Besides its historic importance, there are loads of Sierra Leoneans including so-called PHD holders who are misconstruing the primary purposes of the two ECOWAS deployments. It is succinct that many people do not understand the main difference between the Lungi Depot allocated for the deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Forces and the three sites allocated for the deployments of the ECOMISIL soldiers in the capital Freetown. (Photo: Richard Konteh).

In short, the ECOWAS Standby Forces are designed primarily for the sub-region, while the ECOMISIL Troops are meant purposely to oversee the full implementation of the Tripartite Committee Recommendations in Sierra Leone. Yet, the APC politician Dr Richard Konteh has exhibited hypocrisy or ignorance by hiding his true feelings about the ECOWAS deployments next month. Or is Richard Konteh merely pretending not to understand the differences between the Lungi and Freetown deployments?

For those who do not understand the mechanics of the deployments, it is important to clarify the two sections of the ECOWAS deployments and the purposes for which they are coming to Sierra Leone. This clarification is even more significant in the aftermath of the misleading statements uttered by the leader of the APC Unifier Dr Richard Konteh during his ill-fated interview on the Wi-Yard media where his hypocrisy was laid bare for all to see. (Photo: Dr Konteh is not honest with Dr Samura).

First, the Stabilisation Standby Forces numbering 5,000 soldiers will be deployed at the Lungi Depot and its primary purpose would be to in readiness for deployment in any country in the ECOWAS sub-region where democracy is threatened through military takeovers and the like. The Lungi deployment has been a longstanding policy initiated by ECOWAS to make sure they have a ready stabilisation forces in Sierra Leone in order to defend democracy and constitutional rule in West Africa.

Secondly, the ECOWAS deployment in Freetown otherwise known as ECOMISIL headquartered in the Murray Town/Aberdeen axis, was put together primarily for the stabilisation of Sierra Leone through the full implementation of the Tripartite Committee recommendations including both the 80 Reforms and the 5 Contentious Issues or Electoral Justice raised by the APC. Hastings Town and Kerry Town are strategic sites chosen for ECOMISIL soldiers. Kerry Town is located about 31 kilometres (19 miles) from Freetown, which lies to the west-north-west. Hastings Town is about 15 miles east of Freetown.

Sources say Sierra Leone defeated the other contender Mali to house the ECOWAS Troops in Lungi. It has been being under construction for some years now. It is only now that the ECOWAS Army Chiefs of Staff – because of fate or coincidence – have thought it wise to send the ECOWAS soldiers to Sierra Leone by next month, months after the fraudulent June 24, 2023 elections. Reports say Dr Richard Konteh as APC Minister under President Ernest Koroma was in charge of the ECOMOG Rapid Reaction Force discussion. This is where many sceptics including Richard Konteh are failing to understand.

Richard Konteh still believes that Rapid Reaction Force discourse for Lungi is the same as the ECOMISIL deployment in Freetown. Another misunderstanding includes the finances for the soldiers at the Lungi Depot. It is true that the funding for the Lungi Deployment is yet to complete. Also true is that ECOWAS countries will tax member states to raise the money they would need for Lungi. This is where the difference between the Lungi Troops and the ECOMISIL Troops deployed in various sites in Freetown and the outskirts ends. The global partners have completed the contributions of the US$2.5 billion funds for the 1,200 ECOMISIL Freetown Troops. (Photo: Maada Bio and ECOWAS).

Nevertheless, the doomsters of the Tripartite Committee recommendations are still harbouring the false notion about the US$2.5 billion dollars. The bulk of this colossal amount will benefit the three Freetown sites. And as Sierra Leone also being an ECOWAS member state, the Lungi Depot will benefit from it as well. This is the stark difference that many people are failing to grasp. The Organiser newspaper managing very top secrets regarding the ECOMISIL deployment finds it necessary to clear the air.

Sierra Leoneans, who are facing untold suffering because of Bio’s failed SLPP regime in the last six abysmal years are patiently waiting to celebrate the coming of the ECOMISIL soldiers and the Standby Forces in the country. As we go to press, it has been confirmed that the New ECOMISIL Commander to be based in Murray Town/Aberdeen axis will command both the Lungi Depot and the Freetown Sites.

Critical Questions Raised

By Andrew Kamara in Sweden

Until recently, sceptics on various platforms adamantly dismissed the possibility of an ECOMOG intervention, arguing that the reported $2.5 billion cost was exorbitant and beyond ECOWAS’s financial capacity for a country as small as Sierra Leone. This raises critical and ethical questions: Who has suddenly provided this $2.5 billion within such a short period, and what are the underlying motivations or benefits for this intervention?

Moreover, one must critically examine why Sierra Leone’s alleged attempted coup as purported is being treated with such urgency compared to the situations in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea – nations that have experienced similar or more severe instability. Why is ECOWAS seemingly prioritising Sierra Leone, a small nation, over the stabilisation of aforementioned countries that have already distanced themselves from ECOWAS? Ponder carefully as we keep connecting the dots.