By Hassan Osman Kargbo
It not a secret that the slogan for President Julius Maada Bio was a ‘Tok n do’ but the ways and manners how things unfolds shows that it is now ‘Tok n fail’ because this regime has launched a lot of White Elephant projects that they have not completed and even some project have been kept under the carpet. Before this time, the sustainable electricity situation had been a problem for citizens, which they/government promised to settled, but the issue of regular power/electricity supply remains a huge problem in Freetown and across the country and even some parts of the capital are still facing difficulties when it comes to constant supply of electricity. Many say government under the presidency of Mr Bio has failed in not only developing the energy sector but also in other sectors in the country.
Some Sierra Leoneans who spoke to FORUM NEWSPAPER SL have called what they described as “the new look of President Bio’s administration” as “Tok n Fail” instead of a ‘Tok n do regime’ as promised because they don’t see how the president plans on succeeding with his manifesto promise in his controversial second term in office. A governance period being characterized by anxieties, hopes and expectations as the nation anxiously waits for the almighty outcome of the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee on Electoral Reforms; with the opposition All People’s Congress anticipating a re-run of the June 24 2023 polls, while the governing Sierra Leone People’s hope and praying hard for continuity. Amidst this hold up, nothing seems to be happening within state governance circle but workers continue to collect their huge monthly take-homes at the expenses of the state. This administration is thus being described many Sierra Leoneans at home and the world over as the worst ever government in the history of Sierra Leone. They say since President Bio took up office for his second term, it has been one problem to the other in the country. The issue of economic hardship, lawlessness, poor electricity supply among others are the order of the day in Sierra Leone, which people are saying the Bio-led government has taken almost six years without addressing those problems that the country is facing.
The “Tok n do” slogan is not resonating in the minds of citizens in the country because it is not a secret that we still cannot point out on anything tangible this current regime started and finished successfully. Let’s take a look at the Lungi Bridge project that was brought to the minds of the citizens. This particular project was signed on the 1st of December 2023 in Freetown with the Chinese Company China Road and Bridge Corporation and the architectural firm of the Atepa Group for the construction of the Freetown Lungi Bride.
This particular project was part of President Bio’s agenda and it is more than a year now citizens are not getting any positive response from this government in relation to the Lungi Bridge. Also, we saw this government empathized on the area of the pump price of fuel, they noted that plans are in place to reduce if not to maintain the price of the pump price of fuel that the then government left it in the country, but it is not a secret that the prize of fuel has skyrocketed to 30 NLe and recently we saw a lot of fuel stations close and there were long queue in some stations that were opened. People are finding it difficult to get access to even a litre. Rumour have it that the prize could rise to 35 or 40 NLe in the next couple of days. All these areas are signs that this government “tok n do” slogan is not resonating to the common man in the country.
In addition, the issue of hardship is all over the place and people are living by the grace of god. Because of these, many people are saying President Bio’s tok n do slogan has turn to ‘tok n fail’ in the country. The foreign exchange rite has gone up to 2,500 NLe for $100 in the country and as a result people are living in a very tough situation which this government seriously needs to address. The hardship has led to many young energetic men and women to involve in drug.
Furthermore, citizens have been asking series of questions on the Tormabum project. This was the project that the current government had been saying that it will make prices be easier for the people. And a lot of question had been raised from the public. But, what is the current situation of the Tormabum project? And many say this government has failed in the Tormabum. The ‘tok n fail’ policy is still fresh in the minds of the people.
In all of these, the people are still waiting to see whether or not the ‘tok n do’ policy would be a reality. Because this is a slogan that most supporters and sympathizers of this government are clamouring all over the place, but the reality on the ground is something else. There is more instances that showed how the ‘tok n do has turn to tok’ and fail in this regime. But, let wait and see how President Bio could try to fulfil his slogan to the people of Sierra Leone.
