December 22, 2017 By Joseph S. Margai
Kasho J. Holland-Cole
Kasho J. Holland-Cole, a popular journalist and proprietor of Radio Lion Mountain, on Wednesday, 20 December, declared his intention for the chairmanship position of the Western Area Rural District Council (WARDC).
Fondly called “All Man Paddy” by his admirers, Mr. Holland-Cole has been an ardent advocate against bad governance. His contribution to the field of journalism and football mean his is a household name.
At his declaration ceremony, which drew supporters and admirers from across the district, he pledged to improve on service delivery, capacity building for the people, job opportunities for unemployed youth, and provision of reliable and sustainable development, among others.
He said the potential of the district has not been tapped into properly, adding that there are various revenue mobilisation areas in the district that have been ignored by former administrators.
Kasho, as he is also called by his supporters, promised to prioritise youth and women’s empowerment, health and sanitation, education and infrastructure.
“I will ensure that these areas are well taken care of if I get the All People’s Congress (APC) party symbol and subsequently win the 2018 local council election. My administration will be inclusive throughout the four years,” he said.
He appealed to anyone that is aggrieved with him or the party to bury the hatchet and move on for the development of the APC and the district.
Chairman of the Kasho J. Holland-Cole Foundation (KJHCF), Tony Junisa Kallon, said they have been making tremendous strides to develop the district.
“We have been promoting sports, education and entertainment, providing support to vulnerable children, persons with disabilities. We have awarded over two hundred scholarships to pupils, including the provision of teaching and learning materials,” he said and pledged the foundation’s support whenever the need arises.
Aspiring candidate for the parliamentary seat of Constituency 107, Abu Bakarr Fofanah, expressed optimism over the party’s stay in power but also urged voters who have not yet collected their voter ID cards to do so in order to be able to vote in 2018.
He urged Mr. Holland-Cole to put the people’s interest first among personal and selfish ones.
Deputy 2018 Elections Coordinator for APC, Hon. Claude Kamanda, thanked supporters for their unflinching support to the ruling party, noting that the huge crowd that gathered for the declaration was indicative that APC is a dominant political party in the country.
“I have seen the way you have been supporting Kasho as a comrade. This district constitutes 70% of the population of the western region and if such support has been drawn, it means APC will win the next election,” he said.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the event was the awarded scholarship to school pupils in the district.