By Our Correspondent
In what could be described as his most appreciated message for Sierra Leoneans in North America so far, Vice President Solomon Berewa has said that cabinet has approved the Dual Citizenship bill and it will be passed by parliament as soon as it reconvenes.The veep was said to have made the statement in New York.
However many Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad do not really know or understand what the dual citizenship bill means or entails.It briefly means that the bill, if it becomes law, will allow Sierra Leoneans to be citizens of Sierra Leone and another country of their choice.Such an opportunity, it is hoped, will encourage Sierra Leoneans to return home and contribute more meaningfully to national development.
However some Sierra Leoneans, mostly those in the diaspora, are extremely worried about a clause in the bill that states that Sierra Leoneans who have taken up the citizenship of other countries would have to apply to a Sierra Leone minister to regain their citizenship.
This has triggered the fear that any government will abuse that clause and use it to persecute their opponents or critics.Berewa himself was reported to have said in New York that citizenship is such an important issue that people will have to apply for it.
In Columbus, Ohio, the Vice President, in a meeting with Sierra Leoneans, was said to have been infuriated by the constant barrage of questions on the garbage in Freetown the capital and declared that cleaning the city was not one of his duties but that of the municipal government and the inhabitants.
We shall shortly bring you details on the Vice President’s visit to Philadelphia and other other places.
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