Salone News

Koroma delivers first address to parliament

6 October 2007 at 20:53 | 1546 views

By Sorie Sudan Sesay, Freetown.

Intense drumming and singing among party supporters
heralded last Friday’s Presidential address by
President Ernest Bai Koroma(pictured) on the state opening of
the Third Parliament of the Second republic of Sierra
Leone at the Chamber of Parliament building, Tower
Hill.

Inside Parliament, both APC and SLPP Parliamentarians
dressed in a colourful red and organge gowns
respectively as the President Koroma made his first
address to the nation in which he catalogued the vision
for his new government following the recent
Presidential elections.

The President, among other things said his government
has a broad outline of priorities in the plan of
action that will move the country forward and stressed
the need to fight the dreaded corruption disease as
well as instilling discipline and maintaining the hard
won peace and national security.

He said his government shall ebnsure the independence
of the judiciary and parliament by strengthening them
so that they can each function effectively and
independently.

In this vein, the president said, his government will
abolish the Ministry of Parliamentary and
Political Affairs and civil servants currently
employed in that ministry will be redeployed.

In an unprecedented move, the president said public
officiasls including himself will declare their assets
publicly.

“I intend now to implement that commitment by
reviewing the Anti-Corruption Act of 2002 to
strengthen the powers of the Anti-Corruption
Commission in order to ensure its independence in the
full discharge of its duties.

"In accordance with this policy and in our effort to
promote transparency and accountability, public
officials including myself, will be required to
declare their ssets. The modalities of this process
are currently being worked out,” he said.

President Koroma is the first head of state to make
such a declaration and this has sent impressive signals
to the public out there who count on his government
to revive the country’s economy.

Another major aspect the President touched on is that
of electricity supply which has eluded residents
particularly in Freetown but according to him,
“the utmost priority of my government is the speedy
restoration of electricity supply, not only to
Freetown and its environs, but to all districts
headquarters towns. It is clear that the demand for
electricity in Freetown has not been satisfied
throughout the past decade.”

He said in the provinces, electricity supply is
available only in Bo and Kenema. Bo and Kenema have a
combined hydro and thermal system which complement
each other in meeting alternate seasonal demands.
Electric power supply in other districts is sadly
non-existent.

Read below the full speech:

Sierra Leone Government
Presidential Address
Delivered By His Excellency the President Ernest Bai
Koroma
President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of
the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces
On the Occasion of the State Opening of the Third
Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone
In the Chamber of Parliament Building Tower Hill,
Freetown
On Friday, 5th October; 2007 at 10:00 a.m.

Mr. Speaker,
Honourable Vice-President,
My Lord Chief Justice,
His Worship the Mayor of Freetown
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

1.It is the will of God and the consent of the people
of this great nation of ours, that I address you here
today as President on the occasion of the state
opening of the Third Parliament of the Second Republic
of Sierra Leone.

2.I must take this opportunity to thank all Sierra
Leoneans who reposed their confidence in me, by
electing me President of this great nation. I am
grateful for your commitment to the democratic process
and I will execute the duties of my office in the best
possible manner, by the grace of God.

3.I call on all of you to join hands with me in a
public reconciliation to affirm our nation purpose of
unity, freedom and justice.

4.Never again shall we turn against each other to
spill the precious blood of our brothers, our sisters
or our children. We must continue to keep the peace
and build upon it for our time and for posterity.

5.A new dawn has broken on the horizon of our nation,
bringing forth a new Sierra Leone, a new era of peace,
security, stability and socio-economic progress in our
country. A new Sierra Leone, where there are no ethnic
or regional boundaries. A new Sierra Leone where we
work harder than we did before. A new Sierra Leone
where our children learn better in school. A new
Sierra Leone where market women and men prosper in
their traders. A new Sierra Leone where the youth
train and work to live productive lives.

6.Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I envisage a new
Sierra Leone where women stand side by side with their
men folk, in the workplace and in business. A new
Sierra Leone where the dark days are brightened again
by electricity and water flows freely once more for
drinking, cooking and cleansing a new Sierra Leone
where farmers make more profit from their cash crops
and grow enough to feed ourselves and to spare.

7.In this new era of our renewed commitment to
self-reliance, freedom, independence, and prosperity,
we must develop anew those values of honesty and hard
work that once made this nation, the envy of our
neighbours in the sub-region. Our new values must
include a devotion to law and order and respect for
the rule of law, human rights, good governance, and a
commitment to make a positive difference to the lives
and welfare of our people. Mr. Speaker that is why I
am in politics. To make a difference.

8.Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, in this new age of
devotion to national service, I appeal to all Sierra
Leoneans at home and abroad to join me in making this
difference. To those in the diaspora, come home and
serve your country if you can, or find other ways to
contribute from afar. Home is where your heart is. As
true patriots, you must contribute to the development
of your country and your people.

9.Mr. Speaker, on this historic occasion, at the
commencement of my administration as President of the
Republic of Sierra Leone, I am humbled and deeply
moved by the transformation of my Party, and All
Peoples Congress (APC), from a minority party to the
Government benches in this noble House.

10.This dramatic change, through the will of the
people of our great nation, clearly illustrates the
advantages and pitfalls of democracy. This underpins
the fact that when a government fails in its principal
duties of good governance, reneges on it promises to
effectively serve the people, and neglects to provide
for the basic needs of its people, that government is
destined to be rejected by the people. This ominous
prospect, my government will avoid by working hard to
fulfill our campaign promises to develop our nation.

11.Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, the centre piece
of my government, will be anchored on acceptable
democratic practice. I will ensure that all state
institutions created by statutes and conventions, for
the promotion of democracy, function independently.

12.Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, democracy goes
well beyond the electoral process. The separation of
powers between the executive, parliament and the
judiciary creates a system of checks and balances that
enhances transparency and accountability. It therefore
pleases me to thank the Members of Parliament,
including those from the PMDC and the SLPP, for their
commitment to the democratic process and to emphasize
that we hope to enjoy a constructive working
relationship between my administration and this
parliament. Having served as the minority leader in
the previous Parliament, I am well aware of the need
for us all to work together, to secure a more
promising future for our country.

13.Mr. Speaker, with this guiding sense of purpose to
provide effective leadership for our country, I shall
now give a broad outline of the priorities in the plan
of action of my government to move this country
forward. In this plan, my Government, intends to:

a.keep the hard won peace and maintain national
security;

b.maintain respect for human rights, the rule of law
and an independent judiciary;

c.instill discipline in the conduct of Ministries of
Government, public servants and the general citizenry;

d.introduce performance target for all government
functionaries and parastatal managers and employees;

e.Institute emergency measures to restore the supply
of electricity while accelerating the completion of
the Bumbuna Dam Power Generation Project. To this end,
a Presidential Energy Emergency Task Force will be set
up shortly;

f.improve the delivery of healthcare services
especially the reduction of infant and maternal
mortality and reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS, and
malaria, by providing pro-poor medical programmes
while holding health administrators accountable to the
public at all times;

g.provide affordable medical care for children,
nursing mothers, pregnant women and the aged;

h.ensure compulsory and free basic education for all
children of school going age while improving access to
affordable tertiary education;

i.deliver clean potable water, enhance public health
and introduce compulsory sanitary practices;

j.modernize petty trading practices by providing
purpose-built markets for our hardworking traders;

k.initiate development programmes to improve our
economy through accessible baking, agricultural
extension services, judicious marine resources
exploitation and development of the tourism industry;

l.regulate the mineral resources industry and minimize
the incidence of smuggling while increasing annual
exports;

m.maintain our traditional relations with our
international development partners;
n.Maintain and strengthen our existing membership of
the Mano River Union, ECOWAS and the African Union.

o.Strengthen Local Government performance through
enhanced decentralization and rural development;

p.Gradually work towards bridging the gender gap in
all spheres of our society, especially in education,
the workplace, government and the marketplace, thereby
ensuring equal opportunities for women;

q.Heal the wounds of war victims, secure national and
international attention and aid to the war affected.

14.Mr. Speaker, having laid out the basic priorities
of my government, let me address in some detail those
areas that require my government’s immediate
attention.

Good Governance
15.Mr. Speaker, the assumption that Sierra Leone has
remained backward as a result of bad governance may be
true, but it is also fact that spates of indiscipline,
both in the private and public sectors have equally
undermined the possibilities for national development.

16.Mr. Speaker, Honourble Members, I have on several
occasions emphasized the need to promote a new culture
that is consistent with the norms and values espoused
by a modern democracy. In my government, effective
management and discipline will be the standard ways of
doing business, underpinned by an appetite for
enforcing laws, rules and regulations. This
combination of operational practices will help us
restore order to the Sierra Leone society.

17.Mr. Speaker, our constitution provides for the
separation of powers. We shall ensure the independence
of the Judiciary and Parliament by strengthening them
so that they can each function effectively and
independently.

18.In this vein, my government will discontinue the
Ministry of Parliamentary and Political Affairs. Civil
Servant currently employed in that Ministry will be
redeployed.

19.Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, in my government,
every Cabinet Minister will be productive, every civil
servant will accomplish his or her duty with
performance targets. In good governance, allegations
of corruption practices by public servants to enrich
themselves will be a subject for investigation and
prosecution by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Good
governance will also require public accountability in
every sector. In the classroom, the hospital,
government offices and everywhere public service is
rendered. The culture of impunity that has taken rood
in Sierra Leone will be eliminated.

20. The new culture of discipline will require all of
us to be committed to change. Change is never easy but
is it always necessary. Let’s make the change together
for a better Sierra Leone.
Civil Service Reform

21. Since independence in 1961, Sierra Leone has
continued to run a civil service structure which was
inherited from Britain. While this Civil Service
structure has persisted, there has been a significant
deterioration in standards and it has not really
evolved to meet the needs of the modern governance,
particularly with respect to our 1991 constitution and
the global challenges facing modern state
administration.

22.The decay in civil service training as well as real
reductions in compensation has allowed some civil
servants to adopt behaviour patterns that are
unacceptable. In particular, I am concerned about the
tendency of some civil servants to use their offices
to undertake private enterprise. The participation of
some civil servants in political activities is also
unacceptable. Indeed in the last election, we actually
witnessed a situation where civil servants abandoned
their offices to engage in partisan political
campaigning. This conduct is prohibited; it is no
longer acceptable and will be stamped out by my
administration.

23.With a view to returning the civil service to the
highest standards of professionalism and service
delivery, my government will conduct an urgent review
of the existing recommendations for civil service
reform and modernization.

Corruption
24.Mr. Speaker, during my elections campaign and on my
being sworn in as President, I emphasized Zero
Tolerance on corruption.

25.I intend now to implement that commitment by
reviewing the Anti-Corruption Act of 2002 to
strengthen the powers of the Anti-Corruption
Commission in order to ensure its independence in the
full discharge of its duties.

26.In accordance with this policy and in our effort to
promote transparency and accountability, public
officials including myself, will be required to
declare their assets. The modalities of this process
are currently being worked out.
National Security and Defence

27.Our country is enjoying peace and tranquility
following the 11 year civil war. This is due to the
collective efforts of the Police and the Armed Forces,
supported by the International Community. Our Military
and Police forces have demonstrated professionalism in
defence and security in spite of challenges.

28.Let me take this opportunity to thank the military
in general but particularly the Military Police for
its support to the Sierra Leone Police, under their
MACP protocol, in the last electoral process.

29.I am also appealing to the Armed Forces to continue
to respect the principles and practice of
civil-military relations. In doing so, they must
uphold the principles and spirit of the constitution
which clearly defines their role in the governance of
the country.

30. Mr. Speaker, while our borders are secure against
any external aggression, we must not forget that the
maintenance of law and order in our nation is a
necessary ingredient for peace and tranquility.

31. I therefore entreat the Police to continue to
maintain law and order without prejudice to anyone in
our society. I am pleased to say that the performance
of the police in maintaining law and order in the just
concluded Presidential and Parliamentary elections was
both professional and exemplary. On behalf of all
Sierra Leoneans, let me thank the management and
personnel of the Sierra Leone Police Force. I continue
to believe that disciplined conduct by the police will
attract the confidence of the populace. My government
continuously expects high standards of discipline from
our law enforcement agencies.

Trafficking and Money Laundering
32. My government will enforce and review existing
drug, human trafficking, money laundering and small
arms trafficking legislations. We will co-operate with
international organizations engaged in curbing these
activities. This is consistent with my desire to
promote the rule of law and the protection of the
citizens.

Justice and the Rule of Law

33. Modern Democracy is underpinned by adherence to
and enforcement of the rule of law. This is why
judicial reform is critical to my government’s efforts
to ensure the independence and integrity of the
Judiciary. In line with my desire to ensure an
independent, fair and expeditious justice system my
government will separate the Office of the Attorney
General from that of the Ministry of Justice.

34.We will also seek to improve, as a policy, the
quality of magisterial adjudicature by recruiting and
retraining those law graduates who may not have wished
to sit at the Bar, to serve as special magistrates to
dispense justice expeditiously. This policy is
consistent with my government’s determination that the
rule of law shall prevail.

35. Additionally, and also consistent with my
government’s devotion to promote transparency and
fairness in our judicial system, and in accordance
with the TRC recommendations, politically motivated
cases will be reviewed speedily. Never again will the
judicial system be manipulated to unfairly silence
political opponents.

36. My government adheres to the principle of freedom
of expression in a modern democratic setting. The
media will be encouraged to responsibly perform its
oversight functions and to fulfill its constitutional
role of holding government accountable. In performing
these duties, however the media will also be held to
the highest standards of ethics and professionalism.
It will also be expected to portray a positive image
of Sierra Leone in its role as a partner in
development.

37. My government is aware of the challenges facing
media houses and practitioners. It will work in
collaboration with its development partners and the
Independent Media Commission to support and facilitate
the work of the media houses.

Peace Building and National Reconciliation
38. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that there is a need to
put some more impetus behind the process of
reconciliation and to provide the appropriate
mechanism for the spirit of reconciliation to continue
to flourish. It is my government’s belief that we
cannot truly reconcile if we do not attempt to adopt
the lessons learnt from the 11 year civil war.

39. To this end, and in accordance with the provisions
of the Lome Peace Agreement and the Truth and
Reconciliation Act of 2000, we will establish a TRC
Follow-Up Committee to superintend the implementation
of the TRC recommendations.

40. My government recognizes that the TRC
recommendations, when implemented, will address some
of those issues in our society that gave rise to the
onset of the most difficult period in our history.
Energy and Power

41. Mr. Speaker, the utmost priority of my government
is the speedy restoration of electricity supply, not
only to Freetown and its environs, but to all
districts headquarters towns. It is clear that the
demand for electricity in Freetown has not been
satisfied throughout the past decade.

42. In the provinces, electricity supply is available
only in Bo and Kenema. Bo and Kenema have a combined
hydro and thermal system which complement each other
in meeting alternate seasonal demands. Electric power
supply in other districts is sadly non-existent.

43. To bring electric power supply to each of the
district headquarter towns will require an average of
2 MW each in other to meet basic power demands. On the
whole, the country needs about 200 to 250 MW to
satisfy household and industrial needs. Currently the
available generated capacity is about 10MW nationwide.
As an emergency measure government will source out
temporary power supply units to augment reliable
electricity generation.

44. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, let me draw your
attention to the intermediate and long term solution
for electric power supply nationwide. While providing
temporary electric power supply, government will
endeavour to increase the capacity of the Dodo
Hydroelectric Project.

45. In the intermediate term, government will
encourage public and private investment in other
hydroelectric power supply systems and alternative
energy resources throughout the country.

46. As I observed at a recent conference on energy
organized by the Sierra Leone Institute of Engineers
on 29th September 2007, our hydroelectric power
potential estimated at 1,200 MW. All these alternative
resources should be investigated and harnessed for our
energy self-sufficiency. My government’s goal is to
attain energy independence and to optimize our full
potential in power generation.

47. Our long term electric power supply solutions lie
in part, in the completion of the Bumbuna and the
Binkongor Hydroelectric Projects. Contrary to
expectations, the Bumbuna Project, will not be
completed until 2009. However, Government will ensure
the completion of the Bumbuna Project in a timely
manner.

Water Supply
48. Mr. Speaker, my government’s other concern is the
improvement and development of water supply systems.
The Guma Dam was constructed to supply a population of
300,000 people. The current population of Freetown and
its environs exceeds 1.5 million. This is five times
more than originally planned.

49. My government will source out funding to increase
the capacity of the dam as well as improving the
distribution system in order to ensure adequate water
supply to all areas of the city.

50. The entire district headquarters towns in the
provinces, except Koidu New Sembehun Township, used to
have their own water works and pumping stations. The
Sierra Leone Water Company (SALWACO) will be
instructed to rehabilitate these water supply systems
countrywide in the shortest possible time.

51. At the rural level, the existing water well
drilling and hand pump installation projects will be
extended and intensified so that all rural communities
can have access to clean drinking water.
Health Care Delivery

52. Mr. Speaker, our country has one of the poorest
health care delivery systems in the sub-region. This
clearly deserves the attention of my government. We
have one of the highest incidences of infant and
maternal mortality.

53.With these facts in mind, my government will
endeavour to improve the delivery of health care
services. We will institute better medical and public
health standards in all hospitals, clinics and
community health care units nationwide.

54. In improving the delivery of medical services,
government will collaborate with our development
partners to provide:
"free Insecticide Treated Bet nets (ITBs);
"stem the tide of tropical diseases by increasing the
number of health professionals and improving delivery
of medical supplies to all health care facilities;
"rehabilitate and construct new health facilities
Poverty Reduction

55. The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)
asserts that 75% of Sierra Leone’s populations of
nearly 5 million people are poor and living on less
than three thousand Leones a day. Furthermore, 25% of
those live in abject poverty.

56. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, this is happening
in Sierra Leone, a country which in the words of our
immediate past President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah
when he said, and I quote, "has no business being
poor," unquote.

57. The PRSP further states that:
75% of our population are illiterate,
75% of the poor people live in the rural areas and
engage in subsistence farming,
67% of our population comprises the youth (aged
18-35yrs),
75% of the youth population is jobless and poor,
58. The above statistics, Mr. Speaker, Hon. Members,
have helped my government to deduce the following
correlations,
"that illiteracy induces poverty,
"people living in the rural areas are exposed to
extreme poverty and therefore the urgent need to put
in place the modalities to enhance the standard of
living in the rural areas,
"that the youth are more likely to be unemployed and
are amongst the poorest segments in our society,
"the work of my government in fighting against poverty
has been well defined by the above correlations. Our
war, my government’s, war in fighting poverty is
multifaceted and aims,
"to reduce the illiteracy level in accordance with the
Millennium Development Goal by year 2015,
"to revitalize the agricultural and industrial sectors
in order to kick start the economy,
"to stimulate growth in the economy,
"to wage a relentless and vigorous war against
corruption.

59. My government, Mr. Speaker, Hon. Members, will
ensure that battle lines are drawn on all the fronts
to overcome poverty.

60. I will facilitate the revitalization and expansion
of the industrial sector by providing, in the shortest
possible time, satisfactory energy and water supply,
in order to boost productivity to reduce dependence on
imports and create jobs.
Education

61. Human Capital development is a prerequisite for
social and economic progress. This is why my
government will be working assiduously to increase
access to primary and secondary education. I will
increase spending in education in order to achieve the
Millennium Development Goal for education by 2015.

62. Government will enforce the free and compulsory
basic education for all children.

63. In order to increase the overall literacy level,
government will put in place an extensive adult
literacy programme that will impact both the rural and
urban communities.

64. Access to affordable tertiary education will be
enhanced with a determination to restructure the
delivery system.

65. To this end, my government will encourage the
Tertiary Education Commission to recruit and retain
qualified staff, from within and outside of the
country, so that the various faculties across the
entire university system will be adequately serviced.

66. In my determination to see that these initiatives
are successful, I will be inviting the executives from
the Association of Primary School Head Teachers, the
Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, the
Tertiary Education Commission and School Proprietors
to have discussions with Government, on the way
forward.,

67. In these discussions the current 6-3-3-4 system
will be reviewed to determine its appropriateness to
our national development aspirations. We will also
seek to address the quality of education delivery and
the training and retraining of teaching staff.
Agriculture

68. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, agriculture in
Sierra Leone is not only a business for our people,
but it is also a way of life, impacting heavily on our
cultural and traditional practices., my government is
of the view, that by boosting agriculture in rural
areas, rural poverty can be significantly reduced
while enhancing the agro-=cultural values of our
communities.

69. My government will create the enabling environment
to encourage effective participation by the private
sector in the agricultural sector.

70. My Government, with the participation of the
private sector, will improve agricultural productivity
by the providing necessary farm inputs, machinery
rentals and agricultural extension services to
farmers.

71. We will also encourage a shift from subsistence
farming to commercial agriculture with the full
involvement of the private sector. In this regard
modernized farming practices including increased
mechanization can lead to an increase in crop
production, especially our staple food rice. This will
greatly reduce the US$44 Million annual rice import
bill with a positive impact on the balance of trade.
Other commercial crop production activities will be
expanded for increased revenue and sustainable job
opportunities.

72. Cash crop production is an important component in
the overall commitment of my government to beef up the
national economy.

73. The animal husbandry component of our agricultural
sector was adversely affected by the rebel war. To
this end, our universities and research facilities are
challenged to embark upon training programmes tailored
to produce more agriculturists, Veterinary scientists
and other allied professionals.
Marine Resources

74. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, our country is
endowed with some of the best quality Seafood stocks
in the world and if the exploitation of these marine
resources is properly managed, it can not only improve
the protein content of our diets but will also provide
much needed additional sources of export revenue.

75. My government will work with our development
partners to facilitate the marketing of our fish and
other seafood products in the international market. We
will also seek to introduce modern methods of
surveillance of our coastal waters to minimize
poaching and discourage all illegal commercial fishing
activities within the Exclusive Protection Zone (EPZ)
Private Sector Development

76. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, it is no secret
that due to the devastating rebel war and poor
management of national resources, Sierra Leone has
lagged behind in the areas of social and economic
development. For over ten years, Sierra Leone
continuously occupied the bottom rung of the United
Nations Human Development Index.

77. The 2008 edition of the Doing Business Index also
ranks Sierra Leone amongst the 20 worst places in the
world to do business. Clearly this is hardly a
desirable position to be in for a country that
desperately needs to attract both domestic and foreign
investment.

78. Mr. Speaker in order to address these impediments
to the development of the private sector, my
government will embark on further reforms to continue
to remove administrative barriers to investment.

79. We will redouble our efforts to define a strategy
for developing Sierra Leone’s Private sector placing
strong emphasis on growing and adding value in the
agro-business sector and developing our marine,
mineral and tourism potential.

80. Given the significant role that the informal
private sector plays in the economy, my government
will also pay specific attention to strengthening the
entrepreneurial culture with a particular emphasis on
small and medium size businesses. To this end a
commission will be set up to focus on Small and Medium
Scale Enterprises, to provide opportunities for
employment and wealth creation.

81. In addition to the removal of administrative
barriers my government will also remove
non-administrative barriers to investment. These will
include:
"introducing financial sector reform to enhance access
to capital
"strengthening Judiciary to enable quick access to
redress
"initiating power sector reform and energy policy
management
"Conducting a close examination with a view to
improving transport and communications in and out of
Sierra Leone. Increasing and enhancing skilled labour
and improving labour productivity.

82. Mr. Speaker, Honourable members let me assure you
that it is our intention to establish and maintain
constant dialogue with the private section for the
purpose of promoting private sector development.
Mining

83. Mr. Speaker, the mining sector is plagued with a
poor regulatory framework and rampant smuggling.

84. My government will enforce existing mining
legislation and develop a robust environmental
protection policy.

85. My Government shall also ensure increase in
exports as well as encourage secondary processing of
minerals, especially diamond and gold to increase the
tax revenue base and create more jobs.

86. Government will pursue the proposed resuscitation
of the Marampa mines and the development of the
Tonkolili Iron Ore prospect as well as the Port Loko
Bauxite mining project. Government will also continue
to support the operations of the Sierra Rutile mines
as well as the Sierra Minerals Bauxite operations with
a view to improving revenue to government and more
benefit to the people of Sierra Leone.
Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation

87. My administration will maintain its traditional
ties with the International Community. While we
appreciate assistance from our development partners,
my government will assiduously work towards attaining
sustainable self-reliance and independence in our own
affairs.

88. My government will collaborate with the World
Bank, the IMF, DFID and the EU among others in all the
areas of development deserving continuity from the
last administration. We will also commence new
programmes with these multi-lateral and bi-lateral
institutions as and when necessary.

89. We will continue to work with the United Nations
in peace-building and my government will take full
advantage of the opportunities provided by the newly
established United Nations Peace Building Commission.

Conclusion
90. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I have spoken to
you today of the imperatives of good governance, our
efforts to resuscitate the economy and to improve on
the delivery of social services.

91. In order to achieve these important goals which I
have set out for my government, I am calling on this
Parliament to co-operate with my cabinet.

92. To that end, Mr. Speaker, I ask for your
co-operation and that of every Member of this
Honourable House, to say with me, on this day of the
opening of this session of Parliament "Come, then, let
us go forward together with our united strength."

93. We are bound together by the promises we have made
to our people, which explains why this government must
effect an economic turn around within the next 36
months.

94. We must remain committed to that lofty and
achievable purpose to improve the quality of life of
our people as I put in place new administrative
machinery that seeks to modernize Sierra Leone
consistent with global trends.

95. Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I wish to extend
special thanks to Sierra Leone’s development partners,
particularly ECOWAS, African Union, The African
Development Bank, The European Union, The
Commonwealth, The World Bank, The United Nations, The
Governments of The United Kingdom, The Peoples
Republic of China, The United States of America, Japan
and other multilateral and bilateral partners to name
but a few.

96. My fellow country men and women, thank you once
more for electing me President and for giving me this
great privilege to serve you. The task ahead of me is
difficult, and my purpose lofty.

97. I pray to God for this our beloved Republic and
ask for your prayers so that God will guide me in my
daily endeavours to serve this great nation of ours,
the land that we love, our Sierra Leone.

98. May God bless us all.

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