By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Mr. President, I hope you are considering cutting your trip to the UK short due to the recent tragedy in Freetown. In times like these, the welfare of the people must be paramount to the leadership, and serious leaders respond by being present. I hesitate to doubt your commitment, but I believe your presence is most needed at this time of grief.
The incident that has once again rocked Freetown is becoming an all-too-frequent occurrence. We see the Disaster Management Team striving to provide assistance in these moments, but I must ask: what has your government done to prevent such events from recurring? Have we addressed the root causes? Have we seriously examined the role of climate change? If these issues aren’t tackled with urgency, I fear we are simply fastening our seatbelts for more disasters in the future.
The Ministry of Lands, which oversees the issuance of building permits, appears to be falling short in its duty. Mr. President, in a previous discussion, I raised concerns about how civil servants are appointed, often not based on merit but through party affiliation or connections. This has led to unqualified individuals being put in roles they are unfit to manage. This failure directly impacts disaster preparedness, urban planning, and the safety of Sierra Leoneans.
We are living in a world where the mechanisms exist to predict and prepare for climate-related disasters. Yet Sierra Leone remains vulnerable, particularly given our position on the Atlantic Ocean. What would happen if we were hit by a cyclone? Would we be able to manage it if we can’t even prevent the flooding that comes with heavy rains? Mr. President, the days when government departments were used as compensation for political loyalty should be behind us.
We need to appoint qualified people who are equipped with the right resources to manage these institutions. But today, all we see are people from a particular political party occupying positions they have no business holding. Worse still, these unqualified appointees often hinder the work of the few capable people we do have. This culture of political patronage must end, and the clock is ticking. Tick Tock, Tick Tock, time is not on our side.
Climate change is a global crisis, and Africa, with its limited resources, is among the worst affected. However, this does not mean we are helpless. The government must take immediate steps to address our vulnerabilities. For starters, a full survey should be conducted to assess the condition of houses built in the 1970s and 1980s. This would prevent tragedies where houses, weakened by age, collapse like plums falling from a tree. Instead of just dispatching the Disaster Management Team with food, clothing, and condolences, we must focus on prevention.
Sierra Leone needs to join the international community by modernizing key departments such as the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Lands and Planning, and City Council. It is time to move away from international posturing at conferences and focus on leading Sierra Leone effectively. Mr. President, this year, I urge you to make a bold decision: do not attend the United Nations General Assembly. Instead, send our ambassador to the UN in your place and redirect the funds intended for your delegation toward bolstering our environmental and urban planning efforts.
These funds can be used to provide resources for the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Lands, and the City Council, ensuring that they are staffed by competent, non-partisan professionals. Creating a task force that is free from political interference will allow us to rebuild Sierra Leone with a focus on long-term sustainability.
As one of the oldest cities in Africa, Freetown is in desperate need of modernization. This is not just about updating infrastructure; it is about ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our citizens. One of the critical issues that must be addressed is the condition of old houses. The government should crack down on landlords who fail to maintain their properties. Regular inspections, every six months or annually, should be mandatory, and landlords who neglect their duties must be held accountable. If a building is not fit for human habitation, it should be demolished.
Mr. President, you also need to move people away from areas that are prone to flooding, particularly those living in the greenbelt areas of Freetown and other major cities. These locations are not safe for residential development, and the government, in collaboration with the City Council, must create a joint task force to oversee these relocations. We cannot afford to wait for another tragedy to occur.
Every year during the rainy season, we brace ourselves for disasters that should have been preventable. The loss of life and property is a recurring nightmare for too many Sierra Leoneans, and it is time for the government to step up and take decisive action.
Mr. President, I hope you recognize the urgency of this moment. Sierra Leone needs your leadership, but more importantly, it needs a government that is proactive in addressing the challenges posed by climate change and urbanization. It is not enough to offer condolences after a tragedy; we must prevent these tragedies from happening in the first place.
Before I leave you, Mr. President, your people need you at home during this time of grief. I urge you to cut your trip short and return to Freetown to be with those who have lost their loved ones. Your presence will not only provide comfort but will signal that you are committed to leading this country through its most difficult times. The clock is ticking, Mr. President. It’s time to act. Talk to you soon when you come back from your UK trip, cut it short, and run back home!
