ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY
THE PRESIDENT,
ALHAJI DR AHMAD TEJAN KABBAH
ON THE 44TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY
OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE

Fellow Citizens:

The film you have been watching over the SLBS TV is a documentary taken on the eve of Independence in 1961. If you watched it carefully, you will see the late Sir Maurice Dorman our last British Governor-General and prominent Sierra Leoneans like the late Sir Milton Margai, our first Prime Minister, Dr John Karefa-Smart, the late Dr. M.C.F. Easmon and Madam Ella Koblo Gulama giving interviews on issues that were pertinent then and even today. Some of the main issues highlighted in the documentary include:

(i) the education of the girl child
(ii) gender equality
(iii) encouraging the private sector to get involved in national development and
(iv) the concept of being Non-Aligned.

You will also have noticed from the film that there was a spirit of togetherness and unity among the people on the eve of that memorable Independence Day. People sang and danced together irrespective of their tribe or political affiliation. A lot of relevant statistics on the nation in the areas of education, health and infrastructural development inherited by the new Government as revealed in the film clearly indicated that the seeds of development were being sown.

Although, regrettably, we also saw in the film, the beginning of political violence even at that time.

Fellow Citizens:

That was what our country was like at independence. Unfortunately, the dreams that people like Sir Milton Margai had for our nation did not materialize.

Instead, not long after independence the National Unity and National Cohesion which were the distinctive characteristics of this country at independence, were never allowed to solidify. The seeds planted for our material, social and human development which Sir Milton had carefully nursed were not allowed to bear fruit. Sierra Leone, within the first decade of independence was plunged into a system of bad governance, lawlessness, divisiveness and political exclusion to the point that this country was declared a one-party state.

The result of this was that all social and economic gains made immediately after independence were lost and the country was from that time onward deprived of the prospects of moving forward like other nations which became independent about the same time. The circumstances that then prevailed prevented the proper working of the state institutions and deprived the state of the ability to withstand social upheavals or defend itself against such upheavals.
Fellow Citizens:

The over-a-decade long rebel war was the outcome of the prevailing circumstances, and when that war came, it brought in its wake unimaginable suffering to our people as well as the destruction of the remaining social and economic infrastructure of our country.

Thank God, within a few years after the war we have been able to rebuild or refurbish most of the social infrastructure - schools, clinics and hospitals and built even more of these than existed before the war. We are now in the process of rebuilding and reconstructuring the roads and other physical infrastructure destroyed during the war or neglected over decades; we have already embarked on the revamping of our economy by restoring the confidence of our investors, foreign as well as local as can be seen from the reopening of the Sierra Rutile, the Magbass Sugar Complex, the Industrial Complex at Cline Town and many others. We are now on the way of restoring electricity and water supply to our capital city and this will be before long. This is notwithstanding the fact that former regimes allowed the generating and distribution capacity of electricity to fall into decay as a consequence of which the entire city could at times go without electricity not merely intermittently as at now but continuously for nearly a year. The truth of the matter is that we have accomplished all these within a very short time from the end of the war. This is an achievement for which we are held in high esteem by our donor partners and it is one for which all Sierra Leoneans should be justly proud.

Fellow Citizens:

Because of my Government's achievements so far, our donor partners have been prepared and willing to further fund other activities within the Government's overall development agenda for this country. For Example, the OPEC Fund has now agreed to release the remaining funds required for the construction of the Freetown Hillside Road. The necessary documents for the release of these funds were signed only a few days ago. Also the financial aid required for the completion of the Tokeh-Lumley Road along the Peninsula is now available. As a related positive development, funds are now available from the European Union for the construction of the Masiaka-Bo Road. Advertisements inviting bids for the construction of that road are currently appearing in our local newspapers. Also work to rehabilitate and upgrade the Kenema-Koindu Road has already started and Government is now engaged in negotiations with a view to accessing funds for the maintenance and resurfacing of the Matotoka-Koidu Road.

I am also taking this opportunity to announce that my Government has already received assistance from the African Development Bank and the contract signed for financing the feasibility study and the preparation of a detailed engineering design together with tender documents in respect of the proposed Freetown-Lungi new road link, the upgrading and surfacing of the Port Loko-Lungi Road and also the construction of the Bandajuma-Mano River Union Bridge in the Pujehun District.

All this is in fulfilment of my Government's determination to establish a sound system of road network which will greatly facilitate the movement of persons and goods from one part of the country to the other. This in itself will promote trade and commerce within the country. It will at the same time enhance national harmony, national cohesion and understanding among the people as with a sound system of road network they will be willing and able to travel to different parts of the country with greater ease and relative comfort. A very important by-product of the successful implementation of these road works will be the creation of employment for our people. I urge that full advantage be taken of the opportunity that will be offered thereby.

I need to mention here that to have received funding for these roads projects had required protracted and time-consuming negotiations and patience. However, relying on the prevailing peaceful environment in the country, our own performance as a committed and responsible Government and the justification given for our request for assistance. I was always convinced that we would receive the necessary funding for these projects. I assure the nation that my Government is determined to seek funding for many more development projects.

Fellow Citizens:

Let us reflect on the peculiar nature of our war. Unlike rebel wars fought in other West African countries where the aim was not to paralyse the state completely by destroying all public and social facilities, in our own case the aim of the war appeared to be the total annihilation and destruction of the social fabric and economic infrastructure of the country. These included all educational and social facilities, the destruction of public and administrative buildings and all the sources of Government revenue. Our task as a Government has been to rehabilitate all these so that the Government and society can function again smoothly. It is for the achievement in this area that we have earned the admiration and continued support of our development partners and the international community generally. Therefore, when we Sierra Leoneans are assessing the performance of the Government since the end of the war we are to do so within the proper context. We have to look at the level of physical destruction caused by the war and the level of reconstruction and rehabilitation activities Government has successfully embarked upon since. We should also take into consideration the total absence of resources as it was at the assumption of office by this Government.

Even the attitude of some of our people which is sometimes negative and lackadaisical towards national development and national assets, bordering on unpatriotism in some cases, can be attributed in part to the long deprivation and abuse which our people were subjected to over the years. This may even be part of the reason for the ease with which some Sierra Leoneans in collusion with some foreigners were prepared to take up arms against their fellow Sierra Leoneans, and willingly cause such destruction of human lives and property.

The way the country was moving would have jeopardized our independence, our right to self-determination because we lost sight of the true meaning of independence which is about assuming primary responsibility for finding solutions to our problems, not by destroying ourselves.

In order to fully recover from this debacle it had to take a 17,500 strong United Nations Force, the largest ever assembled for such a purpose, ECOMOG Forces, a robust British security assistance, and the infusion of millions of dollars worth of financial and material support from the International Community. When the war finally ended about three years ago, Government had no choice but to direct all its efforts, meagre resources and energy to the process of national recovery, restructuring and reforming of Government institutions and regaining our independence.

Fellow Citizens:

Another area of concentration after the war was the rehabilitation and reconstruction of our limited infrastructure and national capacity building in order to aid development together with the attainment of food security. This however has not been an easy task. It is going to require painful sacrifices from all of us and it is going to be time-consuming. It is going to require the mobilisation of all our assets, material and human resources. Painful though it may be for some, we must do it because it is the only meaningful way forward.

Another matter which is of paramount importance and which I have made the cornerstone of my presidency is that of national reconciliation. There is no better occasion than on our national day to urge that we all rededicate ourselves to the task of national reconciliation. We have no choice in this. It is the only way that we can rebuild a united peaceful and prosperous Sierra Leone.

In this regard, I am pleased that the controversy involving garbage disposal in Freetown has now been amicably resolved, with the Freetown City Council having taken over this responsibility from the central Government. I would like to emphasize that the central Government will provide the necessary support to the Council to ensure that Freetown could once again become a city we can all be proud of.

We now know that all is not lost. We can still make a new beginning. The issue of building a strong democracy in the context of our political system and the values that go with it is a matter I feel strongly about, and one that is focal in my administration. To preserve the peace and stability that we have achieved, and to strengthen the state and its institutions, requires us to recognise that merit is fundamental in our actions. Our political system involving our political parties must operate on the basis of a recognition of that fact.

Fellow Citizens:

Divisiveness in any political group due to narrow and sometimes ethnic behaviour can only create instability within that political group. This will not only undermine the ability of that group to function effectively, but will, by extension, create the atmosphere where Democracy in the Nation will also be undermined. We must strive to avoid such a situation, for the smooth functioning of the state and the security of its people are essential requirements for national development.

It is time to change our attitudes to the affairs of this nation; it's time to rekindle the hopes and dreams which inspired our nation at the time of independence. Let us settle our differences amicably instead of resorting to the ways of the past. We, as a people have what it takes. Let us recommit ourselves to building a great nation, to promoting national cohesion, economic and social development and fighting poverty; a nation that our children and grandchildren will be proud of.

On our part as a Government, we have decided to rededicate ourselves to those ideals and values which have once served this country well and which we believe are still relevant today. It is quite evident that policies such as those that favour the girl child, gender equality, the advancement and welfare of the youth, the liberalization of trade among nations, the creation of the enabling environment for private sector participation which have now become the buzz concepts of our time were already key elements of our policies during those pioneering days.

We will therefore continue to pursue policies which can help us build our nation on the solid foundation which was laid by Sir Milton Margai and his team during that period. It is therefore no coincidence today that this government has put premium on similar issues like the education of the girl child, the creation of more opportunities for women and young people in the work place as well as in politics. Current reforms in the public sector domain, the legal, judicial and financial sectors are all designed to streamline government policies geared towards putting this nation back on track in improving the performance of government in the delivery of public services and attracting the private sector to fully participate in our national development.

Fellow Citizens:

It was possible for Sir Milton Margai and others to make substantial progress in nation building because there was unity of purpose in the pursuit of those common objectives. The unity and interest of the State was more important to Sierra Leoneans at that time than the propagation of individual or sectional interest which bears no relation to nation building.

Our recent history has also taught us the very painful lesson that poverty begets acts of violence. However, we are also aware that social security is one potent and vital instrument that can prevent poverty. In recognition of this fact, my Government introduced a programme of social protection through the establishment of a national social security scheme managed by the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) in 2002. As many people are beginning to realise, contrary to the initial views of sceptics at the time, social security will only be the means to cope with the real life contingencies of old age, disability and death. It is through social security that generations of young Sierra Leoneans will provide for the old, the able-bodied for the disabled, and the living provide for the orphaned. Thus, providing for a sustainable programme of social security is to nurture a safe and secure haven for our country into the future. NASSIT is, therefore, an institution we are proud to bequeath to future generations. We are sure that through NASSIT we will be able to remove the pervasive effects of poverty and bring happiness to our people.

I now urge all Sierra Leoneans to participate fully in our present political dispensation for it is only by doing this that we can build an enduring democratic system in this country. I urge all sierra Leoneans to exercise their civil and constitutional rights to the full while at the same time acknowledging that others are also entitled to the enjoyment of their own similar rights. I urge all Sierra Leoneans to be always mindful of their obligations to preserve the safety and security of the state and of the need to maintain and even help to enhance the prevailing stability and peace which we have worked so hard to achieve. It is Government's primary duty to deal firmly, and within the law, with any person or group of persons who may wish to disturb the peace, security and stability of the state, or undermine its prosperity. Government will never relent in this regard as it is the only way of protecting the achievements we have made so far. Our people have suffered enough. The peace we have achieved is theirs to enjoy. Preserving and protecting the people, the peace and security of the state is the surest way that people will continue to benefit from the ending of the war and thereby guaranteeing their development and prosperity. No country can develop without a secure and peaceful environment. The direct foreign investment which we, like all other countries, need so badly will elude us if the appropriate and conducive environment for such investment does not exist. It is for this reason and it is in the interest of all of us to always conduct ourselves in such a way that there is no threat of any sort to the peace and prosperity of the state.

Fellow Citizens:

As a nation, our strength and character can be moulded, by our being united for the common good. History tells us that the United States of America, the most powerful nation today, derives its strength and power from the unity among its various peoples and races for the common good. There is no reason why we as a people cannot use our creative energies to develop this "land

that we love, our Sierra Leone". Our predecessors did this before us. We too can do the same today.

May God bless you all.

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