President Kabbah In Moyamba

Continuing his periodic inspection of "Operation PEBU" sites across the country, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah has acclaimed the efforts of soldiers of the 6th battalion of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) in Moyamba, during his two-legged visit to the southern district yesterday.

The government of Sierra Leone, in partnership with the British government, is currently implementing a military housing scheme codenamed "Ops PEBU", an exercise that has seen soldiers themselves undertaking multifarious construction work to build their own quarters.

Addressing a gathering of soldiers and district dignitaries at the construction site, President Kabbah said the project would be of immense benefit to servicemen and women, who, while in the process of building their own houses, would also be learning new skills as carpenters, masons and other related trades. He referred to an often-quoted American President, the late John F. Kennedy who once remarked: "Ask not what America can do for you, but what you can do for America." In that regard the President had praises for the soldiers whom he described as resourceful and patriotic.

Already, the construction of individual temporary accommodation has been completed and preparations are underway for the completion of eleven married quarters for other ranks, one guardroom and other ancillary facilities.

President Kabbah thanked the Gulama family of Moyamba for making available some 150-acre of land on which the military housing project is being undertaken. He observed that Sierra Leoneans from every region were no more interested in conflict and underdevelopment, but were rather poised to develop a secure, stable and progressive country. He emphasised that the way forward now was for the nation to concentrate on wealth creation and the building of a stable and economically sound infrastructure and social services. In this connection, the President stressed the importance of taxation as a means of revenue generation, thus urging every Sierra Leonean not to shy away from paying their taxes.

He went on to encourage district farmers and traditional rulers to embark on the cultivation of the new variety of ginger government recently received from China. He said the Chinese variety was doing well in other parts of the country, pointing out that it would fetch a lot of foreign exchange when exported to lucrative foreign markets.
The President also revealed that government had made an order for the delivery of agricultural machinery and seeds to boost agricultural production countrywide.

The President also spoke of current developments in the roads, health and education sectors. He said ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads would include two roads leading to Moyamba via Songo and Rotifunk and through Masiaka, Mile 91 and Moyamba Junction. The President reassured the people of Moyamba that government was doing everything for the development of the district. In this vein he pointed out that the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and National Commission for War-Affected Children (NACWAC) projects have been implemented in the district with other projects being funded by non-governmental organisations and that the Unamsil Nepalese Battalion, Nepbatt 5 has also been very active in the area.

On the health sector, the President noted that the Connaught Hospital in Freetown was being rehabilitated and expanded as a referral hospital. He indicated that there were also plans for one referral hospital each to be located in the northern, eastern and southern regions.

President Kabbah went on to speak of the SABABU education project launched recently in Kambia. SABABU, which denotes "opportunity" in common parlance, is a US$ 40m countrywide World Bank and African Development Bank funded project to revamp and modernise the education sector, tailored to address many of the problems affecting basic education as a consequence of the low literacy rate and the damage done to school buildings during the just-ended civil conflict. The SABABU project will help Sierra Leone achieve some of its Education For All (EFA) goals. Within the next five years, the project plans to construct some 500 Primary Schools, 100 Junior Secondary Schools, 51 Technical and Vocational Centres covering all districts and chiefdoms in the country. In the northern and eastern provinces where literacy levels are very low the ministry of education, science and technology is providing free basic education for every girl-child.

In this regard, the President emphasised the need for continued peace and stability as well as a conducive environment to help Sierra Leone move away from a donor driven to a self-reliant export-oriented economy. He declared that Sierra Leone had rapidly progressed from its post-conflict recovery phase and was now entering a fully- fledged development period effective Sunday 4th January 2004. President Kabbah therefore declared the commencement of the development phase in the country with effect from that day, Sunday 4 January, 2004.

The Head of State further reiterated that his government remained grateful to the former members of the Moyamba Civil Defence Forces (CDF), for their selfless contributions in restoring peace to that part of the country and in the country as a whole. He recognised the meaningful contributions of members of the RSLAF as well as the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Sierra Leone in maintaining the prevailing peaceful environment in the country, especially during the Christmas and New Year season.

In another development, President Kabbah who was also accompanied by Vice President Solomon Berewa, paid a visit to the Moyamba Disadvantaged Home / Medic Home, an institution set up to cater for the needs of orphaned children as well as those whose parents cannot sustain them any longer.

The President expressed appreciation to the regional Nepalese UN peacekeeping battalion and the National Commission for War Affected Children (NACWAC) for their support towards erecting the dormitory to house the children.

On the second leg of his visit to Moyamba, President Kabbah and Vice President Berewa together with cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and other dignitaries visited the family of the late Honourable Alhaji Tarasid Tarawalli who passed away on Friday, 19 December 2003 in Freetown. Both the President and Vice President later joined relatives, party stalwarts and other mourners for funeral prayers at the Moyamba Central Mosque for the late Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) Parliamentarian, Honourable Alhaji Tarasid Tarawalli who was interred in Moyamba on Sunday, 4 January, 2004.