Mohamed Karimu Gassama a former Minister in the late President Kabba’s regime has declared his intention to lead the main opposition Sierra Leone’s Peoples Party in the next presidential elections of Sierra Leone come 2018.

Speaking to journalist at his residents in Freetown, Gassama said he has about thirty years of professional work experience at National and international levels that makes him more qualify to lead the SLPP in the next election come 2018.

He said he has served as a senior policy adviser at the International Labor Organization in Geneva, Switzerland and Dakar, Senegal since 1998 until his retirement in December 2013.

Gassama added that he has also served as a Minister of employment and Industrial Relations during the era of late President Kabba.

Gassama said that his mission in the country is to provide an enlightened leadership and contribute robustly to the sustainable development of Sierra Leone through the formulation of Job and rich economic growth and development for eradication of poverty, depravation, want and exclusion, adding that, his vision is to ensure that there is unity amongst all members, stakeholders and executive at national, regional, district and zonal levels of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party.

Gassama further stated that he will ensure that the institutions of the party are strengthened including an office in all the 17 districts of the party.

He emphasized that all elected representatives of the party including national, regional, and districts executives are paid negotiated salaries, benefits including subsides for education of their children and free health care.

Mohamed Gassama said he will make sure that there will be a constructive and effective national security and intelligence infrastructure being set up in the country.

“Our security and intelligence failings are responsible for two devastating calamities (11 years senseless banditry and the Ebola which threatened the very existence of our nation).

No economic and development plans could be soundly implemented without security and stability.”