Ambassador Tamba Sylvernus Lamina, Sierra Leone’s minister for Local Government and Community Affairs, on Sunday, 26/02/2023, addressed an august gathering of KDDA members in the United Kingdom.
The meeting which was officiated by the KDDA executive, including Chairman Mr. Sahr Stephen Kabba, Vice Chair Mrs. Mariama Mafinda, and Secretary General Mr. Tamba Gborie, and which was conducted on a zoom link, attracted participants from as far away as Koidu town, the home turf which was at the centre of the family-oriented discussions.
The Chairman welcomed the Minister and thanked members for their commitment, underlining that although KDDAUK is apolitical, the organisation will always support the Government of the day, especially one that focuses on development in the District. Adding that the organisation will never hesitate to give its unflinching support to a personality like Minister Lamina who is a fully paid up member of KDDAUK.
The minister, who once served as Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the UK, (and before that, as Chairman of the KDDAUK) started the address by appreciating his audience for their virtual presence and their solid sense of patriotism and loyalty, as indicative of “the enduring and demonstrable interest in the affairs of Kono”.
He thanked them for the work they continue to do to help the homeland, “in tackling challenges and promoting progress”. The minister systematically laid out the many positive steps that the government of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has been taking to develop Sierra Leone in general and to promote Kono in particular.
He talked about the fundamental role of the Free Quality Education endeavor and its growing impact on the nation of Sierra Leone.
He encouraged everyone to embrace this “nation-changing policy”, while pointing at the emerging Kono University of Science and Technology as one of the visible and viable pillars that would continue to give meaning to the national effort. Minister Lamina mentioned the vastly improved electricity situation in Sierra Leone, with special reference to Kono. The minister also talked about the newly constructed maternity hospital in Koidu and the ongoing road construction project from Koidu to Mafindor, connecting 5 chiefdoms. Namely Gbense, Fiama, Soa, Gbaneh Kando, and Mafindor on the Guinea boarder.
He lauded the potential of this road which, once completed, would open up another international highway linking Sierra Leone, by a shorter route to important cities in Guinea and on to Cote D’Ivoire. The minister also pointed out the potential for commerce that would be activated as a consequence.
Before ending his well-received speech minister Lamina passionately appealed to his countrymen to get together and stand shoulder to shoulder with President Bio who has “staunchly demonstrated his love and respect for the people of Kono”.
The address was followed by a Question and Answer session during which discussions were held around the help that the diaspora could continue to render to the people of Kono and to Sierra Leone in general.
Concerns were raised about large scale mining methods such as fracking and other related activities with long-term environmental impacts, and suggestions were proffered about how to tackle some of the issues raised, in addition to the Environmental Impact Assessment, a legal policy requirement which precedes all major mining activities.
The participants on the evening included Mrs. Sia Evelyne Nyandemo, a long term diaspora resident who (together with her husband Mr. Dingis Nyandemo), happens to be among those who have decided to finally go back home and permanently settle in Kono. Mrs. Nyandemo encouraged members of the audience to “work on the decision” to go back home and contribute directly to the development of their people. She acknowledged that there are undeniable challenges for returnees but she emphasised that with proper planning all obstacles could be resolved. Mrs. Nyandemo added that the decision to go back and settle in Kono was “the best decision” she and her family made.
Dr Aminata Sesay and her husband Dr Mohamed Sesay, both currently based in Kono, laid equal emphasis on the need to encourage education in furtherance of the government’s flagship project. Dr. Aminata Sesay appealed to the diaspora to “support our children in various ways to enable them meet their long term needs”.
In his contributions, Mr. Steven Gbekie commended the work of President Julius Maada Bio and expressed satisfaction that the New Direction government has staunchly embarked upon what Mr. Gbekie referred to as fulfilling the requirements of “the Kono Holy Trinity”. Namely, the Father (sufficient Electricity), the Son (the Kono University) and the Holy Ghost (the Koidu-Mafindor road)
Some appeals were also made by a number of speakers including a plea for government to consider reconstructing the long abandoned and now disused road between Koidu and Kenema. It was pointed out that at the moment Kono is locked in via a single highway system and more outlets were needed to “free the district from the chokehold of a single road”.
Giving the vote of thanks, Mr. Tamba Gborie expressed gratitude to Minister Lamina and stated that the responses clearly indicated that the audience was “very much in tune” with the minister’s presentation and “appreciated the work that the government is doing for the people of Kono”.
Mr. Gborie urged everybody to come on board and fully support the re-election bid of President Julius Maada Bio. He maintained that the President, through his many visits and concrete actions has amply demonstrated his love for Kono. The KDDA Secretary General further opined that he has every reason to believe that Kono stands to benefit more, with the re-election of President Bio. He thanked everyone for their presence and their participation.
Finally, the KDDA Chairman, Mr. Sahr Kabba closed the meeting by again thanking everyone for their attendance and encouraged members to stay connected and united. He thanked the minister for his “informative and uplifting” message and extended his appreciation to president Bio for “the many good things that he is doing for the people of Kono” further appealing to members to vote massively on June 24th.