President Bio further explained that his government is a caring government, and doing everything in their power to make the lives of its citizens better in every aspect.

He added that they have started by offering quality education, providing improved healthcare services and food security for the people. “We are now ready, with the support of our people to fight the number one enemy of the country, which is corruption,” President Bio maintained, adding that all Sierra Leoneans must cooperate for the fight to succeed.

“This year, we will start the rehabilitation of the Kailahun Government Hospital and the Nixon Memorial Government Hospital to improve the healthcare services in this part of the country,” he told a mammoth crowd among tumultuous applause. The President also promised to build a bridge linking Manowa with Kailahun.

President Bio also noted that the Pendumbu-Kailahun road project had delayed because his government did not meet funds for the project, but that the Ministry of Finance is working out modalities to restart and complete the project.

On his own part, the Chairman of the Kailahun District Council, Kekeh Sahr, said the people of Kailahun are grateful to President Bio for introducing free quality education for the first time in the history of the country. He added that Kailahun is a deprived district, but expressed his optimism that with the new administration, the district would be able to catch up with the rest of the country in terms of development.

He said the Bunumbu Teachers College was the second oldest higher institution of learning in the country that had produced lots of reputable citizens in the country and therefore commended the government for wanting to take the bold step to revive the institution.

Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Aiah Gbakima, said the President had promised, in his New Direction manifesto, to increase the number of qualified teachers in schools, adding that it was, therefore, imperative on the government to restart the college and to offer quality training for teachers across the country.

He disclosed that the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) was in consultation with the Government of Sierra Leone to reconstruct the college, while assuring the gathering that classes were expected to commence in the next academic year.