November 16, 2021
BY: PROBLYN J. ALPHA
A suckling mother in small Sefadu town, Gbense Chiefdom Kono District Yenoh Kamara is reported to have drowned in the Meya River in the aforementioned chiefdom. According to Isata Kallon who was together with Yeanoh Kamara before she drowned, they were three in number crossing the said Meya River when they met a man and opted to help them cross the River because of the panic mood they were in.
She noted that when they reached the middle of the river the man who was leading them showed a sign of panic due to the heavy overflowing of the river but encouraged them to further the journey of crossing the river not long after the deceased fell down and drowned in the Meya River.
“Immediately when my colleague drowned I shouted for help but to no avail except when I had to swim to the edge of the river,where I was rescued in an unconscious state”, Isata Kallon explained” Alhaji Bangura a disable is the deceased Husband whilst talking to this medium in a pool of tears maintained that his wife was the bread winner for at least five of their children including himself as the husband.
“My wife used to sell potatoes leaves in Koidu City in order to provide food for us but she is dead who is going to take up that responsibility as I am blind?” Alhaji Bangura cried.
According to him his wife left the home on last Tuesday morning to sell Potato leaves at the Gbense market in Koidu City noting on her way back home she decided to use the short cut road so that she can access the home quickly to prepared food for the family.
Mr. Bangura pointed out that it was during the said process that his wife drowned in the Meya River.
He said he was surprised to hear the drowning message of his wife because that was the first time she used the short cut road back home that has the Meya River. Meanwhile owning to this back drop Alhaji Bangura has called on humanitarian organizations, the government of Sierra Leone to come to his aid including his five children as he cannot fend for the family because of his disability.
On his part, the councillor of ward 097 where the incident occurred, Fayia Mamadi told A-Z that at least three people have drowned in the said Meya River.
According to him they have stopped people not to use the river as passage but to no avail because it is the only short cut to access Koidu City where people especially women go to transact business. Meanwhile local authorities in Small Sefadu town have called on government, NGOs and well-meaning citizens to construct a bridge so that the death toll in terms of drowning will be addressed.