By Amadu Daramy in Maryland, USA
The people of Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Kenema District have appealed to the government of President Julius Maada Bio to construct the deplorable Tongo/Panguma Road that has been neglected by successive governments for over twenty (20) years in spite of the fact that the area is rich in diamonds, other minerals, and agricultural produce.
The chiefdom is a class A chiefdom and sons and daughters from the chiefdom hold top Government positions including Cabinet Ministries but disappointingly, they have not lived up to the expectation of the people over the years to fix this all-important road to the chiefdom including the headquarter town of Panguma.
Nobody knows what is happening with the Chiefdom Development Fund and the people are concerned that with all the top dignitaries hailing from the chiefdom what are they doing to lobby Government and development partners to fix the road.
The chiefdom is also rich in agricultural products like coffee and cocoa.
Some of the sons and daughters of the chiefdom in key Government positions are the Secretary to the President, Dr. Julius Sandy, Hon. Francis Konowa, Hon. Bernadette Lahai, Professor David Francis, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sullay Daramy former Special Assistant to former President Tejan Kabba and Paramount Chief Alimamy Moiwo Farma.
Others are Hon. Timothy Kabba, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Hon. Josephine Makiew and Mrs. Fatmata Claire-Hanciles, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board to name but a few.
The people of Lower Bambara Chiefdom want to know what is happening with their Chiefdom Development Fund.
The President’s visit to the chiefdom some time ago has not helped the situation as the people were very hopeful that with the visit of the first gentleman the road would be fixed but this is not the case.
Another major concern of the people is that since the main transformer that supplies electricity to Panguma was stolen nothing has been done to replace it.
It must be noted that the Dodo Hydro Electric Dam is just a few miles away from Panguma but the chiefdom lacks electricity.
What is however welcome news is the formation of the Lower Bambara Descendants Union to facilitate development in the chiefdom as the impoverished people are yearning for development.
