DAILY NIGHT News

*" CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW IS NOT A SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP BUT PARTNERSHIP"- OPPOSITION CHIEF WHIP!*

On the 13th June 2024, Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara was at Radio Democracy (98.1) where he was delighted to unearth some of the peculiar issues that are presently eating into the fabric of the society.

At first, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara robustly stated that since this administration came into existence opposition members have been enduring enough ranging from bullying, intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrests and forceful repatriation without justice.

He continued to say that the saying of *WINNERS* *TAKE ALL* under this regime is not the issue for the country's stagnation but the mentality of those in the whelm of affairs are the very blood for the current political and socio-economical impasse.

As he rightly mentioned that during the reign of the late H. E Dr. Ahmed Tejan Kabba because he was determined to unite the nation as well as creating an enabling environment, every Sierra Leonean was given equal opportunity to thrive irrespective of his or her affiliation.

He further to note that oppositions are not enemies as the government in the last half decade have been tagged them to be terrorists, coupists which are clear indicators to ignite unrest in the country. He said, oppositions are meant to position the government and they must be given the opportunity to execute their constitutional mandate.

In addition, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara outrightly reference parliament that irrespective of the challenges they are envisaging but when it's come to issues that have to deal with the welfare of the citizens most times they arrived at a concession and as a result they are working together for the common good.

Furthermore, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara unavoidably illuminated on the ongoing constitutional review as he lamented that since the government resumed the process they were never consulted instead the government is clandestinely reviewing the constitution which is contrary to the laws of the land. He iterated that if the government is sincere and willing to work with them as a political party they would have requested their meaningful input for national cohesion.

He therefore, caution the government that reviewing a constitution is not a sole proprietorship but partnership if they failed to do the needful posterity will judge them in the mere future.

*Media and Communications Unit* .

*" STOP EXCUSES, GO TO WORK"- OPPOSITION CHIEF WHIP!*

Many Sierra Leoneans believe that since the SLPP took up governance development has become circumvented due to their ineptitude to provide quality leadership that could have improved the lives of the citizens indiscriminately. The worst part of it all is that some of the developmental strides that they met on the table ( Mamama Airport projet) that would have mitigated the effects of poverty on the land as well being placed under the green carpet as a result of gimmick politics.

It is well known that during the regime of APC under the leadership of former President Ernest Bai Koroma, most of the towns and cities were having even electricity supply and as matter of fact there was poverty reduction. Many citizens were living average life due to energy, there was massive investment but since the inception of this current administration things have gone from bad to worse.

On the 26th June 2024, Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara was in the well where he was able to channel some of the atypical issues that are serving as impediment towards the progression of the nation.

During the submission, Opposition Chief Whip made it clear that the numerous excuses the government is giving in the aspect of power outage they are not novelty because those challenges have been surfacing during the reign of APC yet, the citizens were enjoying themselves with unwavering electricity. He emphasized that electricity is the substratum for any nation to develop without it the country would continue to be at the backdoors of development whilst other nations are progressing.

Additionally, he unavoidably unleashing apparent interrogations: " *does Ministries, Departments and Agencies were not paying electricity bill? Is that ordinary citizens are using prepaid and government agencies are not utilizing the prepaid? Is it that there's a different system that operates without using prepaid system of electricity* ?". With all those assertions he made it explicit that it is difficult for government institutions to steal electricity.

*" Stop excuses, go to* *work",* he made this statement as the government has been inquisitively accusing innocent people for their inability to live up to expectations, especially wherein the Chief Minister was claiming that religious houses have become notorious to steal light with impunity.

Furthermore, Opposition Chief Whip drew the attention of the well to some of the statements made by the then Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Jacob Jusu Saffa as one time told the nation that they had negotiated with energy distributors to decrease the tariff which as well become fruitless endeavor as there is acute increments on the tariff. He mentioned that despite the effort of the customers to succumb to this unbearable increment yet there is unstable electricity in the country.

In conclusion, he therefore, calling on the government to be more upbeat in addressing the needs of the people and to stop the blame game which would not aid them to deliver.

*Media and Communications Unit* .

*OPPOSITION CHIEF WHIP CALLS ON PRESIDENT BIO TO HAVE SECOND THOUGHT ABOUT THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT, 2024!*

It's evident that Criminal Procedure Act, 2024 has become one of the most much-talked about issues in the country due to its controversial clauses.

However, Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara has succinctly demystified the intricacies of the ACT as he rightly said that this particular law is one of the best Sierra Leoneans should embrace considering its enormous opportunities.

According to the Opposition Chief Whip, it is a law that could address issues of preliminary investigations, custodians tendencies which implies that there were minors cases in which perpetrators have to spend more years in prison which in turn could cost more burden on the government and with new Act it would now become a history to tell.

Additionally, he mentioned that the new Act established with such crimes the culprits should not be imprisoned but to be mandated to involve into community domestic chores as it is applicable in other countries.

He further to clarify that the issue of the abolition of jury system came as a surprised to him because during the discussion such was not mentioned. He said what the Attorney General presented to them was to reduce the jurors from 12- 10 as he informed them that in most cases those jurors due absent for hearings and as result, it's prudent for them to be reduced for speedy trials. He reiterated from that angle they supported the motion for the reduction of jurors from 12-10 and they went ahead to include quorum.

Moreover, Opposition Chief Whip emphasized that he only took notice of the unfortunate occurrence after they had enacted the bill he got the news that the abolition of jury system is part of the Act which was never debated.

Conclusively, he therefore calling on the President to serve as a gatekeeper because as it's now he is the only gentleman that has the power to save the image of parliament and to save the democratic principles of the land.

*Media and Communications Unit* .

*"WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WAEC OR MINISTRY WILL GET* *IF THOSE AFFECTED STUDENTS ARE NOT OPPORTUNE TO SIT THE EXAMS?"- OPPOSITION CHIEF WHIP*

It's no longer a secret that there are good number of students that West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), and Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education have disqualified from taking the pending WASSCE as they claimed their heads of school failed to upload their CASS.

In the early hours of today, Opposition Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara visited Liberty online Tv where he robustly stated that whether the affected students are 150,000 or 30,000 that should not be the bone of contention but rather to ask if those affected students are not Sierra Leoneans for them to be deprived from taking the forthcoming WASSCE.

Also, Opposition Chief Whip unavoidably interrogated the government based on their attempt to disqualify hardworking students that have been preparing for the exams; why is it that private schools are not giving the opportunity to pay for their students? What are the benefit WAEC or the ministry will get if those candidates are not opportune to sit the exams? Is it that the government do not have the usual resources to pay for the students?

Again, he outrightly stated that 30% CASS should not be a priority for candidates to determine their fate as there is proclivity for them to pass the exams with flying colors without CASS. He maintained that those students should be allowed to take their exams as it's part of their fundamental human rights.

He also said that the ministry together with WAEC did not allocate ample time to educate heads of school on the CASS issue as that is one of the prevailing factors that has affected most of the schools.

He therefore, continues to call on the President to put premium on the issue as those institutions that are responsible to augment his efforts in the area of educating the nation are the very blood that are clandestinely undermining the process.

He emphasized that If prompt actions are not taking to revert the decision of the Ministry as well as WAEC the country is heading to its doom because the progress of any nation lies on the hands of the young generation.

*Media and Communications Unit* .