Since the APC won the elections in September 2007, it appeared as a big sweet surprise not only to the ordinary supporters of their party, but also to the rest of the populace. The APC manifesto which I happen to have read and published was as good a document of development as any other. But the interesting scenario I want to comment on is the yardstick by which the performance of the APC government shall be measured in 2010.
In this article, I don’t intend to go into some sensitive comments that were made by the Mines Minister of how the APC is going to bring the most positive change to the doorsteps of Sierra Leoneans, and how the SLPP has failed woefully in bridging the gap between the rich and poor, and how they were very tribalistic etc. etc. For almost two years, we are all in the country, waiting and watching to see what the APC government will someday come to say about the country’s GDP and inflation since those economic terms are not necessary: because according to the President and the Mines Minister, Sierra Leone would be far better off under their regime than the previous government.
Well, the extract below is some of the campaign statements made by various speakers of the APC in 2007 and how they will rectify the mess created by the SLPP. Well the APC said we would judge them after 36 months in office when they would have realized their dream of turning Sierra Leone to a paradise.
The cost of living in Sierra Leone today (2007) is simply unbelievable and unbearable. The APC Government will work to reduce the cost of living. The complaints of the people about their inability to make ends meet is clearly justified when their earning power is juxtaposed against the prices of goods and services in the market. The APC Government will work to reduce the cost of living.
There is no electricity in most parts of the country, when we win we will provide electricity for all. In Freetown especially, people cant get access to clean water as in some areas they have to buy water even though the country has water in abundance, the APC will definitely make sure that pipe borne water is available across the city as water pump should not be seen in the city. The APC will make sure that every corner of Sierra Leone will have clean water to drink.
Housing facilities are killing Sierra Leoneans as the average Sierra Leonean can’t afford to rent a decent house, the APC will make sure there are enough cheap and quality houses for people to rent and the land system that the SLPP has destroyed, the APC will correct so that every Sierra Leonean would be entitled to get a piece of land.
Taxation in the country is very high as it is affecting the livelihood of the people, the APC would reduce taxes accordingly so that the people of Sierra Leone can live a quality life. Building materials are expensive, the APC will do all it can to regulate the prices.
The youths are unemployed; the APC when in power will create enough jobs for the unemployed youths so they can be useful in society.
Education in the country is not improving as teachers are not paid well or on time. The education system now in the country is based on quantity rather than quality. The APC when in power will bring back quality education for all and it will be cheaper.
The hospitals are death traps as they do not have drugs and enough doctors and nurses because of the poor conditions of service. When the APC comes to power, the conditions of service for the doctors and nurses will be looked upon to make them better and the hospitals too would be provided with all necessary equipment and other things they needed to improve their quality. Drugs would be available and cheaper. It was the APC who set up the Cost Recovery in the Ministry of Health to cater for the poor and needy in buying drugs at a cheaper rate. The APC will do more to alleviate the problems in the health sector.
A bag of rice and other provisions in the country are expensive and when the APC takes over the government, we will make sure that an average man can be able to buy a bag of rice cheaper than now (2007).
Not all Sierra Leoneans can afford to eat meat and chicken everyday because they are expensive; the APC will make sure these food stuffs are not only for the rich but also for the poor. Also provision prices in the country are very expensive; the APC will look into it and make sure they are affordable.
Most of the appointments made are based on tribalism and regionalism, when the APC regains power, we will make sure that every Sierra Leonean regardless of tribe and region will have equal opportunity and employment will be based upon merit and qualification.
In the services sector, the cost of clearing a 20 feet container at the Queen Elizabeth Quay is so expensive that the ordinary citizens are feeling the pinch. The APC government will not solely rely on NRA but will create other avenues for more income generation, so the price of clearing containers from the quay will be cheaper.
Simply put, the cost of living is so high that the majority of Sierra Leoneans cannot afford one meal a day, especially when viewed against the background of the very inadequate wage increases in the past years. These are the hardships and the harsh realities that the APC’s economic policies 2007-2012, will seek to address.
Among other things, we will work with labour to strive to pay a wage that can take care of the basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter and leave a little extra to cover minimum water, education, health, transportation and electricity costs.
This are all the promises made in 2007 by the APC to alleviate the sufferings of the people of Sierra Leone. As the president has asked us to evaluate his government after 36 months, we will have to wait till next year before we can take out the report card.
But as the saying goes a successful marriage starts from the bachelor’s eve. What’s the meaning; it means that any marriage that will succeed, the bride and groom should have a very good relationship throughout their courtship that will continue during the marriage and getting better.
Well, we are now in the bachelor’s eve, if life at this time is good for us all then it will continue after September 2010, but if life is difficult now then that is what we will take into the ‘marriage’ after 2010.
The APC spokesman Alhaji Alpha Kanu, was the best articulator during the campaign periods and he gave us lots of hope for a better Sierra Leone. His statements and speeches were the best and he persuaded many Sierra Leoneans who were sitting on the fence to vote for APC.
He said this was a new APC and they represent change and they will lead us to the Promised Land. We still trust his statements and hope those words were not just empty but full of meaning and actions.
But after two years in office can we say the country is heading in the right direction? Can we see the new APC in action? Can we see or feel the real change they called for? Are our lives getting better? Is the cost of living decreasing? What can we say about Sierra Leone today in general? Well these are the questions that we are asking ourselves now as we wait for September 2010 to analyze the first three years of the ‘new and changed APC’.
Also, I would like the opposition SLPP to be ready to come out with their assessment of the three years of APC and do some comparison before 2007 so that all of us would understand where we were and where we are heading now.
The road is long and narrow, sometimes rocky and slippery, but it is always undulating so that is why we have to wait till September 2010 to pass out judgment. We would definitely like to hear from Alhaji Alpha Kanu once again to present a vivid assessment to the people of Sierra Leone.
I am quite glad that the APC Government created this basis on which the rational people of Sierra Leone will judge them in 2010 when prices of goods and services are compared. I humbly call on the people of Sierra Leone to start keeping records and they should have started noting down the prices of goods and services since 2007 so as to be able to make very informed decision after 2010.
By Austin Thomas
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