By Francis Kamara

After President Julius Maada Bio had spoken nice words and made reassuring remarks to members of the Fourth Estate at this year’s Media Cocktail held at Country Lodge, Hill Station in Freetown, last night Wednesday 7^th December, 2022, it was discovered that the Le1 million old leones transport allowance provided for journalists was far short with varying lesser amounts placed in envelops.

Majority of the envelops contained  NLe740; some Le760, others NLe 450, Nle500 among other lesser amounts. This is a clear manifestation of the level of corruption taking place within the corridors of the current SLPP administration. It also goes to show that those that organized the Media Cocktail and were given the responsibility of packaging the transport allowance and distributing same to journalists, actually duped journalists by deducting varying amounts from the slated Le1million set aside as transport allowance for each journalist.

“This is pure sabotage and those that were involved in this corrupt practice must be promptly dismissed and investigated by the ACC. After all, this was a Media Coverage and the money provided was for journalists. We have been covering the president and the government’s news free of charge and this money was not a bribe but transport allowance which is normal practice at such events,” said a senior Guild of Editors member.

Another angry journalist stated that they are all sorely disappointed over the way and manner they were treated by the organizers of the Media Cocktail, adding that journalists were asked to sign for Le1 million apiece but when they checked inside the envelops, they discovered that no envelop contained Le1million but far less. 

“President Bio should be wary of these people because they are the ones making him believe that everything is well with the media as far as the presidency and State House is concerned when in actual fact, they are the very ones undermining his dealings and popularity with the press,” said a senior newspaper editor and publisher.

It is against this background that journalists are urging President Bio to watch his back especially as it concerns his media handlers and propagandists because they will not hesitate to stab him in his back when he least expects. “If they are unafraid and bold enough to dupe journalists, what will they be afraid of doing to the ordinary Sierra Leonean,” was the question on the minds of journalists as they left the scene that fateful day.

However, some journalist approached the Press Secretary Keketoma Sandi, explaining to him that they cannot be taken for a ride and are not fools after signing for Le1million but actually receiving far less. They vented their anger and vowed to expose the whole affair in their respective mediums. He then managed to address the few senior journalists that were still around by using money from some envelops to top the amount to the actual Le1million they had signed for.