…Sierra Leone Lost in Darkness
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara (Kamalo)
The perpetual blackout in Freetown under Julius Maada Bio’s presidency has reverted the Sierra Leonean capital city to the days when it was tagged as the “darkest city” in the world.
Under the All Peoples Congress (APC) party administration led by Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, city dwellers used to receive electricity supply that was acceptable, at least. In fact, upon assuming state governance, former President Koroma lighted Freetown within 90 days, thus transforming a city once labelled as the ‘darkest’ on planet earth during the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) regime of late President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan-Kabbah into one with a reasonable supply of electricity – just within no more than three months of Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma assuming the presidential baton!
Since then, electricity supply increased and became satisfactory that the SLPP opponents were left suffocated and scrambling for the right words to use in criticizing the APC, except the childish rant, “Nor to light we dae eat”, meaning electricity is not our meal.”
Now under another SLPP regime, this time led by Julius Maada Bio’s Paopacy, the usually shameful electricity legacy of the SLPP has resurfaced, sadly due to deep-rooted corruption and the incompetence of individuals cramming the energy sector as officials.
Though the global donor community and development partners seem to have been unnerved by a burnout resulting from the flagrant breach of democratic principles, has left the Sierra Leone Government to depend now mainly on locally mobilized revenue for the provision of basic services for the people, the electricity crisis would not have been as devastating as it is with the revenue accrued from the tariffs paid by consumers if corruption and incompetence had not been the anathema that is making matters worse in the energy sector.
Electricity is crucial to human growth and development of states in this digital world of the 21st Century, and the lack of it is hazardous to human existence.
Already, not just the impoverished Sierra Leoneans in their 80 or more percent suffer most as a result of the perpetual blackout, but others who can no longer preserve their food stuffs in refrigerators. Muslim and Christian fasters in this Holy month of Ramadan and Lent Season are hardest-hit, as they could not prevent their food reserves from perishing, as they also do all their religious rites in darkness.
While the existing state of affairs is much to be desired in a nation known for its abundant natural endowments, all ways to reverse the trend seem to have since been lost as promises after promises have failed in that direction.
However, there was more to the country’s electricity dilemma than meets the eye. While corruption, incompetence were thought to be the frailties or sin of infirmity overwhelming the energy sector, Sierra Leoneans did not see it coming, that added to their thought, hid an unsuspecting reality that President Bio’s administration is full of “dog-men”!
This was revealed by no less a person than the wife of the President, First Lady Fatima Maada Jabbe-Bio.
Satirically, dogs are known to eat grass not because they’re sick, but because they enjoy the taste and texture. So, the “dog-men” at the energy sector misappropriate, embezzle and chop the sector’s funds with brazen impunity not because they are not paid meaningful salaries, or they are poor, but because they enjoy doing so to see the people and the country suffer in darkness.
With dogs having in their mouths many types of bacteria that can be harmful to humans, the consequences of the evil deeds of the “dog-men” at the energy sector have plunged the masses into suffering as if they are under bacterial attack where there’s no doctor.
For a dog’s nature cannot make a dog ferocious, the energy sector “dog-men” cannot make their “dog-ment” great except vilifying it by pitching the people in constant blackout, and wagging their tails to communicate promises of lies!
Like dogs, the dog-men are dangerous in nature, and can bite when in a risky situation. Therefore, it is more than appropriate now, no other time than now, to be steps ahead of them before they could cause further harm to the country’s energy sector. And until and unless these corrupt and incompetent “dog-men” flocking together as energy sector officials are swiftly weeded out, the electricity situation would remain the devil to pay, and no pitch hot!