By Sulaiman Jalloh

In an effort to compliment government’s effort on the ‘feed Salone’ agenda, Tankoro section, Lei Chiefdom, Senehun Town, Kono District section chief Emmanuel A. E Tomi has dedicated fifty hectares of piece of land to a group called ‘Get what you want treading’ for agricultural purposes. The land piece of land will be use to cultivate varieties of crops and will improve youth employment in that part of the country.

The dedication was conducted with a town hall meeting with his villages chiefs, youth leaders, and women’s group at the Chiefdom headquarter town, Senehun on Monday, March 25, 2024, chief Tomi thanked citizens and residents for keeping the peace and for obeying the rule of law, saying every village has various groups with different engagement in making sure there is development in his chiefdom, but it is more appropriate for them as patriotic citizens of Sierra Leone to engage in farming as a way of complimenting the government of president Bio big five game changers especially ‘feed Salone’ saying hardship will only reduce if they grow what they eat. According to the chief, long before the brutal civil war, citizens had engaged in farming and used to harvest what they eat but got obstructed due the war.

“The Boli Bridge will be used for farming as long as I exist,” chief Tomi dedicated the land, noting if land is cultivated and harvested everyone in his chiefdom will benefit while he recalled the effort of past governments to have the said to be utilized. He encouraged everyone to own to the project and see as a development for everyone especially youths and women’s group.

He said this is not politics and people should not politicize it nor it is a tribal thing, stressing it will reduce the unemployment rate in that part of the African country while promising transparency in the process and there will no communal labor.

Chairlady of the chiefdom madam Fatmata Bambi on behalf of the women thanked their leader for such an initiative and promised the full support from all women’s group in making sure they own to the development, noting they have been constraining especially getting support from outsiders. She therefore encouraged all women to support their husbands as it will also provide job opportunities for children.

For his part, Komba Samba the village head of Wodu village said since arrival in the village how agriculture has helped him during his youth age and thanked their leader for the developmental initiative.

Machiel A. Yonga is the youth leader of Tankoro Chiefdom who expressed excitement for the initiative taken by the leaders. “This is a happiness for us as youths” he emphasized, saying if the president of Sierra Leone stand for agriculture and their leaders is bringing agriculture they will not back and look instead will own to it. The youth added that if agriculture is in their chiefdom other developmental initiatives will follow and as youth, they stand to benefit from it.

“As youths, it will reduce our sufferings. It will also benefit our children and the unborn children,” Yonga encouraged

The Chief Executive Officer of the farming group, Mohammed Adams Jalloh appreciated the Tankoro section chiefs for the gesture and promised to grow and cultivate useful products for the people in that part of the country, noting he will collaborate with other meaningful agricultural experts including the ministry of Agriculture Food security to implement government of presidents Bio’s agenda which is the ‘feed Salone’ priority.

“I have been cultivating in this land for three years without any personal benefits” he asserted, pointing out his motivation is to embark on agriculture to support the government’s agenda. He added that the only thing that can improve a country’s economy is when the citizens cultivate what they consume.

Speaking on challenges Jalloh said local farmers find it very difficult to have access to machinery, and the reason for the establishment of the project is to assist local farmers especially women in farming by providing machinery and seeds including capital.

The meeting ended with a unanimous agreement from all stakeholders of the chiefdom to make good use of the initiative as it will reduce sufferings of citizens and will increase job availability for youth and women.

 Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on wednesday, April 3rd, 2024 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)