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As Sierra Leone grapples with persistent challenges in its health sector, recent revelations about President Bio’s extensive travel expenditures have sparked considerable public outcry.
According to the Un-audited Annual Financial Statement of the Sierra Leone government, an astronomical sum of Nle 191,000,000, equivalent to 191,781,000,000 Old Leones, was allocated for presidential travel in the past year. This staggering figure has raised eyebrows among citizens, particularly when juxtaposed with the pressing needs of the country’s healthcare system.
In a recent interview with a senior citizen, who chose to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, frustration over President Bio’s frequent travels was palpable. The senior citizen lamented that the exorbitant amount spent on presidential trips could have been allocated to bolstering the country’s ailing health sector. Instead, the President’s seemingly relentless pursuit of international engagements, often with dubious benefits for the nation, has left many questioning his priorities.
“Since assuming office, President Bio and his ministers seem to seize any opportunity to jet off abroad, regardless of the financial strain it places on our already struggling economy,” the senior citizen remarked. “It’s disheartening to witness our leader prioritizing personal indulgence over the welfare of his people.”
Moreover, the senior citizen expressed the belief that President Bio’s frequent absence from the country hampers his ability to grasp the realities faced by ordinary citizens. By spending more time engaging with the populace and addressing their concerns firsthand, the President could gain valuable insights that would inform more effective policymaking.
Criticism of President Bio’s travel habits intensified following a flurry of recent trips to China, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, and Senegal within a span of just three weeks. Many observers have questioned the tangible benefits of these excursions, especially amid the country’s pressing domestic challenges.
As Sierra Leoneans continue to grapple with inadequate healthcare infrastructure and limited access to essential services, there is a growing consensus that prudent financial management and strategic prioritization are paramount. President Bio’s penchant for frequent travel, without commensurate gains for the nation, underscores the urgent need for greater accountability and transparency in governance. It is imperative that the government refocus its efforts on addressing the pressing needs of its citizens, particularly in the critical area of healthcare, to ensure a brighter and healthier future for all Sierra Leoneans.
If you think he can achieve anything meaningful, that is a big lie, he will just eat everything and go, even wisdom to help this nation is departed.
May God show us mercy in this nation Sierra Leone.
More than enough!
When the masses are dieing with hunger and suffering.
May God help Sierra Leone
It’s seen as this so called political partizan individuals that called himself citizen that is always showing the majority of these nation about the situation that our country elected president Boi is traveling but failing to show the good and credible results of benefits that this country and our government is gaining. Seeing the reality and the are always stupiding themselves rather than saying the truth of justice implemention of our country elected president Boi.
The more he travels the fastest we gain in tearms of relationship and benefits we are having as a nation. So it better you shoutup you mouth if don’t have anything to do please please please bewear.
Tell them papay fly fly
Only in Sierra Leone do we find clueless opposition political stooges churning out nonsensical headlines like this, in a ridiculous attempt to draw attention to their irrelevant position.
Firstly, the cost of presidential travel, from any country to anywhere may be said to be enough to do any number of things in any country. However, no president is elected to be permanently confined within national borders, especially in a country plagued by decades of impoverishment where basic necessities (including our staple food or what we need to meaningfully produce it) cannot be procured domestically. These desperate opposition voices should be made to understand that securing meaningful bilateral relations or attending mandatory multilateral functions is integral to modern governance. We cannot box our country into some isolationist corner and expect to prosper.
Furthermore, the President can effectively execute his duties from anywhere in the world, at any time. His hand is always on the button and fingers are always pressed on the national pulse, wherever he may be!
Need I add that it is deeply disingenuous for anyone to ignore the distinction between traveling for pleasure and traveling for business? President Bio travels for the business of improving Sierra Leone for everyone.
Over the many years Sierra Leone has faced huge challenges like Ebola, Blood Diamonds, and various shades of corruption, that has broken and drowned us to a point requiring more than mere office confinement to address.
Frivolous political drivels like the one above heedlessly detract from the substantial national effort at hand. It certainly adds no value to the collective positive forward drive!
Yankuba you can you please mention the good and credible benefit we have from that? Talking about justice please forget it, not in Sierra Leone.
It will be better if we all consider the country first instead of our self interest
It a disgrace
Yankuba, please tell us one tangible outcome of Bio’s trip that the people has benefited. Just one