-election. Also, in June 24th, I am going to vote President Bio and the SLPP in order to continue his development”, said Victor Foh.
In his statement, President Bio expressed tremendous elation for the support the Bonthe people accorded him before and even now. He intimated that when he was running for Presidency in 2018, he promised Free Quality education, to add value to women’s dignity, Human Capital Development, corruption among others which he had delivered. He called on locals of Bonthe to be very proud of the District for his leadership across the country which had even impressed international communities.
President Bio intimated the locals of Bonthe that due his astute fight against corruption, his administration had won colossal sum of dollars from the United States Government.
President Bio also continued that due to his tremendous work towards education, his Minister of Basic Education had attracted over 200 million dollars towards the support of the country’s education. He added that his effort towards education had yielded tremendous recognition which included his appointment by the UN Secretary General to Co-Chair the Transform Education Summit. He also disclosed that his effort towards education made him to be crowned the champion of education in Africa. President Bio assured that Bonthe Island would receive their own generator for uninterrupted electricity supply in 24 hours. He also assured that Rutile and Mattru Jong would soon have their own power supply.
