UN
Lauds
President
Koroma
for
implementing
the
Agenda
for
Change
The
United
Nations
Peace
Building
Commission
has
yesterday
8th
March
2010
lauded
President
Ernest
Bai
Koroma
for
the
achievements
made
by
his
government
in
governance
in a
very
short
time
since
he
assumed
office.
Making
a
statement
at
State
House
on a
courtesy
call
on
the
President,
the
Executive
Representative
of
the
United
Nations
Secretary
General,
Michael
Schulenburg,
thanked
President
Koroma
for
the
progress
made
under
the
‘Agenda
for
Change’,
thus
registering
the
total
commitment
and
support
of
the
UN
Peace
Building
Commission
to
Sierra
Leone
and
to
the
‘Agenda
for
Change’.
The
Commission,
the
UN
ERSG
maintained,
is
focusing
on
three
broad
issues;
namely,
youth
employment,
governance,
and
peace
building.
Welcoming
the
delegation,
President
Koroma
thanked
the
Commission
for
its
support
to
the
‘Agenda for
Change’.
He
said,
“We
have
made
some
strides
in
promoting
the
‘Agenda
for
Change’
as
in
the
areas
of
education,
energy
and
water
resources,
agriculture,
health
care
delivery,
infrastructure,
to
name
just
a
few,”
acknowledging
the
support
of
the
UN
Peace
Building
Commission
to
the
‘Agenda
for
Change’,
and
reiterating
the
need
for
more
support
in
order
to
meet
the
challenges.
With
the
first
phase
of
Bumbuna
now
completed,
the
Head
of
State
said
government
is
presently
working
on
improving
thermal
power
generation
in
the
country,
noting
that
“We
have
a
clearly
defined
road-map
for
all
hydro
potential
in
the
country.”
He
cited
government’s
road
infrastructure
drive
in a
bid
to
connect
the
country
internally
as
well
as
to
neighbouring
countries,
also
noting
the
strides
in
agriculture
as
government
is
encouraging
the
private
sector
to
invest
in
agricultural
productivity.
“With
the
total
involvement
of
all
and
sundry,
we
will
be
able
to
overcome
poverty
and
be
self-sufficient
in
Sierra
Leone,”
he
predicted
On
the
educational
sector,
the
President
said
plans
are
at
an
advanced
stage
for
a
reviewing
of
the
entire
system,
aiming
at
the
provision
of
quality
and
affordable
education
for
all,
especially
the
girl-child.
On
the
pending
free
health
care
delivery
for
lactating
mothers,
pregnant
women
and
children
under
the
age
of
five,
the
President
said
“We
are
preparing
the
resources
ready
to
implement
the
policy
from
27th
April
this
year.
A
lot
of
work
is
going
on
to
see
that
we
motivate
nurses,
doctors
and
other
supporting
staff
in
the
health
sector
so
that
they
will
be
able
to
stay
home
and
serve
their
country
of
birth
diligently.”
Speaking
on
the
recent
political
violence
during
the
bye-elections
at
Tongo
Fields,
eastern
Sierra
Leone,
President
Koroma
said
the
police
and
other
law
enforcement
agencies
are
currently
looking
into
the
matter,
making
it
categorically
clear
that
all
those
responsible
will
face
the
full
penalty
of
the
law.
Touching
on
youth
empowerment,
President
Koroma
reassured
the
UN
team
that
his
administration
will
reform
the
critical
state
of
the
youths
of
Sierra
Leone:
“We
need
to
prepare
the
youths
for
the
job
market
by
transforming
them
into
skilled
and
self-reliant
citizens.”
THE
PRESS
SECRETARIAT
STATE
HOUSE
09
MARCH
2010
