Freetown International Conference Center, Tuesday 23 July 2024 – His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has engaged citizens in a live broadcast Town Hall Meeting, answering questions directly from the audience and from across the country, on one year into his Big 5 Game Changers, the economy, foreign affairs, peace and national cohesion and made a civic call to action.
Organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the widely received interaction, which saw the President talking genuinely from his heart, also presented a groundbreaking opportunity for participatory governance that allowed him to account for his stewardship after the first year of his second term, explain government’s promotion of transparency and civic participation.
The President started on a compassionate note, first by sympathising with compatriots who had been affected by the recent heavy downpour, assured of government’s efforts at mitigation and response mechanisms but also used the occasion to admonish fellow citizens against the threat of environmental disasters and on ways to prevent flooding and landslides.
He recapped his first term flagship programme, which was Free Quality Education, adding that that was and would be the foundation for the country’s development in years to come. “No man will succeed in this 21st century without education. If you do, you will have struggled harder to make ends meet. So, education helps one to reach their fullest potential,” he said.
He also spoke extensively about his second flagship programme: “FEED SALONE” where he encouraged citizens to go into agriculture, help create jobs and eventually stimulate economic growth both at local and national levels.
“I am a farmer myself, and I go to my farm every weekend. I have a lot of activities going on in my farm and I have started eating the produce from my farm,” he said, adding that if citizens felt prouder to embark on agriculture it would help the economy by reducing the cost and burden of rice importation on the government.
On the issue of women and child rights, President Julius Maada Bio said he was happy to state that Sierra Leone was far safer now for women and children, noting that his government was keen on policies that protected women and children. He also mentioned the immediate impacts of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act 2022 and the recent Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2024.
He spoke on drug abuse in the country, with emphasis on the synthetic drug called “kush”, noting that his government had set up a task force to look into drug abuse, help authorities clamp down on the dealers and provide support for victims. He assured that those caught in the act of selling drugs would face the full force of the law, adding that citizens should help the government to expose those selling drugs in their communities.
On the economy, the President said notwithstanding the international shocks his government had worked very hard on reducing inflation and recalled that during his first term, he met inflation at double digits but was able to reduce it to single digits. “But then COVID-19 came and there was inflation again due to the shock. However, I want to thank all of us in the Economic Management Team for working tirelessly to ensure that we improve the economy”.
He went on to talk about peace, national cohesion and hate speeches. He encouraged citizens to embrace peace at all times and avoid making inflammatory statements and hate speeches or even listen to those who always made those speeches.
“Where there is no unity there will be no development because investors will be scared to come due to division and instability. So, I want to use this occasion to speak to you all to embrace peace and support the government to succeed in all its activities,” he urged.
He concluded by clarifying to citizens that there would be no other presidential election in the country until 2028 and encouraged those asking for electoral justice to go to the court of law.
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