By Henry Kargbo

The leader and presidential candidate of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), has Tuesday 23^rd May 2023, said in Kenema that Sierra Leone is better today than five years ago.  President Bio made the statement during the official launch of the 2023 people’s manifesto titled; “Consolidating Gains and Accelerating Transformation’’.

He recalled that five years ago, he promised the people of Sierra Leone a ‘’New Direction’’, noting the people’s manifesto represented a contract between the SLPP and Sierra Leone electorate.

He told gathering of party members and supporters that if he happens to win the June 24 elections, he will work tirelessly in ensuring the manifesto vows becomes a reality for all Sierra Leoneans, regardless of once political affiliation, religion and tribal sentiments.

He said five years on, i can say to the people of this country that under my leadership and the New Direction Government put together, we have made good on the most critical promises for the country transformation.

The SLPP presidential hopeful noted that in the last five years that he took up office, the nation was facing challenges that he disclosed his government succeeded in addressing, yet, under the current unprecedented global challenges.

President Bio added his administration has prioritized human capital development as the flagship program, stating that the result his government has achieved are laudable even to our most stern critics.

He furthered that great hope now exist that the children are learning in school again while removing the burden of school and exam fees from parents.

On healthcare reforms, President Bio said, Sierra Leone has not only improved, but has performed better on most health outcome indicators.

“My Presidency has perhaps been most consequential for promoting rights of women and children, adding they have engrained such rights in the Law books that gives women equal opportunity as men,” Bio.

President Bio promised to create five thousand jobs for Sierra Leoneans and continues to build the nation, if given the opportunity to govern for another five years.

He entreated all and sundry to vote him for second term if citizens believe in his administration and national unity.

He said the SLPP vision of a united, peaceful, and progressive Sierra Leone presented in his 2018 manifesto won the people’s approval and votes, thereby elected him as President.

“I am proud to say we passed the test, with the country seen as an exemplary case for effectively addressing the pandemic when it inevitably reached our shores”.

We are currently amid a global economic shock resulting from the Russia –Ukraine conflict that he noted has the potential to upend gains his government made in his first term.

“Almost every single indicator in education, from access, literacy and numeracy rate, gender parity in outcomes, transition rate, Sierra Leone is better today than five years” SLPP Presidential aspirant said.

He sighted facelift his government has given to infrastructure, paved additional township roads, linked more district headquarter towns, and constructed bridges and feeder roads to make ease access to market from production centers.

He said his government has increase the proportion of households with electricity and build the capacity to double access while also reducing electricity cost.

He boosted that internet penetration has quadrupled in the last five years and mobile connectivity has expanded to more remote locations and leveraged digitalization to bring efficiency in service delivery.