Over three thousand (3,000) Sierra Leoneans in Kawunkula Village Kalasongoyai Chiefdom, North of Sierra Leone are presently sleeping in the cold as a result of fire disaster in their village.
“Over 140 houses have burnt down by mysterious fire that started four miles from our village,” Kawunkula elder Pa Yerah Mansaray told this reporter.
“The ugly events took place on Monday 13th February 2012 when Sarah Koroma a woman farmer set fire on her farm down the hills. The fire mysteriously jumped to another point and escalated to the village” he explained.
According to the youth leader Mohamed Kamara, when the fire started the woman shouted for help and during the process the fire spread to various other points in the village.
The fire incident left the entire villagers with no clothes, food, cattle and shelter and they are presently sleeping outside while others are sleeping in tents and trees. Most of them are surviving now on bush yams and palm wine.
The Resident Minister North, along with Office of National Security (ONS) personnel, civil society members, and the media visited the village.
The Resident Minister North Alie D Kamara donated 10 bags of rice to the villagers and described the situation as unfortunate adding that he will ensure more attention is focused on them. The Resident Minister who led the trip called on locals to be mindful of the way and manner they burn their bushes noting that fire is very important in our daily lives but cautioned that, fire is not man’s friend.
In their emergency response the Office of National Security also on the following day donated blankets, non food items, mats, cooking pots and jelly cans to the affected villagers as a way of helping them.
Kawunkula Village is situated o the bank of the Rokel River some 40 miles from Bumbuna town and 7 miles to Bafodia. It can only be accessed by foot on top of a hill and stony plateau.
The Vice President acting upon reports from ONS Northern region office on the said matter has reportedly summoned a meeting in his office where NaCSA officials pledged to provide food for complete 3 months for the villagers. This prompted UNICEF officials to make a commitment of visiting the scene.
“The fire incident have burnt our houses including our registration slips, this among other things have made the entire situation worse for us. Please Minister talk on our behalf to government so that we can re-register for the elections,” youth leader Mohamed Kamara appealed.
Mr. Mohamed Kamara said, “every election year my people do register and vote but yet still there are no changes in our community. We don’t know our Member of Parliament, councilors not even our Paramount chief,” he lamented.
The village is faced with a lot of challenges ranging from early marriages; not accessible by bicycle, no school, no clinic, and no safe and pure drinking water not even communication networks.
By Mohamed Kabba
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