Sierra Leone election runoff – If I was Kandeh Yumkella

Franklyn Davies: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 16 March 2018:

If I was Kandeh Yumkella, and I was being asked by Samura Kamara or Julius Maada Bio for my party’s endorsement, I will ask both men to do the following things by 22nd March 2018:

1. Provide full declaration of all assets and liabilities, so the public will know what they currently own. This will include shareholdings in businesses in Sierra Leone and internationally, as well as property and cash assets. They should also commit to annual and public disclosure of their assets and liabilities.

2. Appraise me of the vetting process that they would put in place for the appointment of Ministers, including compliance with constitutional requirements barring dual nationals from ministerial appointments, public declaration of assets and liabilities for all cabinet ministers and deputies, and enhanced vetting into financial dealings, criminal records and other relevant issues of public interest, such as qualifications held and work experience gained.

3. Appraise me of their plan to renegotiate the release of further tranches of IMF Loan and provide full assurance that fuel and rice subsidies will not be removed, when agreeing new conditions with the IMF.

Additionally, I will ask Samura Kamara to account for the APC Government’s spending of the first tranche of $54m.

4. Assure me that all three mining contracts awarded in December 2017, will be reviewed to ensure that the contractual arrangements are transparent; government receives a significant share of the proceeds of the extraction of our mineral resources and that action is taken to ensure that mining companies fulfil their responsibilities to the local communities affected by their extraction activities.

5. Assure me that the decision to construct an airport at Mamamah will be reversed.

6. Assure me that the Wellington Toll Road charges will be reviewed, including limiting toll charges between 07:00 to 22:00 hours, so that commuters will have an option to travel during hours when the tolls are not operational, as a short-term measure, until an alternative route is constructed.

7. Assure me of the measures they would put in place to ensure inflation and government debt are reduced and exchange rate stabilised.

8. Assure me of their plans to address NGC policy priorities in reducing poverty and increasing employment for women and youths; ensuring equal opportunities for disabled groups; immediately declaring emergencies on our education and health sectors: providing speedy and timely access to justice and actions to end graft and corruption.

9. Demonstrate their plans and commitment to govern in the interest of all Sierra Leone by ensuring a broad-based cabinet and policy priorities to address the concerns of all communities, as well as the arrangements that they will put in place to ensure local communities are able to influence and shape policy, as well as programme delivery.

10. Demonstrate their commitment to addressing the issues raised in the Citizen’s Manifesto.