News Story

FREETOWN: NEW PEOPLE CORRESPONDENT: Still reeling from multiple gaffes about the repression of pro-Tibet demonstrators, the once "committed" chair of the Campaign for Good Governance is about to give a new meaning to accountability and transparency, very much like Haja Afsatu Kabbah. Far from minimising the scope for corruption, the transitional report seemingly gave some APC government ministers new ideas for looting the country. Among other things mentioned in the transition report are "the repairs of the Chancery building and Ambassador’s residence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, cost estimated at US$773,339.00 for 2008." Desperate to pursue this particular project because of the possible perks and obvious financial fall offs, inside Foreign Ministry sources have noted that Zainab Bangura and the APC leadership is about to rekindle this "project."

The New People is investigating this new scam and will soon publish photographs of the Sierra Leone embassy in Riyadh.

But just to forewarn the "sacred cow" (indeed "cow" according to President Koroma), that the New People has established the following and is pursuing a few more leads:

1. The Sierra Leone chancery building and ambassador's residence in Riyadh, saudi Arabia is owned by individual Saudis. It is not Sierra Leone Government property and the APC government needs not even try diverting $773,339.00 to "repair" the building. It is obvious that the Sierra Leone government could, for that amount of money meant for "repairs" (as advised by the Foreign Minister), construct Sierra Leone's own own Chancery and Ambassador's residence at Diplomatic Quarters.

2. The New People can also reveal that Sierra Leone has already been given a plot of land to construct its chancery and so strongly warns Zainab Bangura to be ver clear about this matter when she makes any comments on this issue.

3. The New People also questions the need for maintaining a very expensive diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia when Sierra Leone gains precious little from Saudi Arabia in terms of trade or foreign assistance. Perhaps, the former organiser of pilgrimages to Murtala Muhammad airport (sorry, Jeddah), may have an explanation for why the proposed APC government project is in his/their best interests.

4. Saudi Arabia has also demonstrated that it is not even interested in protecting the lives and rights of Sierra Leonean citizens and Sierra Leonean citizens are not treated with respect. In July 2007, when a Sierra Leonean citizen was murdered in Jeddah, the Saudi government did nothing to bring the known killers to justice.