By Josephine W. Lagawo –
Hon Daniel Amadu Bangura of Tonkolili district has said that the President Bio has taken 7 years in office, pointing out that there is competition between the president excessive flying and the inflation rate.
Hon Bangura made this statement while contributing to the presidential address delivered by President Maada Bio on August 6th 2024 at the well of Parliament.
“7 years in office, the president has taken a vow to be flying while his people are in abject poverty, the minimum wage cannot buy a bag of rice,” he emphasized.
He stated that the address of the president can be described as echoes of past promises.
According to him, year after year Sierra Leoneans have been left with similar pledges with the same vision and identical commitments to tackle corruption, unemployment and stabilizing economy, asking, ‘how many of these promises have actually improved the lives of Sierra Leoneans?’
He noted that the President spoke on economic growth but the reality is far from the ideals, highlighting that inflation has only reduced on paper for researchers.
He explained that when he asked his constituents at Yoni what they understand by reduction in inflation, they said that it is when a bag of rice that was sold at eight hundred thousand Leones when inflation was 55% is sold for almost five hundred thousand Leones when inflation is at 25%.
The APC MP pointed out that President Bio promised the nation when he took up governance to reduce the inflation rate from 17 % to single digit but that seven years in office, the exchange rate of US$ 100 has moved from seven hundred thousand Leones to Two Million five hundred thousand Leones.
He further that what is worrying is the depreciation of the International Reserve which according to the IMF has fallen to less than to two months of imports.
“This is extremely serious. At present, the cost of living for many Sierra Leonean is difficult. The one-year feed Salone has not shown any positive impact and the integrated part of it is that there are no signs of changing the narrative in the future,” he said.
He said the country is still among the ten hungests countries in the world according to Global hunger index report of 2024.
The Member of Parliament from Tonkolili pointed out that youth employment is perhaps the most pressing issue the country is facing.
He said that President has been promising economy growth, sustainable jobs for the youths, skills development programs but asked ‘where are they?’
He said the youth remain unemployed, frustrated and without hope for better tomorrow because there are no genuine opportunities for them.
He said that this nation deserves better, real progress and tangible results with clear and actionable plan that will change promises in to realities.
