- President Koroma of Sierra Leone warns Western World against withholding Aid To African Countries
President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone on Saturday in Abuja after commissioning a building project at the Sierra Leonean High Commission cautioned western countries and the World
His remarks followed the World Bank’s suspension of 90 million dollars loan to Uganda over its tough anti-gay law.
Countries like Denmark and Norway had also criticised the law, saying that they would redirect aid from the government to assist agencies.
The president, who was in Abuja to also attend Nigeria’s centenary said: “we have to ensure that the communities are sensitised well enough. It is not right for issues to be imposed lock, stalk and barrel from the international world.’’
He said countries should be allowed to handle the situation based on what was on ground.“We have to take into consideration our culture, tradition, religious beliefs and all that.
“I believe that on issues like this, like it is happening in other sensitive areas, time should be given to countries to engage,’’ Koroma.
He then called for “further engagements’’ among African governments, western countries and donor agencies to resolve the differences on the issue of homosexuality.
He, however, warned that such engagements must respect the “consensus’’ of the African people.
“I believe with engagement with our communities, sensitisation and other public awareness programmes, we will get at a consensus.
“When a country arrives at a consensus, I think the country should be led by what it believes is right for the country and not what is necessarily right for the international community because of the variations in our traditions.’’
Queen of the Naija says: I think the only good thing that can come out of all these is the aid issue..its time our goverment's in Africa stop going to the Western world with cup in hand begging for alms..especially when the common man or the country don't see no benefits from it..A country like Nigeria for example has so many resources that these countries can only dream of having,yet we collect aid of them..its ridiculous..our leaders only keep all the money in their pockets anyway.Maybe when no aid comes in,the leaders will straighten out their acts and develop what we have to be self sufficient,then the western world will give us some respect and not tell us what to do.He who plays the piper dictates the tune...i happen not to support the gay bill,cos i feel whatever two adults do behind closed doors with consent should be their own business.