By: Zacharia Jalloh, Strategic Communications Unit, Ministry of Information and Communications
The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio during his 4 day visit to Moyamba District has declared that, in his second term, his government will focus on agriculture as flagship program.
The President who is a strong believer in education as a catalyst for a nation’s development, has for the past 4 years aggressively focused on implementing a Free Quality Education Program as a flagship project. The President and the country have received local and international accolades for the successes of the FQE program. “He who wants to destroy a nation does not need ballistic weapon but just a destruction of a nation’s education system,” President Bio asserted.
Prior to the 2018 elections, many were in doubt as to how the FQE will succeed, but President Bio has delivered on his promises to the people in the first term of his presidency. The Government of President Bio pays school fees, exams fees, buys exercise and text books, uniform and bags and does school feeding for children in vulnerable community schools. More schools have been built, more teachers recruited, more schools approved with teaching and learning materials provided for teachers and pupils. There has been an exponential increase in the enrolment system especially for the girl child. The President has laid the foundation which this country will build on.
In his tour of Moyamba District, the President has declared agriculture as his next flagship program. He said it is high time Sierra Leone started growing what it consumes. “We must stop spending huge foreign currency to import food stuffs that can be cultivated in the country. After winning the 2023 election, I will redirect the focus on agriculture. We must plant what we eat and eat what we plant,” the President confidently stated.
The Covid pandemic and the Ukraine war have contributed to the global economic meltdown which has affected every country including Sierra Leone. This global problem has taught developing countries lessons to start looking for homegrown solutions. A visionary leader like President Bio has chosen agriculture as flagship in his second term to address food security.
Many indigenes of Moyamba District I spoke to were confident about the President declaring agriculture as flagship in his second term. “We believe in him for delivering on his promises as already demonstrated in the Free Quality education and trust that he will achieve similar success in the agricultural sector,” a Ribbi trader said.
