By Abass Jalloh
The Minister of Internal Affairs, David Maurice Panda-Noah, has raised concerns over issues concerning indiscipline and lawlessness, saying that when people are talking about corruption and recklessness “people should think about themselves and not by pointing fingers”.
Speaking at the weekly government Press Conference in Freetown last week, the minister said he was more concerned about the issue of nationalism and patriotism, things that they in the security sector “take very seriously”.
The minister said many a time people with money do illegal activities in restricted or prohibited areas and that most of the tools or equipment used for such activities like mining are financed by affluent or highly influential people in society.
“Look at the Sewa, Moa, (rivers) they are muddy all because of mining. People who have money to buy dredges lack discipline,” he stated.
Panda- Noah said young people are generally blamed for doing wrong things but stressed that most of their acts are given tacit support by older people in society. The internal affairs minister noted: “As a nation or as people who love our country, we need to protect ourselves as a nation; that is the security we need.”
He said people carelessly commit what they see as minor offences like not putting on seatbelts, helmets, etc., all of which he said are acts of indiscipline. “So indiscipline comes from us, which is on the increase,” Panda-Noah claimed.
He further stated that the north of the country is becoming a desert and that cutting down trees, forests, and timber has led to the lack of protection from sun rays.
“As Sierra Leoneans, we have a future to look after and we all want to build houses, but let us do it responsibly”, he urged.
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