Sierra Leone’s new president Julius Maada Bio is getting the big tick from the country’s bishops. He took office in April this year.
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Council, Charles Campbell, says the government’s plan to provide free and quality education is “a laudable venture” and praised the measures Bio is taking to transform Sierra Leone.
The Church is willing to complement government’s efforts through their numerous schools across the country, Campbell told Bio.
He said over the past few months he and his fellow bishops have been following the new government’s efforts to embark on development and social progress for the benefit of its citizens.
Campbell praised the government’s fight against corruption, saying collective and decisive action must be taken to curb it.
“Our Holy Father Pope Francis has said that corruption infects the world like a cancer and that the church must combat it by working with society.
“There is always the possibility that those who seek to fight corruption will be undermined, misunderstood or even be misinterpreted.
“It is our wish that the scourge of corruption and its attendant practices will be faced with vigilant truth and justice.
“We pray that you exercise your office to pursue the common good, especially in the care for the most vulnerable in society. We encourage you, sir, to uphold the values of the Gospel and bring the social teachings of the Church in the execution of your duties.”
The bishops told Bio that, as a church, their greatest concern was the need for moral and ethical considerations in governance.
Everyone should come on board to build a country based on democratic values, justice and fundamental rights, they said.
The Catholic Church has a “substantial following” in the mainly Muslim country.
It is one of the leading religious institutions in terms of provision of social services and has been particularly successful in helping with education and healthcare.
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