Sierra Leonean Members of Parliament from the Eastern Province are believed to be smiling to their banks.
Each of them has been handed Le62 million “to sensitize their constituents on the fight” against Ebola.
And because the Star Line Radio has been critical of the free Ebola money for the MPs, Sidi Yayah Fofanah, its chief executive officer is being harassed by the legislators.
He has been summoned to appear before the legislature at Kenema, the provincial headquarters of the Eastern province to show cause why his radio station should not be closed down.
However, the residents of Kenema have risen to the defence of Fofanah, threatening to demonstrate on the streets for the “unnecessary crackdown” on CEO Fofanah by Bernadette Lahai and her colleague MPs from the Eastern Province.
The citizens of Kenema insist that the decision by Lahai & Co to have Fofanah summoned was “malicious, undemocratic and a political ploy” to close down the radio station for being critical of her activities, especially the Le62 million disbursed to each lawmaker to educate constituents on the fight against Ebola in their respective constituencies.
A Kenema resident Ahmed Bockarie vowed their resolve to challenge the embattled Minority Leader for suppressing their views on state matters, adding that Star Line is a community radio established in 2006, and that the station has been very helpful in disseminating information on sexual and gender-based violence, politics, agriculture, and social issues.
“[Hon.] Bernadette has been using Star Line Radio even during her campaign for the position of MP. We have been reliably informed that two days after MPs invited the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, the CEO of Star Line Radio has been summoned for scrutiny by Bernadette Lahai,” Bockarie hinted.
“Our concern is that Hon. Lahai has figured out Star Line Radio only because she has personal grievances for Fofanah. Star Line broadcasts for 24 hour and they have good programmes on the radio like ‘Blow Mind’, ‘Radio and the People’, ‘Community Watch’, ‘Hospital Hour’ etc. These are very good programmes that are geared towards shaping the development process in our respective communities; that is what Hon. Lahai and her cohorts do not want,” he further fumed.
Haja Kamara, another concerned resident, said parliamentarians were elected to faithfully and diligently represent them, but some MPs, especially in Kenema, have been very suppressive.
“I am sure government will strongly look into this matter. Fofanah has been one of the active journalists in this part of the country. I will join hands with others to actually bring some of the MPs to book when they shall come for symbol,” she said.
It was Lahai who moved a motion in Parliament for the House to summon Fofanah to answer to allegations of propagating “hate messages” against some MPs in eastern province which motion was seconded by the Majority Leader Ibrahim Bundu.