New President of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leoneans have a newly- elected President in the person of His Excellency Ernest Bai Koroma. A former insurance executive, the new President is fifty- four years old and is the leader of the governing party, the All People Congress (APC).

 

 

President Koroma Addresses Sierra Leoneans In the UK

Addressing a huge crowd of Sierra Leoneans at the Damilola Taylor Centre, in South East London, yesterday, at the start of his three-day official visit to the United Kingdom , President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma reiterated his call for attitudinal change among Sierra Leoneans for the development of the country.

The head of state regretted the terrible state of affairs he inherited when he was indisputably elected President of the Republic of Sierra Leone in September last year.

He said that when he was elected President he quickly spelt out his vision for Sierra Leone . The President pointed out that the lack of electricity supply in the capital city, in particular, had become totally unacceptable and he had to do something quickly to redress the ugly situation.

President Dr. Ernest Koroma said that measures had been put in place to increase the supply of electricity to the capital city, which he assured, will be sustainable even in the long run.

He said he was in the United Kingdom to express his thank and appreciation to Her Majesty's Government for the support it had rendered and continues to render to Sierra Leoneans.

President Koroma promised to appeal to the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown to continue to sustain and increase UK support to Sierra Leone 's ailing economy. He assured Sierra Leoneans that he would continue to work towards genuinely reconciling the country especially after the bitterly contested elections that brought his party, the APC, to power.

The head of state promised that he would include a member of the official opposition, the SLPP, in his delegation, whenever he undertook an overseas trip, as a commitment to work with everybody in the country.

President Koroma said that very soon every member of his Cabinet would be required by law to declare their assets. He promised that he would be the first person to do so once the Anti Corruption Commission puts the proper mechanisms in place.

He said that he was determined to wipe out the tidal wave of graft that had engulfed every sphere of the society especially the Police Force and the Judiciary.

Amid deafening cheers, the President pointed out that there would be no sacred cows in his determination to fight monumental graft in the country. He called on every Sierra Leonean to be prepared for a bumpy ride as he would be leading the country by example. “Failure”, he emphasized was not an option for him.

The President thanked Sierra Leoneans for reposing confidence in him and promised that he would not let them down.

Later in the evening, the head of state was guest of honour at a special dinner and dance organized by the APC UK and Ireland Branch. Proceeds from the dinner and dance will be used to purchase Dialysis Machines for the central hospital in Freetown , according to Mr. Bockarie Stevens, the Secretary General of the UK branch of the ruling party.

The head of state was accompanied to both ceremonies by the First Lady, Mrs. Sia Koroma and some senior Cabinet Ministers and the Sierra Leone High Commissioner to the UK , HE Melvin Chalobah