Kaifala Marah, one of the leading Aspirants for the Flagbearer in the All People’s Congress Party (APC), has continued to market his Manifesto (Vision to Transform Sierra Leone).
Dr. Marah had served in various institutions, including serving as the Former Director of the Center for Development, Policy and Management at the Common Wealth Secretariat, and was Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief of Staff, Central Bank Governor and Finance Minister in the erstwhile government of Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma. On Tuesday17 January 2023, while speaking in the popular Good Morning Salone TV Show at Star Television, Media One Center, Dr. Marah said that his aim is to bring Sierra Leone in to the development limelight.
Giving a background of his working experience, Dr. Marah stated that started his work career in New York, United States of America, after completing his studies at the State University of New York, where he studied Public Policy Financial Management, Economics and other Modules, and worked as Budget Analyst at the New York State Senate, advising the state on capital budget projects and cost-benefit analysis, and later joined the Center for International Development, working in Latin America, Asia and other countries, before joining the Common Wealth, where he worked with over 50 countries, as a senior officer on public finance and policy.
He disclosed that he was called by former President Koroma to serve as Economic Adviser, Financial Analyst and Chief of Staff. He furthered that he later came to serve as Chief of Staff on for the second time, mainly due to his desire to serve his nation. As Chief of Staff, he provided collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). He furthered that he created a team that tracked over 800 government programs, and later served in other capacities in the government.
“So taking into consideration all my international and local experience gained over the years, and knowing exactly where we are at the moment, I consider myself to be the right choice to provide leadership for this nation,” Dr Marah opined.
He continued that in 1961 the population of Sierra Leone was about 3 million, but today, it is about 8 million, stressing that poverty has engulfed the country. He maintained that governments have tried severally to work on addressing poverty, and have introduced various methods, including the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), but they have all not been able to achieve much. He bemoaned the state of the country amidst all its natural resources, fertile Land, good rainfall, and valuable minerals, yet the rate of poverty is very high, life expectancy is low, poor medical facilities, poor hygiene system and backwardness in the education sector, high infant maternal mortality rate, 23% access to electricity and poor access to water.
Dr, Marah also maintained that what bothers him most is that we cannot export our fish directly to Europe due to concerns about hygiene standards, furthering that since the colonial period, the country has been battling with Malaria and Typhoid to no avail, and believes that it is now time to change the narrative, and this is what his vision for Sierra Leone is, and urged people to vote decisively for job creation and wealth.
He stated that if he becomes the flagbearer of the APC, he will humbly appeal to them to accept his Vision to Transform Sierra Lone as the party’s Manifesto.
In respect of national cohesion, Dr, Marah said that there is a high level of religious tolerance among Sierra Leoneans, with lots of intermarriages, but noted that it becomes terrible when it comes to politics. This, he said, is because of the messages sent out by stakeholders of political parties, adding that he wants to lead by example.
He furthered that he is a man of peace, and will be focusing on attracting foreign investment, which is lacking at the moment. He made reference to the skills and entertainment industry, adding that there is huge potential in the youths that should be developed.
Dr. Marah disclosed that he started as a Youth Leader in Kono, and served as President of the National Kono Students Union before the War, served as Chairman of the G7+ and was awarded the New Generation Leader for Africa 2021.