NEC Boss Mohamed Konneh
Over the parliamentary endorsement of the postponement of the Local Council Elections to 2023, it is crystal clear that both the ruling SLPP party and the main opposition APC party are just interested in political gains, in extending their tenure in office.
Mr James S. Massaquoi a member of the Young Generation of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) has accused the Vice President of the republic of Sierra Leone, Mohamed JuldehJallohof pioneering the postponement of the Local Council Elections.
“The Vice President has a better answer,” he stated, adding that during stakeholders meeting with members of the Civil Society and government held in Port Loko District Council in 2021, the Vice President disclosed that government has paid all Devolution Fees to all Municipal Councils. He explained further that the Vice President told the gathering tha0j9t is now left with them to avoid been dependent on the central government and create a more revenue collection exercise to boost their plans. He said that the Vice President gave an example of how the Bombali Council has surpassed all others in raising billions of Leones. He added that the Vice President also called on other councils to follow the good strides made by the Bombali Council. Mr.Massaquoi also said that the Vice President JuldehJalloh encouraged Civil Society Organizations to compliment Government efforts by sensitizing members of the public to support the work of councils and also monitoring the activities of to ensure transparency and accountability.
.He said therefore, “if municipal elections are postponed for financial constraints, it is not that the money is not available but it should be utilized when time arise and only then we talk of good governance. The municipalities themselves should contribute to an agreed quota from their savings.”
Madam Theresa Mahoi, resident of New York in Waterloo Highway, descendent of Bradford Ribbi Chiefdom, optimistic that the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections will be postponed to 2024, adding that former President Ernest Bai Koroma postponed the multitier elections to 2018 with the excuse that the Ebola epidemic has stagnated the financial resources of government. She went to say that it is not bad for President Bio to postpone the Legislative and Presidential Elections to 2024 due to COVID-19.
Mahoi added that the COVID-19 is a pandemic that is still ravaging both developed and developing nations of the world. She continued by stating that local revenue collection is facing a serious challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that the financial burden is huge on government.
