By: Problyn J. Alpha
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Tamba Lamina has said in Koidu City that the annual Kono conference is the hub for development in Kono District.
Minister Lamina made the statement during last year’s annual Kono Conference paving the way for a better prospect with the Theme “ Agriculture and Education” held at the Thomas Saquee Resource Center at Koakoyima in Koidu City.
According to him, the said conference is the hub for development because it has the capacity of bringing together from all over the world Kono’s to discuss the challenges and successes of the District thereby discussing the way forward on how to effect sustainable development in Kono District.
He thanked all for attending the conference, especially those who came from overseas to grace the Kono Conference 2022 and implored them to always be there for their district.
Welcoming his brothers and sisters from all over the world to last year’s Kono conference the Paramount Chief of Soa Chiefdom Kono District who also doubles as the Chairman Council of Paramount Chiefs in Kono District P.C. Emmanuel Tamba T. Foryoh maintained that the annual Kono Conference is a history-making event that has the objective of effecting unity, Love and peace among Konos all over the world and in the District particularly.
He intimated that last year’s theme for the Kono conference “ Agriculture and Education” was well designed to complement and appreciates the good work of President Julius Maada Bio in the areas of Agriculture and Education in the country.
P.C. Foryoh further noted that Agriculture has taken over the District of Kono and as a result, the only six chiefdoms out of the fourteen (14) Chiefdoms that constitute the Kono District are more ready to change the mining narratives in the district as mining over the decades have failed them.
The chairperson of the 2022 Kono conference Madam Sitta Kaikai expressed appreciation to President Bio and his wife including all present for gracing the conference. She told all present that the annual Kono conference is an apolitical platform to foster sustainable development in the district thereby complementing the government’s agenda as sustainable development can only be effected with concerted efforts and therefore asked all to put hands on deck for the development of Kono District.
She noted that the benchmarks of the conference in the district over the years cannot be over-emphasized noting the conference is unique as it celebrates people that have done well for the district, the country and the world at large.
Speakers from different chapters of the conference all over the world made statements and pledged their unflinching support to the conference and President Bio for attending the conference coupled with his leadership style.
In his keynote address, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio registered his delight in being part of the conference. He thanked the organizers of the conference for a such laudable initiative and urged them to do more.
President Bio intimated to the audience that his passion for Kono District is not about Politics but to correct what he referred to as the historical economic and political injustices that the district has undergone in the hands of the past government.
He, therefore, promised to change such narratives with his human capital development clarion call. The conference climaxed with an agricultural slow at the Ansural Boys Secondary School in Koidu City Kono District