๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ง๐.
In February 2018, candidate Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio presented an ambitious Manifesto for election to the Office of President. Human capital development through Free Quality Education has been highlighted as the flagship project of Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio since his election in April 2018.
Few days after his election in April 2018, the Economist, a leading global journal, described President Bioโs Free Quality Education ambition as โUnrealistic, given the state of government financesโ.
Five years down the line, the Free Quality Education program has been fully implemented, transforming education root and branch.
With almost two months to election, confidence in the Bio administration continues to grow by leaps and bounds.
Last week, the Government of Sierra Leone signed an Aide Memoire with the MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation). Sierra Leone has been declared Compact Eligible by the MCC.
The MCC is expected to submit the proposed Compact Document to its Board of Directors for approval in September this year. The first disbursement under the MCC is expected to be made in October this year. This will significantly impact the energy sector in the country. It will address critical areas in the energy sector. The US$400M MCC support is eagerly awaited.
Last week, the Sierra Leone Government was informed that the Executive Board of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) will meet very soon to consider Sierra Leoneโs sixth and seventh reviews of its Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program. This will allow the immediate release of approximately US$21M in financing after the approval of the Executive Board of the IMF.
At a time like this in 2018, all the international partners (both bilateral and multi-lateral) had scaled down their engagements with the Koroma government. In fact, the IMF suspended all their programs with the Koroma government because of rampant corruption.
The World Bank suspended the WARCIP (West Africa Regional Communications Infrastructure Project) in Sierra Leone under the Koroma administration because of rampant corruption in the country.
With 48 days to general elections, President Brig (Rtd) Dr. Julius Maada Bio continues to enjoy the trust of the international community. He deserves five more years to finish the good job he started in April 2018.
