By Ragan M. Conteh

At a Presidential speech debate in the Well of Parliament, Hon Mamoud  KaMara aka Nice Guy, informed MPs that “the country’s skyrocketed prices of food commodities will soon reaches [Planet] Jupiter”

He made the submissions on Monday 4th November 2024 in the Well of Parliament.

Hon Kamara said the content of the president’s speeches are the same way he has been reading to the public.

He said Sierra Leoneans are in excruciating pain due to the high cost of living leading to their hardship.

He said even the words and the sentences that are in the President  speech document are a disappointment to him.

He stated that President Bio talked about the education while the university has raised Le 2,500 million old Leones in 2018 to now Le 8 million old Leones.

Hon Kamara said before now when one bought electricity meter top up it would take him longer time to finish but today the tariff is very expensive.

He pointed out that only 36% has access to electricity and spoke about the terrible roads in his Lumley community.

He called on the President to do the work and address the needs of the people but not to be saying propaganda.

He said the dismal performance of the economy has even narrowed his hope and he intimated that he is disappointed by the speech of the President.

Hon Dr Unpha Gbasay Koroma, said the President in his speech spoke about peace and the need for politics without division of the nation.

He said the President did not note the fact that the trust in the electoral process then is still at the lowest level in the country.

Hon Koroma said the agreement of national unity and the tripartite arrangement was not followed by the government.

He said the government failed to note that the agreement is implementable and actionable.

Hon Koroma also noted the increment of the price of rice to 5% which he said will affect Sierra Leoneans, come next year.

What is heartrending he said in the 2025, the increments of 10% which will take effect.

He said as opposition they have earlier warned the government to remove taxation on rice and other essential commodities.

Such increments will add to the excruciating burden on citizens.

Hon Koroma urged the government to take example from Guinea, Ghana and other countries of their models and make critical assessment on their tax implementation here in Sierra Leone.

The SLPP MP from Bo, Hon William Lamin said the President has done so much that the opposition MPs cannot see any good.

He talked about the ongoing development nationwide.

He dismissed the submissions made by  opposition MPs about the university fees which he said are less than Le 8 million per student.