By Ragan M. Conteh
“The Sierra Leone People’s Party government has just erected electricity poles and cables in Moyamba township for decoration and not for electricity supply,”the people of Moyamba district have said.
This was disclosed to this medium by residents of Moyamba town on Thursday 16th May 2024.
An okada rider, Musa Jabbie told this medium that, they are very unease with the manner in which the government they had voted for overwhelmingly is treating them that way.
“Our district headquarter town is like a graveyard at night.”
Since 2019, they said have not been enjoying a dime from this administration and the regime keeps giving them flimsy excuses with no headway.
What is more heart-rending, Musa Jabbie admitted, was that even a clock tower that was fenced by zinc it is yet to be finished since the regime came to governance.
He lamented that Moyamba District especially the township had been left out from development of the country and which has made the community one among the poorest and vulnerable communities.
He went on that the district headquarter town is very deprived, adding that they are always ashamed of visitors from other parts of the country who go about criticizing them and mocking Moyamba township for its perpetual darkness. The darkness is felt by the vulnerable masses.
A business woman selling drinks at Total Filling Station at Moyamba town, Magret Harding said the only thing they can boast of at the moment nothing but darkness.
She said the community was very happy before now when the Ministry of Energy installed the poles, and passed out the cables but not knowing that the plan was to woe votes and not to address the perennial situation of energy supply in the township.
“Women are very much dissatisfied with the current state of Moyamba District, we want electricity so that our businesses will grow.” “We want to use electricity supply as a means to meet our daily living,” she said.
Harding pointed out that at night people are afraid to move up and down the town because of the darkness.
A student at Afford Secondary school in Moyamba, Kadiatu Kamara said they are suffering in two-fold in Moyamba, adding that there is no electricity supply and they also there is a problem of pure drinking water in the district.
She said the school cannot give electricity 24 hours but if government gives them light at least for 12 hours, the school administration will continue with the rest.
She called on the regime to consider Moyamba District as its strategic place in terms of providing fish and other opportunities as the country’s food basket.
She continued that she believes that Moyamba District has contributed a lot to the revenue mobilization of the government.
A business tycoon selling spare parts in the township, Mr Sheriff, also lamented about the dire needs of the people of Moyamba District. He described the district’s situation as dire and which requires government’s quick intervention.
“The roads are constructed by the then government and now that our brothers are in the helm of affairs we want to see a big difference.”
He ended that the only thing that can ameliorate the sufferings of people in Moyamba District is to provide them the basic amenities including electricity, water and job opportunities.
One of the visitors told this medium that he has visited all district headquarter towns in Sierra Leone in recent times but he still sees Moyamba District is among the most deprived with absolutely no social activities going on in the township at night.
He said he would be pleased with the government to provide swift response to Moyamba District in terms of electricity supply and other opportunities.
A stakeholders in Moyamba District (name withheld) told this medium that they are still waiting on government to help them, adding that since elected in 2018 they have not received a dime from any government officials.
He, however, pleaded to SLPP to work hard and address their promises in the district.