Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ambassador Tamba Lamina, has confirmed that about fifty-one (51) Paramount Chieftaincy elections are yet to be conducted nationwide.

He said this at the weekly national press briefing, on Thursday 10th February 2022, at the Ministry of Information and Communication, Youyi building, Freetown.

He said about twenty-six (26) chieftaincy elections have been held so far, and with time, the remaining ones are going to hold to filling the blank spaces.

He said that Parliament, unanimously, agreed to extend the term of office of mayors, councilors and chairpersons to five years as against the previous four years in the country.

He furthered that the change would now strengthen the democratic and governance credentials of the nation.

Economic wise, Ambassador Lamina stated that the five years mandate as a permanent fixture for all elections, would save unnecessary expenditures and now bring the (444) slogan alive, where the electorate has the opportunity to vote for his presidential candidate, mayor, councilor and chairperson at the same time. Considering the expenditures involved, he emphasized that it is not financially prudent to have elections of such nature in a different timeline.

Independent Observer Newspaper reports that, when asked about the genuineness of the move that if would create pandemonium in the future; by making it a roadmap for the president, he stated that he can’t predict the future; and that thing to happen in such nature should have to go through procedures and processes, he said.