In an exclusive interview with this Reporter at his Kissy Samuels residence over the weekend, Hon. Abdul Salam Kanu lamented that the present amount which is about sixty three million Leones (Le 63,000,000.00) is too small to undertake the many development activities that normally arise in the constituencies.
He explained that most times the money can only address one or two issues leaving many other areas unattended to.
“It is a pity that our constituents normally think that the Constituency Development Fund should take care of all the social, educational, health, infrastructural and even their personal problems in the communities,” he noted, stressing that Members of Parliament have to overstretch themselves, sometimes even using their salaries and other personal resources to address pressing issues in their constituencies.
Hon. Kanu revealed that he has raised this issue many times in Parliament but that he has not yet received the support of his colleagues and the general public.
He called on colleague Parliamentarians, civil society organisations and the general public to rally behind him so that they will influence the Central Government to see the need to raise their annual constituency allowances so that they will be empowered to do more work in their constituencies.
In a related development, Hon. Kanu revealed that he gives two hundred scholarships to school children in his constituency every year. He also revealed that in collaboration with Kings Factory commonly known as Mega Cola, he has mobilized the allocation of three hundred sets of chairs and desks to five schools in his constituency including the O.J.E. Samuels Secondary School, the Marie Vandy Primary and Secondary School, the Tawhid Islamic Primary School, the Humariah Islamic Secondary School and the Yannie Preparatory and Primary School. He further revealed that he is now making seven hundred more sets of chairs and desks for ten more schools to be supplied to them on the reopening of schools in September this year.
Hon. Kanu further revealed that he is now in consultation with community people and possible funding partners to undertake the construction of drainages and bridges at the Kissy Bye Pass Road, Williams Street by Agape Church, Barrah Was Car by Latter Day Saints Church near shell Old Road and other areas.
He also revealed that he has constructed two fishing boats for young men at the Sierra Fishing Company which they are now using to give themselves employment. He also stated that Leonco has supported them to build leading to the jetty and sheds where they store their fish catches.
Hon. Kanu further revealed that he is currently mobilizing resources to construct a twenty five bed Haja Neneh Maternity Hospital along Bai Bureh Road in Kissy, a project which he said will cost over two hundred million Leones (Le 200,000,000.000).
Hon. Kanu described his relationship with his people ass very cordial and that he is Adviser to all the youth and sporting organisations in the constituency.
“I do not look at the political colour, religion, region of origin or ethnicity of my people, rather I look at them as a family belonging to my constituency and I serve them to the best of my knowledge and ability, God being me Helper,” he concluded.
