Government’s response to Sierra Leone uninspiring - Minority

Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu and Minority Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs has described Government’s response to Sierra Leone in their mudslide and flooding disaster as “poor, slow and uninspiring.”

He said the country has a proud history of supporting countries in time of distress and said Government’s “feet dragging is unimpressive and inconsistent. We’ve always been leaders, not followers.”

Mr Okudjeto said this at the maiden Volta Parliamentary outreach organized by the Governance Department of the Evangelical Presbyterian University in Ho.

He said Government’s request for the citizenry to support with clothing and other items was ‘lifeless’ and that it must show leadership by sending government’s support first before appealing to the citizenry.

Mr Okudjeto said by now, military personnel should have been sent on rescue mission and not the issuance of statements, which he said, “offered no hope.”

Nearly 400 people were confirmed dead and 600 missing after a mudslide and flooding in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown on Monday.

Commenting on a recent petition by an Indian Businessman to President Nana Addo Akufo Addo over alleged “harassment” by the Interior Minister, he said the issue had serious ramifications for the image of the country and urged the President to intervene and uphold the rule of law.

Reverend Dr. Cyril Fayose, President, E.P University College, said the forum offered students of the University the opportunity to interact with people in governance and appealed to the Members of Parliament (MPs) to support the University with scholarship packages for students.

Mr Harrison Kofi Belley, a Lecturer at the Department of Governance Studies, EPUC, said the University would institutionalize the engagement.

Mr Emmanuel Bedzrah, Member of Parliament for Ho-West and Chairman of Volta Parliamentary Caucus, said it was the responsibility of MPs to regularly inform their constituents of proceedings in Parliament and commended the University for the opportunity.