“Karene District in the Northwest Region is born out of Bombali and Port Loko districts. The eight most deprived Chiefdoms in Bombali district and five most deprived Chiefdoms in Port Loko district formed the Karene District.” Chairman of Karene District Council, Abdul Kandeh Turay told a cross section of  journalists over the weekend.

He said the people of Karene are living in abject poverty and called on the government and Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) to support the Council achieve it desired objectives in uplifting the lives of the people.

He described the own source revenue as one of the major challenges they are facing, adding that the report produced by IGR led by Andrew Lavalie puts his District last in terms of revenue generation and mobilization which he noted is a cause for concern. He disclosed that they will soon visit all Chiefdoms to convince people to pay their property tax, license fee, market dues among others, noting that they will be using the revenue to undertake development projects in the respective communities. The Chairman disclosed that for the first time in the Council they will be spending over four hundred million old Leones (Le400M) to rehabilitate the Karene District Education Committee (KDEC) Primary School in Kamakwie Town. He said the school buildings were completely destroyed by heavy wind late last year which has affected the education of the children attending that school.

He said he vigorously advocated for all students who were supposed to do their MCH course in Makeni to do it in Kamakwie thereby saving cost and accommodation constraints.

Mr. Turay disclosed that he inherited several uncompleted projects that are being funded by the European Union, citing the construction of grain stores at Foredugu and Samaya and some culverts. He said with serious lobbying some of these projects have been completed and are ready for commissioning before the end of the month. He lauded the support and cooperation he is receiving from all stakeholders including the police, military, Office of National Security (ONS) in the dispensation of their work.