Opposition Leader Challenges Government on Kabala Road, Youth Crisis

By Musa Paul Feika

In a heated parliamentary session on Monday, 13th October 2025, the Opposition Leader in Sierra Leone’s Sixth Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, strongly rebuked the Deputy Leader of Government Business for what he described as a “historical inaccuracy and misleading statement” concerning the construction of the Kabala Road a major highway linking parts of the Northern Province.

The Deputy Leader of Government Business had earlier claimed that the Kabala Road was constructed during the administration of former President Ernest Bai Koroma, a statement that immediately drew criticism from the opposition bench.

Setting the record straight, Hon. Kargbo clarified that the Kabala Road was actually built during the administration of President Siaka Stevens, and that the project was executed by a local contractor popularly known as Abu. He emphasized that history must be told with honesty, as misinformation undermines the credibility of parliamentary debates.

The correction came as Hon. Kargbo moved a motion to commence debate on President Julius Maada Bio’s State Opening Address, which had earlier been tabled by the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma.

Calls for Accountability and Presence of MDAs

Hon. Kargbo also expressed deep concern over the repeated absence of Ministers and Heads of Government Agencies during ongoing parliamentary deliberations. He urged the Speaker of Parliament to ensure that all officials from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) attend future sittings so they can directly respond to issues raised by Members of Parliament.

According to him, “Debates of this magnitude lose their essence when the very people responsible for implementation are not present to provide clarity or defend government policies.”

Government Admits Challenges in Education Sector

In a surprising moment of candor, the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, admitted that despite the introduction of the government’s flagship Free Quality Education (FQE) program, many parents across the country are still paying school fees for their children.

The admission triggered murmurs and mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle. Opposition MPs interpreted it as a rare acknowledgment of the government’s inability to fully implement one of its key promises.

Hon. Silikie further conceded that school dropout rates have continued to rise in several parts of the country an admission that was met with applause from opposition lawmakers, who hailed it as an honest reflection of the challenges facing the education sector.

APC Lawmakers Reinforce Historical Facts

Adding weight to Hon. Kargbo’s submission, Hon. Solomon Aruna Popay Larkoh, another senior APC parliamentarian, reaffirmed that the Kabala Road was not a project of the Koroma administration but one completed decades earlier under President Siaka Stevens.

He described attempts to distort such historical facts as “politically driven and disrespectful to the memory of those who laid the foundation for the nation’s infrastructure.”

Rising Drug Abuse and Youth Crisis

Turning to the worsening drug abuse epidemic in Sierra Leone, Hon. Abdul Kargbo expressed grave concern that the country’s youth population is being consumed by addiction, with tragic consequences for public safety and the nation’s reputation.

He challenged President Bio’s assertion that “about 200 young people have received digital skills training,” arguing that such claims are not reflective of the reality many young Sierra Leoneans face.

“Instead of acquiring digital skills, thousands of our youths are trapped in drug addiction,” he lamented. “Almost every day, we wake up to reports of dead bodies found in Freetown a sad symbol of the social decay that now plagues our society.”

A Call for National Reflection

Concluding his remarks, Hon. Kargbo urged the government to treat the drug menace as a national emergency, noting that it has already tarnished Sierra Leone’s international image.

“Mr. Speaker,” he said solemnly, “time will not permit me to further elaborate on the global disgrace Sierra Leone now faces due to this drug scourge. But if urgent measures are not taken, our future as a nation will be at risk.”