By Ragan M. Conteh

The Minister of Social Welfare, Mohamed Haji Kellah, has disclosed that, President Julius Maada Bio has instructed the Internal Affairs Minister to get rid of all those involved in the deaths of five girls in the ‘Bondo society’ bush in Kambia and other districts.

The Deputy Minister, Haji Kellah, made the disclosure on Tuesday 6th February 2024 during the Commemoration of the Zero Tolerance Day ceremony organized by the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM-SL) Sierra Leone in the city of Port Loko.

According to the Minister of Social Welfare, President Bio, had completely banned underage girl’s initiation in Sierra Leone, over the years.

Mohamed Kellah said the President had instructed the Chief Minister to investigate all the deaths and brought the perpetrators in to book.

He furthered said that, President Bio, had further consented to lead an investigation into the five deaths in the province until findings are completed and justice is delivered to which will be set as a an example to others.

According to the Minister, the President said, he had launched  the Free Quality Education project for all-girls to be educated and he would not sit by to see people misusing the FQE especially preventing girls to go through harmful traditional practices.

The Minister furthered said that the President is now ready to end cruelty in the name of society in Sierra Leone.

In his statement, the Assistance Inspector General (AIG), Mr Manfred Williams, had confirmed that they had three deaths recorded of FGM in just north-west region.

According to the AIG, he said, immediately the police received the two deaths report, the police went to the communities and effect arrest as well as sensitize the locals to end the practice of subjected young girls into the secret society  as stated by the law of Sierra Leone.

He said as police they had been very robust in the past three months in carrying out their search to removing young girls in the Bondo bush.

“We as police we felt very bad for the deaths of the three children and who are future leaders,” he said.

AIG William urged the local leaders to desist from subjecting girls into the Bondo bush into going through  FGM initiation.

AIG also urged locals in Port Loko district and other communities to report the death cases and those that still intend to take girls into Bondo bush for performing FGM practice.

The Port Loko District Chairman, Sheku Tejan Saccoh, in his statement, said this is time for action to save the lives of women in the name of society.

“Let us stop the talking and move forward and be fast to save the lives of women and girls,” he asserted.

Giving the purpose of the ceremony, Madam Rugiatu Neneh Koroma, said the Zero Tolerance Day is a day that was chosen by first ladies in Africa.

She said during their deliberations then, the African first ladies considered FGM as dangerous for women and girls’ progress and it is a practice that kills women and girls.

Madam Koroma said many have died in the society bushes, while others are still in the Bondo bushes and which is preventing them from attending schools.

She urged parents to abstain from subjecting their daughters into FGM, adding that as an organization they have engaged many groups including the traditional leaders, musicians, Soweis, and artistees across the board to help end the practice of FGM in Sierra Leone.

Madam Koroma furthered said that, Port Loko district is the lead advocate to end FGM in the district and beyond, adding that the district has initiated the first Bondo “bloodless rite.”

And she asked everyone including politicians to give their commitments to ending the practice of FGM in Sierra Leone.

She ended that FGM is wrong and bad while she pleaded to all relevant authorities to make a change in the country in terms of the bad tranditions.

She asked in solidarity with representatives from USAID, German Embassy, Irish Aid, local chiefs and many others to help end FGM in Sierra Leone.