“We gave people assets to handle for their official duties which they convert to theirs. Make sure they are all re-collected. We want you to make sure you give due concern to these issues. We want you to know that the office you will be occupying is neither APC nor SLPP; therefore make sure that it is treated as a national office. We urge you to go and create a robust data base system in the commission. We are in a hurry as a government and as a country. We want to develop and change the lives of the people. Go and make sure that government properties are protected and not misused,” urged the ruling party lawmaker.
Hon. Sidike stated that he has no doubt in the nominee, whom he said would perform and deliver on his responsibility. However, he added that the nominee should know that there was no room for failure.
Whip of the main opposition All People’s Congress party, Hon. Hassan A. Sesay of Constituency 50 in Tonkolili District, supported his colleague on how government properties have been mishandled, adding that the nominee was aware that the problems in the commission are huge.
“We must accept the truth that civil servants that are given those properties misused them at the expense of the government and some would go to the extent of converting them as theirs. We all should know that it is not a one man property. If a data base is established, it will help track down all those who have been allocated with vehicles in the system and will be traced without delay. People failed to repair houses even though they stay there. Go and look at the Hill Station villas, people live there but could not take care of them,” he said.
He said that 80% of government assets are in the possession of civil servants, adding that the nominee should look at the issue critically.
“Everyone should know that it is not only the ministers that have the responsibilities to making sure government assets are protected as many of them have come and gone, leaving those issues unresolved in the ministries,” he noted.
Hon. Sesay maintained that Sierra Leoneans lack a culture of maintenance and urged that such attitude has to change, adding that government properties should be maintained and utilized solely for public use.
