Pc Pewa Leads The Way For His People

PC Pewa Leads the Way for his People

Prince Mambu Pewa was elected Paramount Chief of Langurama Chiefdom, Kenema District, in December 2002 after serving the Sierra Leone Police Force for three decades. During his service in the Police Force, P.C. Pewa saw the good, bad and ugly things of public life, and in some instances, he himself became a direct victim of the rotten system that was (and still is) in operation in the country. But he never wavered, and never relented in ensuring that he served his people to the best of his ability.

On assuming his new role as Paramount Chief, PC Pewa was quick to put his experiences at work for the rapid development of his people and the Langurama chiefdom. As a police officer of 30 years standing, PC Pewa does not need somebody to tell him that corruption is indisputably the biggest impediment to national development. He himself acknowledges the fact that unless corruption in all its forms is addressed with sincerity of purpose and unwavering commitment, no amount of aid can save Sierra Leone from degenerating further.

It is against this background that PC Pewa has declared war on corruption. He intends to make Langurama chiefdom a corrupt-free society. It is a tall order by every stretch of the imagination, and PC Pewa equally knows that. But he also knows how to react his destination and in less than one year in office, the signs are very encouraging. He has made magnificent strides to see his dream come true. This has made him to stand out clearly as a role model for other chiefs across the country to emulate.

PC Pewa has many a time had to serve quit notices to NGOs he suspected of using the unfortunate situation of his people to enrich themselves. Unlike other chiefs who are accused by their subjects of conniving with NGOS and rogue contractors to embezzle resources meant for community development, he is always literally on the throats of rogue NGOs and contractors to ensure that they do proper work.

Hear him: “I scrupulously monitor every project that is being implemented in my chiefdom. I also take active part in the work; at some stages I have to take over as a mason, at other stages as a carpenter or storekeeper. All this is to ensure that nothing is pilfered with, and that we get the best out of what is made available to us.”

Also, in order to ensure food security in his chiefdom, PC Pewa and his people have resolved not to allow anybody to buy and take rice (the staple food) out of the chiefdom. This has paid instant dividend as evidenced by the stable price of rice even at this time of the year when other chiefdoms are buying rice at cut-throat prices.

However, not all is a bed of roses for PC Pewa and his people. The road leading to his chiefdom, like others in the country, is deplorable and virtually unmotorable during the rainy season. This has greatly affected the earnings of his people who solely depend on agriculture for their livelihood. Vehicles ply the road once every week; farmers therefore have to tote their produce and trek some 20 miles on foot to sell them those who cannot undertake this hellish exercise have no option but to painfully watch their produce rot.