Oh my God! As the Ebola epidemic continue to cripple our already battered economy, the government has signed again another contract of waste, mismanagement and embezzlement of the desperately needed Ebola fund. This time round, it’s the sum of 7 billion Leones (7.000, 000,000) dished out to 124 parliamentarians (63 million Leone each) in the name of fight against Ebola. Some of the MPs never visited their constituencies since elections were over. They are no social or health workers. They don’t even have the infinitesimal knowledge of common community mobilization program. Since Ebola outbreak, they have never visited their respective communities fearing from contracting the virus. Yet, they have been awarded funds to fight Ebola in their own households.
24 hours ago, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation unveiled a Le 82.1 billion ($18.2 million) budget plan for health workers and essential supportive personnel in the fight against Ebola. One would like to know what specifically are the parliamentarians going to do with their own funds? Ebola, a dreadful national threat seemed to have become a honeymoon for few politicians.
Our correspondent spotted this money some buckets of chlorine at strategic locations in Blama and Kenema which we believe might be recorded by the MPs in those constituencies as part of the fight against Ebola.
It must be noted that most of the deaths reported on a daily basis are as a result of lack of supportive treatment, food, water, habitable accommodation and social care at the epicentres. Health workers are dying due to lack of enough protective gears. Those who are quarantined for observation are starving for food, water and toiletries.
We had earlier blown a loud whistle in this column about the way and manner the Health Ministry has been playing with the Ebola infection and death figures. We had earlier asked what is the purpose of all the billions collected? Now we have the answer….self-enrichment, misappropriation and mismanagement of the desperately needed funds are the answers.
If the spiritual saying that “activities are rewarded according to the motives behind them” is something to go by, then posterity shall surely judge those who are embezzling the Ebola funds.
May the souls of the true Ebola victims rest in perfect peace.
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