September 23, 2015 By John Baimba Sesay
Vice President Victor Bockarie Foh has told flood victims at the National Stadium how concerned President Ernest Koroma is about the challenging problems brought by the recent flooding disaster in Freetown, which left thousands of people homeless.
Mr. Foh spoke whilst officially launching the Flood Response Account at the National Stadium yesterday (Tuesday 22nd September). He told the victims that President Koroma had instructed him to be part of the coordination teams at the National Stadium to ensure the issue of finding solution to the plight of the flood victims is not prolonged.
Vice President Foh expressed thanks and appreciation to those who have been complementing government’s efforts by providing support to the victims. Government, he noted, is not seeking a short-term solution to the current problem but a permanent and lasting one, adding that “it is hard to plan for emergency but we have been asked by the President to find a permanent solution”.
“This is an opportunity for us to move people away from those [disaster-prone settlements] that are not conducive for human living, so you should be ready for the decision government is about to take in relocating you,” he said.
As chairman for coordinating the relief response, VP Foh said acres of land have been identified at Six Mile and Grafton on the outskirts of Freetown to relocate the victims, but cautioned people not affected by the flood to stop registering since thousands – who were in no way associated with the disaster – had already done so.
Moving people to new settlements, he said, will cost government billion of Leones and therefore encouraged Sierra Leoneans to support the relief response.