By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
No lantern parade
National Security Coordinator, Office of National Security (ONS), has informed the public that government will not allow lantern parade on the eve (April 26) of the country’s independence due to security concerns in relation to November 26 fugitives who are still in hiding and pose security threat.
Abdulai Caulker said after the November 26, 2023 attempted coup, they put together a security posture to ensure that such incident does not occur again, disclosing that they have set up committees at chiefdom level to ensure that peace is maintained across the country.
Traditionally, lantern parades are supposed to be held on the 26th April every year, but the process was halted after President Bio was elected into office in 2018, when he banned all masquerade activities across the country. Lantern parade is usually done at night when Sierra Leoneans are given the opportunity to display their craftsmanship in different designs. The parade is always spiced with fun, pump and pageantry, with the main Siaka Street jam-packed with scores of onlookers mesmerizing the display of talents.
Earlier, the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs announced the revamp of lantern parade this year as a way of enhancing the culture of Sierra Leone, but the institution in charge of the country’s security has placed on halt on the process on security grounds.
Speaking on the Yenga issue between Sierra Leone and Guinea, Caulker highlighted that both countries are in an advance stage with the negotiation and have held several meetings within both countries respectively.
He said during those engagements, they provided evidence including maps and agreements between both countries’ colonial masters.
He said previous governments had tried to settle the Yenga issue, but failed.
He assured that with the engagement they had, he believed that the current government would settle the issue between both countries.
