By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
President Julius Maada Bio has urged potential investors to invest in critical sectors like education, agriculture, health, infrastructure and the extractive sector in Sierra Leone.
The President made this call on the 21st November, 2022 while addressing the United Kingdom (UK) House of Lords on Leadership in troubled times, sharing the country’s strategies for resilience including those that have kept the country stable during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the global economic crisis.
He noted to have realized how high the risk could be, but noting that, they have deliberately made tough policy choices to attract and retain investors in the country.
He stated that, as the country lost loved ones during the spread of the pandemic, everyone relied upon their compatriots to act in ways that would end the spread. He said the government learned very clearly during that time how central people are, to all its economies and political stability everywhere.
“As a human race, our ultimate strength has definitely been tested in the past few years. Through it all, we have shown resilience, grit, ingenuity and determination to evolve stronger from the troubled times we're passing through,” he said.
President Bio reaffirmed that the fortunes of every country in the world were inextricably intertwined; adding that they had all seen how a few people infected with a disease in one town had led to deaths globally. He said the sooner everyone works collectively towards a common global good, the better for the future generation.
He pointed out that investing in quality education for the future generation is the most valuable and the only truly renewable resource in the world today.
He said his Government’s agenda premised on what he referred to as the ‘Sierra Leone Brain Mining Company (SLBMC)’ where young talents were nurtured and eventually mine.
The President said it was significant to note that even a global pandemic that caused and was causing unprecedented disruptions, irrational spikes, and uncertainties within the global economy had not weakened his government’s resolve to keep investing in human capital development and building sustainable education systems.
“I am proud to say that despite these global challenges, our investment in education increased from 11% to 22% of our annual budgetary allocation to support primary, secondary, higher, technical and vocational education and training. My Government's flagship Free Quality School Education programme caters to 2 million pupils nationwide,” he said.
He added that they had already made gains in education by improving school governance, building more school infrastructure, expanding school feeding, accelerating the use of technology and innovation in education delivery and management.
He also said that they have published developmentally appropriate learning resources and materials, and implementing a new school curriculum.
President Bio said over 600,000 (six hundred thousand) additional children, especially girls, accessed schools in 2021 and over 5,000 (five thousand) additional qualified teachers were recruited.
He said consequently the country has recorded a higher success rate in public examination at all levels.
He reiterated that, the government has made a policy where they assured free Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) education for girls. He noted to have recorded a ground-breaking number of girls who are now opting to study STEM disciplines and doing exceptionally well.
“Many parents no longer resist sending their daughters to school, knowing that our Government pays for their tuition, teaching and learning materials, and public examination fees,” Bio said.
He clarified that he was not speaking of education as merely a means of producing skilled labour for investors in the resource-rich West African nation, but was also speaking of education as a means of liberating the country’s citizens and empowering them with the tools to lead healthy, productive, fulfilling, and even prosperous lives.
He concluded by making a clarion call to strengthen ties with Sierra Leone, saying the country needs all the support from friends and partners in the UK.
Copyright © Politico Online (23/11/22)
