By Alieu Amara Suwu
Hon. Benjamin Turay, representing the Western Area Urban, ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), in his debate on the address of President Julius Maada Bio delivered on August 3, 2023, on the occasion of the opening of the Sixth Parliament, has lavished praise on the President and First Lady Fatima Bio for delivering for the people of Sierra Leone in various ways.
Hon. Benjamin expressed this appreciation and delivered his maiden speech on Friday, August 18, 2023, where he surprised his critics with an almost flawless submission on the Floor of Parliament.
He thanked President Julius Maada Bio for his gracious speech, adding that he has no doubt in the determination of the President to deliver for the nation and people of Sierra Leone.
“Whenever you sit and dine with the President, you will sense his dedication and passion for this nation,” he said, noting that President Bio’s vision is to transform Sierra Leone into a developed nation like the USA.
He said, infrastructurally, Pres. Bio has done remarkable work in the Western Area, both urban and rural, that deserves commendation from everyone.
“Mr. Speaker, Hon. Members, if you take a look at the last five years, the President has not limited his interventions to any single district but to every district. Unlike during the APC regime, when their main focus was Makeni, this president has equitably directed development in every district and region. If you look at the road from Sussex, Bobor, to Tokeh, you will know that the President is ready to deliver,’ he said.
He added that infrastructure-wise, President Bio means what he says, noting that the Arakan Mess in his constituency is situated at Wilberforce, where it is visible that the President is delivering.
“Mr. Speaker, Hon. Members, when you look at the President and not just him but also the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio, in facilitating the facelifting of the 34 military hospitals, you will see his determination to continue to work. 34 Military Hospital was nothing to write home about before the First Lady intervened, but if you go and take a look at the 34 Military Hospital now, you will know that our First Lady is determined to build the nation for a brighter and healthier future. Our president is ready to deliver this nation.’
Hon. Benjamin Turay also highlighted that the government’s strides in education are unparalleled in terms of transformation, especially in the lives of the youth.
He said: “In my district, in the last five years, three hundred and fifty young men and women benefited from scholarships to study at Assec institutions, having transformed their lives with the prerequisite skills in refrigeration, construction, electrical engineering, and a lot more.”
Hon. Turay rebuffed claims that the government is complicit in combating the drug menace in the country, adding that “our government does not believe in giving drugs to young people to destroy their lives. We are determined to transform the lives of young people to become like us, he said, attracting thunderous applause and desk banging from his colleagues.
He praised the First Family for being decent and down-to-earth.
Hon. Benjamin concluded his debate with a wakeup call on colleague MPs, noting that: “I am calling on my colleague MPs, the police, and every stakeholder, as the House rises on recess, let us see how best we can engage the ghetto boys and attaya bases to persuade them to avoid the use of Kush that is destroying the lives of our people.”
Hon. Turay is serving his second term in the House of Laws, having been overwhelmingly elected in the just-concluded district block election system. He is the newly appointed Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Sessional Select Committee on Lands and Country Planning, an onerous assignment for the unassuming lawmaker.
