By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
Former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher posited once that “if you want something said ask a man; if you want something done ask a woman.” Can that assertion be doubted? Maybe not!
It is believed that in the midst of every struggle in any society globally, women and children suffer the most; thus, women without doubt have clues of the problems they face and are in possession of ways to make things better.
In the race for the office of the Mayor of the Bo City Council is a woman many could define as a complete replica of the male gender owing to her resilience, thirst for positivity (development wise) and zeal in achieving the much thirsted positivity. The name Catherine Agatha Sillah rings a developmental bell in not just Bo City or the southern region of Sierra Leone but across the country as she has showcased her development acumen nationwide at diverse times. As she joins the race for the office of the Mayor of Bo City among many men, the Iron Lady visited the Bo City Council on Thursday 25th August, 2022 and was present at the Council’s 8th full council meeting where she was given the podium to talk to councilors, the Mayor (substantive) and his deputy and residents of the city in attendance on her mission to the meeting.
Explicitly, Mrs. Catherine Agatha Sillah, an indigene of Bo City stated that “life like the world is a dancing stage and no one dancer will remain dancing on that stage forever.” Hinging from that, the Developmental oriented iron Lady whom informed her audience that she is running for the office of the Mayor of Bo City applauded the many frantic efforts of substantive Mayor Harold Logie Tucker for manning the affairs of the municipality since elected into office for two consecutive terms.
“My brother, Harold has done tremendously well in this office and I must commend him for that but every good thing must come to an end,” Mrs. Sillah maintained. She went on to say that given such phenomenon, she wish to take off from where Harold Logie Tucker has left off and help in making Bo City a better place for all generations.
Mayoral Hopeful, Catherine Sillah lamented that women have taken the back seats in politics and governance for quite some time now. “As women, we have cooked for the men, laundered for them, clapped and danced for them, canvassed and argued for them all this while,” stated Mrs. Sillah “so I think it is high time they did all those things for us and that time is now,” she added.
For Madam Catherine, women are strong, bold, zealous, initiative packed, compassionate and development oriented and should be at the center stage of municipal and national affairs; and that is why she wants to take up the challenge of becoming Mayor of Bo City Council.
“My dear women, we can do anything we set our hearts to so I believe we can do this with me at the helm of affairs,” she pleaded to women.
Among the reasons for her intention of running for the office of the Mayor of Bo City, Mrs. Catherine Sillah is competent to handle local governance as she is not a novice to local governance. The seasoned development practitioner revealed to her audience that she worked with the Decentralization Secretariat (DEC-SEC) in the transformation of the Local Government Act No. 1 of 2004; as well as teaming up with many others to forestall transformation and development within the local governance structure. “I am not a novice to local government. I have been around here and I know the issues so fear not to entrust me with its responsibility,” Mrs. Sillah averred.
Aside being familiar with local governance, Mrs. Catherine Agatha Sillah is a seasoned development practitioner who has spent over 25 years in active development service. According to her, these active years have helped build her development and administration skills. “I have resigned and come home to be with and work for my people. With all those years spent as a development practitioner, I want to use such expertise backed up with other competencies, skills and academic qualifications to make Bo City a city worthy of its name ‘Sweet Bo,’” affirmed Catherine Sillah.
She encouraged all to get ready to go out and register to be eligible to vote in the coming elections. “You want development, please go out and register so you can have your voices heard,” she encouraged.
It is glaring that with Mrs. Catherine Agatha Sillah (the Iron Lady Development Guru), Bo City will be a city worthy of its name ‘SWEET BO.’
A chance for her is a chance to get a developed Bo City.