By Albert David
The IMF’s latest governance assessment, reinforced by the Worldwide Governance Indicators, delivers a sobering truth: Sierra Leone is sliding deeper into a governance crisis of its own making. The country’s declining control‑of‑corruption score is not a statistical hiccup, it is a national alarm bell.
Corruption, nepotism, and political patronage have become so entrenched that public trust is evaporating. Institutions meant to safeguard accountability have been weakened, politicized, or rendered ineffective. Reckless government spending continues unchecked, while unnecessary ministries and politically created agencies drain scarce public resources.
Selective accountability has replaced genuine justice. Procurement remains opaque. Fiscal discipline is almost nonexistent. These failures are not only undemocratic, they are economically destructive, scaring away foreign investors and undermining long‑term growth.
Sierra Leone cannot afford to continue on this path. Immediate reforms must include cutting wasteful expenditure, eliminating redundant ministries, enforcing impartial anti‑corruption measures, and restoring institutional independence. Long‑term stability requires constitutional strengthening, professionalizing the civil service, and building a culture of transparency.
The IMF has held up a mirror. The reflection is disturbing, but it is also an opportunity. Sierra Leone must choose reform over decay, accountability over impunity, and national interest over political patronage. The future depends on it.
