By Joseph S. Margai in Freetown, Sierra Leone
Aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) of Constituency 120 in the east of Freetown, Abass B. Kamara, has pledged to embark on providing safe and clean drinking water, scholarships for students, and rehabilitating and constructing feeder roads within his constituency, if he is elected MP in the March 7, 2018 polls.
The MP aspirant was making these pledges during his official declaration of his intention to vie for the parliamentary seat on Sunday July, 30, 2017 at Carsel Farm, Kissy, Freetown.
Mammoth crowd, including the young, the aged and officials from the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) were gathered to witness the declaration ceremony whan Mr. Kamara made known his plans for constituency 120, if elected.
“My people are suffering here because of the lack of water and good roads. Most people walk about a mile to fetch water from Fisheries at Kissy Dockyard. Parents of our school-going children have not been able to pay school fees because of poverty. These, among other things, have urged me to vie for the parliamentary seat of this constituency so as to bring relief to our people,” he said.
He recalled that when he was a councilor of the community from 2007-2012, he provided three water pumps, which are no long functional. He said he has contracted people to make proper drainage systems that aided the free flow of water in the gutters.
In the area of social activities, he said he organized “the Councilor Abass Trophy” gala, which no one has organized since 2010, boasting that some of the players that participated in that gala are now playing for big clubs and two of them are plying their trade overseas.
“During my tenure as councilor also, I sent people to Hajj without taking a cent from them. I initiated a micro credit facility where over 50 million Leones were provided for our women to embark on petty businesses for their sustenance,” he told his audience.
He pledged to better represent the people in parliament, saying that he will also do more in terms of development and education.
Ibrahim Bangura, a member of the constituency, said Councilor Abass, as the aspirant is popularly called among his constituents, is not a man of fake promises.
He called for support from the resident of Carsel Farm and Black Hall Road for the aspiring MP.
Religious and tribal heads, youth groups, women’s organizations, and members of the constituency executive, pledged their support to Abbas.