Foindu Town, Pujehun District, Southern Province, Friday 31 March 2023 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio today commenced a three-day working tour of chiefdoms in the Pujehun District as part of his nationwide engagements with local authorities, women and young people on the need for citizens’ participation in national development and peaceful elections.
At Masa Town, in the Kpaka Chiefdom, he said he was happy to have been the first sitting President to visit that part of the country, saying that he was happy that education was taking a foothold in the chiefdom that was on record to have produced very highly educated people.
“The best thing any individual or leader can do for his or her people is to educate them. Education is the only tangible tool that can unlock any door. The SLPP Government’s intervention over the years has improved the educational standards of our country. That is what we stand for. The development of women and girls’ empowerment and taking tangible development to communities are synonymous with the SLPP, whenever we are in government.
“So many brilliant people dropped out of school as a result of school fees and other school charges. My government is here to change that narrative. Amidst the global challenges, I decided to take that burden of paying school fees off our parents so that more children will go to school. They, in the future, will champion the development of their various chiefdoms, districts, and the country in particular,” the President reaffirmed.
First Lady, Madam Fatima Maada Bio, thanked the people of Masa and Foindu for electing her husband to power in the 2018 elections, which qualified him as President to undertake the many development projects across the nation. She also urged them to vote again in the June 24 national elections.
“On behalf of my husband, the President, we want to personally thank our teachers for their extraordinary strides toward supporting the government’s flagship programme and for ensuring that together we empower our children as the future of our country,” she said.
Paramount Chief of Kpaka Chiefdom, PC Alhaji Salia Rogers, said, “His Excellency, I want to welcome you and your entourage to our chiefdom. We are proud of your visit. Education is something I truly believe in. Your intervention in the education sector is timely and relevant and that has changed the status of the girl child in this part of the country. Thank you. As a chiefdom, you are assured of our fullest support come June 2023”.
Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, a native of Foindu Perri in the Joyah Section, they were super excited to join the list of many chiefdoms across the country to have received a sitting President for the first time since independence.
“Based on your development programmes that know no boundaries across the country, we are assuring you of our overwhelming votes. As a section we are working seriously to make sure we give you all the valid votes in our section and chiefdom,” he assured.
Paramount Chief of Blama Gallinas Chiefdom, PC Jojo Massaquoi III, described the day as important to the people in her chiefdom, saying that “His Excellency has come to his people in Gallinas Chiefdom. We are happy for the peace and many other developments the chiefdom and district are enjoying as it is with the rest of the country. The peace and stability your government has restored to the country, followed by your human capital development initiative, have helped in the transformation of the country to a large extent”.
“Since the commencement of the Hands Off Our Girls campaign by the First Lady, as a chiefdom, we have instituted byelaws that have helped prevent all forms of violence against women and girls. Madame First Lady, we are grateful. His Excellency, this is a new chiefdom with many challenges, but with you as our President, we are assured of overcoming them,” she stated.
For more information: State House Media and Communications Unit
