By Lemuella Tarawallie
Honourable Jawah Sesay of the All People’s Congress (APC) and who is one of those representing Tonkolili District, during his submission in the well of parliament on the first allotted day of the debate on the laying of paper of the National Budget Appropriation Act 2025, stated that the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government had failed Sambaia Chiefdom in particular and Tonkolili District in general.
He noted that as the MP representing Sambaia, Kalathuba, and Dansogaia Chiefdoms in Tonkolili District, he was not happy that Tonkolili District had been eliminated from the National Budget Appropriation Act 2025.
Hon. Jawah Sesay observed that the National Budget Appropriation Act 2025 did not favour Tonkolili District in terms of road infrastructure, adequate health facilities, and education. He observed further that the District being the hub for iron ore and gold, where the Government of Sierra Leone was generating billions of Leones, should have been specifically mentioned in the budget which left the people of Tonkolili District to feel aggrieved, dismayed, and disappointed
He recalled that in August 2024 when President Julius Maada Bio was in parliament for the state opening of the second session of the sixth parliament, he did not mention Tonkolili District. He asked, “If Tonkolili District is no longer part of Sierra Leone”.
Hon. Jawah Sesay brought to the notice of the House that Tonkolili District was hosting the largest mining companies in Sierra Leone, including Leone Rock Mining Company, and also hosting the Bumbuna hydro dam. He revealed that in the National Budget Appropriation 2024, Tonkolili District was also left out.
For these reasons, he noted, “the people of Tonkolili District do not have faith in President Bio’s SLPP government|.