The Paramount chief of Langurama Chiefdom in the Kenema District PC Prince Pewa who is also the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Council of Paramount Chiefs of Kenema District has told the press in Kenema that, they as traditional rulers and custodians of their people have not received salaries for over two years now, and has appealed for them to be given monthly salaries.
He stated that they are surviving by what he called ‘Magic’ saying that such a situation is undermining developmental activities in their respective chiefdoms.
PC Pewa alluded that in a building project the foundation has to be laid first and guaranteed before putting up the wall height, explaining that the Paramount Chiefs are the foundation and their business has to be considered first in any democratic state because they are the first custodians of the people. “If the Paramount Chiefs are well taken care off and they are considered in any development work in their localities things will go on smoothly” he said.
The Paramount Chief appealed to the government to put all Paramount Chiefs across the country on monthly salary so that they too will be signing vouchers at the end of every month.
By so doing he said there will be a guarantee for them and their relatives especially now that NASSIT is in operation.
He said they as Paramount Chiefs support the government of the day and they are willing to contribute to any developmental program in the country.
He also promised that they will do everything possible to always maintain the peace.
By Saffa Moriba in Kenema