By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
Mayor of the Freetown Municipality has blamed government for not “recognizing the Freetown City Council, FCC, as a key local governance structure in the fight against Ebola”.
While unveiling the council’s plans to set up an emergency centre for the Ebola disease during a press conference at the Cathedral Hall, Gloucester Street in Freetown,Mayor Franklyn Bode Gibson claimed that since the outbreak they had utilised their own funds without any help from government.
He said there was need to set up the centre if they must speedily tackle the disease in the Western Area. He urged councilors to unify their efforts and help identify Ebola infected people in Freetown, and encouraged them to be selfless.
Mayor Gibson reminded his councilors that the Local Government Act “spells out clearly that the office of a councilor does not entitle them to a salary”.
Speaking on behalf of his colleague councilors, Madam Mariatu Kamara, of Ward 91 in central business district of Freetown, said government needed to consult with councilors in the Ebola fight because “we are more familiar with the community people.”
District medical officer in the Western Area, Dr.Thomas Takpawu Samba, said the Ebola fight must be premised on “effective sensitisation, surveillance, screening among others.” He said strike actions, by health care givers, were compounding the problem of lack of human resourcein the health sector.
Deputy Mayor, Hannah Jaiah, said that considering the congested nature of the city, it was very necessary for the council to intensify the fight against the disease particularly in Freetown. She said it was in that direction that the council had come up with the initiative of setting up the Western Area emergency centre for Ebola.
Jaiah cautioned burial teams to observe basic ethical standards in the conduct of their duty, adding that without ethics “they will worsen the situation.”
Resident technical facilitator at FCC, Mr. Sylvester Thomas who chaired the conference said the council was preparing “the Western Area Plan of Action” that would bring about the emergency operation centre.
Government spokesman, Abdulai Bayraytay, said councils did not receive funds, adding that even the money given to MPs was considered as constituency development fund which the legislators were entitled to.
“For example the deputy speaker, Chernoh Maju Bah, used his money to mobilized youth groups and helped them to undertake projects borne out of constituency initiatives.
Meanwhile, finance minister, Kaifala Marah, had also confirmed in an earlier press conference at Youyi Building that no council had received any financial help from the central government. He, however, appologised.
(C) Politico 09/10/14
