By Alieu Amara Suwu
Hon. Mohamed Biloh Shaw, representing Falaba district, debating the approval of certain appointees last week in the Well, took the courage to remind President Bio that he (the President) once said, Wen monki wok na monki dey eit.’ He said it was based on the fact that some of them believed in him and supported him. Therefore, without prejudice to Section 61 of the 1991 Constitution, which gives the President the power to hire and fire, he said Falaba has the merits and qualified individuals for appointments, just like in other districts where appointments have come from.
“We have qualified monkeys that can mann those positions, as the president would say, “monki wok monki eit.” So there are more monkeys in Falaba,” said Hon. Biloh Shaw.
Hon. Shaw said that the issue of appointments or sharing positions solely lies in the hands of the President, a power that emanates from Section 61 of the 1991 Constitution.
Hon. Shaw said Falaba was the only district in the north in the 2018 elections that produced councilors and two honorable members of parliament for the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). And Falaba, in the just concluded elections, has again given the SLPP ten Councillors out of eighteen, the district council chairperson, and two parliamentary seats. The Hon. asserted that the district registered and voted more than any other in the north if the percentages are worked on. However, he said this has not been reflected in recent appointments by the president.
He said their northern brothers are blatantly preaching regional and tribal politics but still stand strong. He said they see them as outcasts just because they believe in and support the SLPP.
He further said that, notwithstanding the elected seats won by the SLPP in Falaba, which is a different case, the President, in his prerogative right to hire, needs to consider Falaba.
He said the hope of the people must be lifted higher by appointing their own people. However, he said they are not disappointed but rather need to be remembered more, not just the appointment of the Minister of State.
He did not deny the fact that SLPP has its strongholds in the southeast, but the north also creates greater impact; thus, it is good that the effort of their people not be neglected.
He opined that in the SLPP mantra, they believe in equity in sharing development projects, which is the platform on which the 2023 election campaign was based.
