President Ernest Bai Koroma has told citizens and International partners in Tonkolili district that his government remains committed to Health, Education, Energy, Water and Sanitation and Good Governance.
The President made this pronouncement during the launching ceremony of the ‘President’s Recovery Priorities’ a ceremony that attracted the media, civil society, Ministries, Agencies and Departments, the Paramount Chiefs, National and International partners at the Tonkolili district headquarters of Magburaka on Monday 20th June 2016.
In his keynote statements President Koroma said his government would double the total operational power generation capacity from 75megawatt to 150megawatt and increase access to electricity from 125,000 to 250,000. He said the government will save the lives of 600 women and 5,000 children, recruitment and improvement of learning outcomes by training at least 40,000 teachers in core subjects and reduce overcrowding in severely affected schools.
He said the government remains focused to put the economy of the country back to normal through support and engagement with partners and the International Corp. He said after the Ebola scourge his government school waivers and special learning program for almost all ‘drop-out’ pregnant girls in the integrative learning centres was well received.
The President highlighted issues of extension of free basic health services to Ebola survivors, provision of seeds to farmers across the country, expansion on the transmission and distribution of energy supply in the country, the recruitment of 40,000 teachers for core science subjects, building of new class rooms and re-introduction of school feeding programs. The President informed that his government will ensure more seeds, tools and finances will be provided to Ten Thousand (10,000) micro and macro groups across the country.
President Koroma said in achieving all the outlined issues there is urgent need for all to control wastages and eliminate corruption by ensuring that no one pays bribe to service providers for facilities that are due them. He pleaded with all to work collectively towards zero tolerance to bribery by making effective use of the ‘pay no bribe’ campaign in the interest of development.
The President thanked the International partners for supporting the country from providing encouragement and advise during the fight of Ebola to their frantic supports. He called on them to align all their activities and programs to match up with the recovery priorities.
President Koroma urged Councils, Paramount Chiefs, the communities to work with development partners to ensure the priorities are achieved pointing that as a nation we have fought and worked together in the first implementation phase and that, the second phase will take the country back to it’s foot. He applauded Civil Society for their independent participation, monitoring and evaluation work in the process which according to him means a lots for the country.
The President’s recovery Priorities is designed to look into Seven key areas including Health, Social protection, Education, Private sector development, Water, Energy and Governance. where government intended to save the lives of 600 women and 5,000 children, ensuring . The feeding of 1.2 million children, creation of 10,000 agricultural jobs, with 1,000 SMEs growth increase, provision of safe, affordable and sustainable water supply services to 600,000 people in Freetown and 700,000 in the districts.
By Mohamed Kabba
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