Bo District
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bo District | |
 |
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| Country | Sierra Leone |
|---|---|
| Capital | Bo |
| Province | Southern Province |
| Government | |
| - Paramount Chief | Bindi Hindowa Samba |
| Population (2004 census) | |
| - Total | 305,775 |
| Time zone | Greenwich Mean Time (UTC-5) |
Bo District is a district in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. It is the third most populous district in the country after Western Area Urban District and Kenema District, with an estimated population of 463,668 (2004 census). Its capital and administrative center is Bo, which is also the second largest city in Sierra Leone after the national capital, Freetown. Bo District borders Kenema District to the east, Tonkolili District to the north, Moyamba District to the west, Bonthe District to the southwest and Pujehun District to the south. It occupies a total area of 5,473.6 km² and comprises fifteen chiefdoms.
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[edit] Demograpics of Bo District
It is the third most populous district in the country after Western Area Urban District and Kenema District, with an estimated population of 463,668[1] (2004 census).
The ethnic makeup of Bo District consists of two main groups the Mende[2], at 59%[citation needed], and the Temne people. Since the emergence of the Second Liberian Civil War, Bo District along with Kenema District were home to many thousands of Liberian refugees. There is religious plurality in the area with populations of both Muslims and Christians.[2]
[edit] Economy
With Bo being the second largest city in Sierra Leone, trading, gold and diamond mining are major economic activities for the district; as well as agricultural production of rice growing, and coffee, cacao and oil palm.
[edit] Education
Bo District is home to 385 Primary Schools and 40 Secondary Schools. Bo Government Secondary School, commonly called Bo School is among the 40 secondary schools in Bo District. The school was founded in 1906 by Leslie Probyn to educate the children of Bo District. The school has a long history of developing the elite of Sierra Leone, especially the country's politicians.
Bo School is sited on a 13.5 acres of land in the hearth of Bo Town, the second largest city in Sierra Leone. The school itself is situated in pleasant surroundings and within walking distance of Government hospital, Government Post Office, Police Station, and the main shopping center of Bo Town.
Football field, a volleyball court, a basketball court, a long tennis, and cricket pitch enrich the recreational facilities the school provides. There are plans to rehabilitate the school swimming pool.
Bo school also maintains a unique tradition of seniority which has consistently augured well for social cohesion among the students. Maggots/Greeners/Rustics are either junior or newer members of the school (specifically those with more recent admission numbers). They are expected to always observe all rules of defference association with their positions and comply fully with specific instructions from senior students.
[edit] Government
Bo District currently has seven Representatives in the Sierra Leonean Parliament, of which six members were elected for a 5 year term. The district is a stronghold of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). The SLPP have won every local and national elections in the district. The following is a list of Representatives and affiliations:
- Bindi Hindowa Samba- Paramount Chief of Bo District
- Janet Samking (SLPP)
- John Ngeun Moriba (SLPP)
- Cecil Hanson (SLPP)
- Alpha Mathew (SLPP)
- Amidu Nallo (SLPP)
- Patrick Kamara (SLPP)
[edit] Recovery after Civil War
Bo District suffered badly at the hands of rebel forces during 1994/1995, and many major towns were almost entirely destroyed (Tikonko and Bumpe, for example). However, since the ousting of the Junta in early 1998, Bo District has remained secure, due mainly to the strong presence of the Civil Defence Forces. As such, rather than suffering from displacement, Bo district has been the recipient of displaced persons from less secure parts of the country.
Although aid agencies have had uninterrupted access to the district for five years because of its relative stability, most of the recovery efforts were concentrated in Bo Town leaving out the 8 sections in Kakua chiefdom as well as all the other 14 chiefdoms in the district.
The major recovery needs according to sectoral priorities are as follows: Road rehabilitation, Education, Water and Sanitation, Health, Agriculture, Restoration of Local Government Structures and Shelter.
[edit] Famous people from Bo District
- Solomon Berewa, current Vice President of Sierra Leone
- Julius Maada Bio, former head of state of Sierra Leone
- Joe Robert Pemagbi, Sierra Leone ambassador to the U.N
- Aluspah Brewah, football star
- Hinga Norman, Politician
- Joseph Henry Ganda, Archbishop
- Emerson Samba, Football star
[edit] References
- ^ [http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/1_gov/1_4/Statistics%20Sierra%20Leone/ssl_final_results.pdf FINAL RESULTS 2004 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS] (pdf) 3. Statistics Sierra Leone. Retrieved on 2008-06-09.
- ^ a b Bo District. Sierra Leone Encyclopedia (UN and Government of Sierra Leone) (July 2007). Retrieved on 2008-06-06.
[edit] See also
Cecil Hanson
[edit] External links
- http://www.statehouse-sl.org/member-parliament.html
- http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_20052169.shtml
- http://www.directrelief.org/sections/our_work/notes_sierra_leone.html
- Parts of this article reproduced with permission from http://www.daco-sl.org
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