By Amin Kef Sesay
In a letter written by the Leader of the Opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) Party in Parliament, Hon. Chernor Maju Bah and addressed to His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio, he drew the President’s attention to the timing and planning of the proposed national civil registration exercise saying he wants to reason with the 1st Gentleman in the national interest, on why this all – important exercise should be better planned and carried out in a safe and nationally agreeable manner and environment.
He noted that President Bio is aware that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the COVID-19 as a ‘Global Pandemic’ in view of its scale and how fast it is spreading around the world. Hon Bah further pointed out that many countries around the world are shutting down schools, colleges and universities; suspending conferences, games and sports.
“It is also not uncommon now to hear Governments and organisations advising people to work from home. In some countries, gatherings of 100 and as low as 50 and even 10 people have been banned. All of these efforts are geared toward discouraging large crowds owing to the fact that the virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person especially between people who are in close contact with one another. Of particular significance is the spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects,” he made references.
He stated how he knows that our Ministry of Health and Sanitation has given public assurances about its preparedness in the event of a COVID -19 outbreak in Sierra Leone. The parliamentarian, however, lamented that the mode of the civil registration which would inevitably warrant large crowds in close contact (queuing), and which would be done either by a finger or thumb – print, invariably runs contrary to WHO’s preventive measures.
He said apart from the threat to public health, there are also serious underlying political and constitutional disagreements including but not limited to the legitimacy of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) to carry out the planned exercise, the duration and the sequence they want to do same.
“We in the main opposition along with other parties in Parliament have strongly objected to NCRA’s attempt to either directly or indirectly usurp the mandate of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and we herein avail ourselves this opportunity to reiterate our objection to NCRA’s conduct,” he intimated President Bio.
He implored His Excellency that given that COVID -19 cases have been reported in several countries within our region including our two neighbours, and in particular reference to WHO’s warning that even advanced countries which we would eventually rely on for assistance, ‘the severity of the disease is putting a strain on health systems and has exhausted biomedical supplies and staff’, it might be ill- advised to proceed with the registration amidst such political disagreements, well – founded public health fears and dire warnings.
