The Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Monday March 24th and Tuesday March 25th brought Kambia town to a standstill as it rolled out the first of the Civic Day Activities to the district. Kambia town, a district normally buoyant at the border crossing point with Guinea at Gbalamuya, was gripped by the MoICE team as it brought governance to the people.

Speaking on the theme, “Salone Big Pass We All,” Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah, said it espouses the country’s National Pledge and Anthem and that the civic day events were intended to bridge the gap between the people and the government.

On the first day, school pupils from across the various primary and secondary schools in Kambia thronged the hall of the Kambia District Council, together with other dignitaries like the Paramount Chiefs, civil society activists, the media to witness firsthand the role of the government and the responsibilities of the citizens to ensure government is kept on its toes and development is cascaded to the intended beneficiaries.

It was a day that the people owned the process as they were given the opportunity to express their understanding of civic duties and how the government interface with them should be like. The occasion was climaxed by the display of knowledge of the country and beyond by pupils from the schools of Kambia as they quizzed and debated on a wide range of topics. The quiz and debate sessions particularly thrilled the audience as pupils from Kolenten, Mortala schools showed understanding and depth of many topics. The girls in particular, justified President Bio’s inordinate belief in education of the girl child, as they swept every first prize available on the day. The debate was a ding-dong affair as the topic was a choice of Free Quality Education versus Feed Salone. The girls presented a compelling argument for either topic but eventually, Fatmata Yansaneh who spoke on the merits of the free quality education emerged the winner.

Before the presentation of prizes for the winners, Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation Madam Salima Bah, gave an inspirational talk on her Ministry’s roles and the impact on the different sectors of the country including education and Feed Salone. Madam Bah spoke of the massive improvements in internet access and the efforts and resources ploughed into bringing the underground cables, the infrastructure to embark on the fiber backbone and the moves to increase access and affordability of the internet.

Another speaker, Statistician General Mr. Johnny gave a pep talk on the advantages of census and why the people should make it their civic responsibility to ensure they are counted. He assured them on in depth talk the following day.

The distribution of the prizes and certificates formed the highlights of the day’s session.

The second day was a gathering of the crème de la crème of society as Ministers, Directors; Commissioners had a face-to-face dialogue with the people from all walks of life in Kambia ranging from Paramount Chiefs to CSOs to school children. It made the people realize that there is a thin divide between them and the government and that they formed a part of the government.

Information and Civic Education Minister Chernor Bah was at his usual best, so were the other speakers. Minister Bah told the people that they were mandated by President Julius Maada Bio to move from their desks in Freetown to go down to the people who elected them into office.

Other speakers included Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs Mr. Tamba Lamina, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture 1 Madam Theresa Deeks, the Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security Alhaji Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay Esquire, head of the National Public Health Agency Dr. Sahr Foday, Statistician General Mr. Johnny, Assistant Commissioner for Border Control Mr. Amara, Deputy and Minister of Energy 1 Ing. Nuni. Speaker after speaker dilated on their roles in bringing development to the people. The topics were wide ranging and the speakers did justice to every issue they were confronted with.

The audience was spellbound as they listened keenly to every speaker talk on food security, energy, census, community affairs, border control and security, tripartite and justice, the medium term national development plan and many more.

The response from the audience was mixed with some expressing frustration. Some of the questions and concerns were expressed with a tinge of anger and anxiety, but the ever effulgent and smiling Minister of Information and Civic Education maintained a calm demeanor and turned some residents’ anger into laughter and proper understanding of the issues.

At the end, the people left satisfied and glad that they were afforded the opportunity to listen to government officials and were able to also express their feelings about certain issues affecting them. It was a win-win situation for all.