By: Mohamed J. Bangura
Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah has challenged critics of the Bio administration to go beyond criticism by presenting concrete plans for how they would govern Sierra Leone if given the opportunity.
The Minister made the statement during an interview with Liberty Online TV, where he defended the government’s record and highlighted what he described as progress in education, food security, electricity and the fight against corruption.
According to Bah, acknowledging the challenges facing the country should not prevent citizens from recognizing what he described as the gains made under President Julius Maada Bio.
“Yes, we acknowledge challenges, but look at the things we have done and look at the vision and the plan to take this country forward,” he said.
He argued that political actors seeking to take over government should explain what they intend to do differently instead of focusing solely on the country’s problems.
“If you want to take up government, bring out your plans, not only to criticize,” Bah said.
The Minister also cited an American author who, according to him, observed that in politics, “you cannot replace someone with nobody.”
He said the government’s development agenda is guided by a long-term vision aimed at transforming Sierra Leone into a middle-income and inclusive country.
Bah identified education as one of the major pillars of that vision, highlighting the government’s Free Quality School Education programme.
He described investment in education as a generational investment, stressing that providing children with access to education would produce benefits beyond the current generation.
“When we were small, the most important thing they talked about was education,” he said.
On food security, Bah said the government inherited a country with food sufficiency at about 56 percent but has increased the figure to more than 76 percent. He said the government’s target is to increase food sufficiency further and eventually reach 100 percent.
On electricity, the Minister said the government inherited electricity access of about 18 percent and is working towards increasing access to approximately 70 percent within the next three years.
He also disclosed that Sierra Leone is preparing to enter the petroleum business, adding that the government would present details of the mechanisms for the country’s participation in the sector at the appropriate time.
On the fight against corruption, Bah said Sierra Leone’s position, which he put at about 48 percent when the Bio administration assumed office, had risen to more than 70 percent consistently over the years.
He maintained that the government’s performance should be assessed against its stated vision and the progress it claims to have recorded across key sectors.
The Minister said the central question for Sierra Leoneans should be what needs to be done to achieve sustainable, long-term transformation.
He urged citizens to consider both the challenges facing the country and the measures being taken to address them, while calling on political actors to present practical alternatives as Sierra Leone continues its development journey.