Samuel Kallon 
By Ragan M. Conteh
The Member of Parliament from Tonkolili District, Hon. Daniel Amadu Bangura, has expressed his opinion on the president of Sierra Leone incessant overseas’ travels.
He informed Members of Parliament and Sierra Leoneans that “President Julius Maada Bio is in flying competition with the inflation.”
He said the President travels while food is skyrocketing in communities in the country and the cost of living, he said, is reaching in an “unbearable situations” for the poor.
According to Hon. Bangura there is no sign of changing the narratives by the Bio regime.
Hon. Daniel Amadu Bangura made the submissions on Monday 4th November 2024 when debating on the latest President’s speech delivered at the Chambers of Parliament.
He said the President speech recently in Parliament was full of empty words with no hope of him ready to deliver the nation from its current economic predicaments.
Hon. Bangura said, year in year out, they have witnessed the same speeches from the head of state but with no tangible progress in the country by his government.
He informed that the government statement about the stabilization of the inflation is just meant for the researchers but it does not reflect to the ordinary people.
He spoke about the need for President Bio to reduce the current bloated wage bill as well as reducing what he referred to as “his unnecessary travels” which he said had further deepened the economic situation.
Hon. Bangura said as opposition MPs they don’t want the same rhetoric like in the first term of President Bio, to continue to be told, adding that Sierra Leoneans want a clear roadmap and real developments happening now without hearing any propaganda.
He affirmed that, as a representative of his people he wants the next speech of the President to speak on the realities on the ground instead of being hypothetical.
In his submissions, the opposition MP, Hon Ibrahim Barrie said the clock is ticking for the SLPP regime, and going forward there will be no more flimsy excuses.
Hon Barrie cautions the SLPP MPs to talk on the pressing issues, stating that the people of Sierra Leone will be frown at them if they continue with their unusual telling of propaganda.
He said as Sierra Leone stands the current minimum wage could only afford to buy a man just a half bag of rice.
He spoke about the Tumabum and Youths Farms, stressing that since their established with lots of monies directed to the projects they have not yet yielded any dividends for Sierra Leoneans.
He went further to say the 10,000 youths that are supposed to have protected Sierra Leone are now engaged in drugs and they are dying.
Hon Barrie stated that the ongoing debate in Parliament should not be a context of an ego.
He echoed the travels of the President advising him to cut it down
and re-direct those travel funds to agricultural cultivation.
He ended that the Speech of the President is far-fetched from the reality.
Making his statement, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) Member of Parliament from Kailahun District, Hon. Tengbeh, has said President Julius Maada Bio “is an epitome of progress and development in Sierra Leone.”
He said when President Bio took over power in 2018, he inherited austerity measures.
He stated that the regime was under slumber when they took over governance of this nation.
He said the propaganda from the opposition could not help the nation to develop.
He spoke on how President Julius Maada Bio’s travels have hindered the reshaping of the country’s development agenda ranging from farming, education, electricity and human capital development, coming to the current big five changers agenda.
He said the President and his government are willing to bring tougher measures to ensure development happens.
The SLPP deputy Chief Whip in Parliament, Hon. Neneh Lebbie the country has gone through biter and good times.
Hon. Lebbie said MPs from the opposition should see reasons why they should applaud the President and his government for what they have done in recent years.
She spoke about the free education, adding that Feed Salone agenda is crucial, adding that the country cannot allow others to feed Sierra Leoneans at all times, the reason President Julius Maada Bio is doing all within his reach for his government to succeed and his party.
She said lots of things have gone off track that emancipated to the hunger by people today.
She called for collaboration, peace and cohesion for development of Sierra Leone.
