It was on the 12 May, 2018 at the National Stadium when H.E Bio in his inauguration period declared three peaceful democratic wars: Indiscipline, Corruption & Poverty. Yes, the glamour for happiness for the new man (H.E Bio) for these wars was very high. Indeed, when H.E made that declaration the corrupt leaders (those from the APC) were shivering to the core. When he firmly noted that he is going to fight poverty, for the poor Sierra Leoneans, they were in seventh heaven. Many said Bio is the Moses.

He declared the wars:

My new Government is therefore launching 3 peaceful democratic wars: First, a War on Indiscipline; Second, a War on Corruption; and Third, a War on Poverty. These Peaceful democratic wars on Indiscipline, Corruption and Poverty will define my tenure of Office and I am determined to deliver on my promises. Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I will provide the disciplined leadership to drive and sustain our New Direction revolution. To make this change possible, my Government will tirelessly work for and remain committed to inclusive politics; inclusive development; inclusive economic growth and inclusive governance. I therefore call on our young people, our youth, to be at the forefront in promoting our peaceful democratic wars on Indiscipline, Corruption and Poverty. My administration will invest in our youth to create jobs and new opportunities to develop themselves and their families. We will provide the resources and skills training needed to empower our youth so that they are able to make meaningful contribution to the development of our country today and become future leaders tomorrow.

Sierra Leone is a poverty-stricken West African country that has been plagued by several social, economic, and political issues. One of the major problems that most Sierra Leoneans face is the bread and butter issue, which refers to the struggle to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. One of the primary reasons for the bread and butter issue in Sierra Leone is the deficient economy.

The country has limited resources, and most of its wealth is exported to other countries in the form of raw materials such as diamonds, gold, and iron ore. This leaves the country with a huge trade deficit, which in turn leads to high unemployment rates, low wages, and a lack of financial opportunities for the local population.

Another challenge faced by the Sierra Leonean people is that their country is still recovering from a decade-long civil war that ended in 2002. The conflict destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, and left many people living in poverty.

To be frank, poverty in Sierra Leone is endemic and pervasive. In fact, the country is ranked at the bottom of the UNDP Human Development Index as the poorest in the world. The ten-year civil war has further exacerbated the depth and severity of poverty.

Additionally, corruption and mismanagement of resources by the government have contributed significantly to the bread and butter issue in the country. This has resulted in a lack of access to essential public services such as healthcare, education, and clean water.

The lack of opportunities for the average Sierra Leonean has also contributed to the bread and butter issue. Most people rely on subsistence farming or low-paying jobs in the informal sector to make ends meet. This is compounded by the high cost of living, which makes it difficult for individuals to afford basic necessities such as food and housing.

In the fight against corruption under his leadership, this medium has seen some moves. For instance, Sierra Leone scored 79% in the Millennium Challenge Corporation control of corruption indicator. This was an improvement on the 71% score in 2018 during our very first year in office. Clearly, this was a significant improvement on the failing score of 49% scored by our predecessors…sixth, surveys carried out by independent civil society organisations and funded by foreign governments, indicate significant improvements in fighting corruption.

However, Sierra Leone continues to face major challenges of weak governance, widespread systemic corruption. Anti-corruption institutions lack resources, staff and expertise. The political will to fight corruption has been questioned on many occasions. However, after the 2018 peaceful change of government, there are some positive indications. Recent reforms of the Anti-Corruption Commission have extended its powers and contributed to significantly improve its capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption cases.

In line with that, going through the 2022 Audit Report, it actually speaks volume to a greater extent it notes contrary to the three wars of H.E Bio. The said audit report has shown rampant financial mismanagement in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). For instance, among those MDAs, Sierra Leone Maritime Administration was sharply cut in the line of financial mismanagement. The report states: “Payment without Adequate Supporting Documents: We observed that payments totalling SLE10,292,006 were without adequate supporting documents such as invoices, delivery notes, end-user requests, receipts and back-to-office reports. Furthermore, payments totalling SLE1,127,044.19 were without evidence of approval from the former Acting Executive Director….Bank withdrawals totalling SLE5,584,602.15 were without payment vouchers and the related supporting documents such as requests, invoices, delivery notes and reports to substantiate the use of funds. As these transactions were without payment vouchers and related supporting documents, we were unable to ascertain whether proper public financial management procedures were followed. We recommended that the Director of Finance should ensure that the payment vouchers and the related supporting documents are submitted for audit inspection.

Apart from Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, even the hunter (H.E Bio) for the three wars was sharply hunted by the 2022 Audit Report for alleged corruption. The report states: “Bank Withdrawals without Supporting Documents In contravention of Section 100(1) of the PFMRs of 2018, the following were observed: Bank withdrawals totalling SLE22, 370,463 made from the Lungi Bridge Feasibility Study Account and paid to the Atepa Group for the Lungi Bridge feasibility study and the supervisory consultancy for the construction of the new Airport, were without payment vouchers and supporting documents. Bank withdrawals totalling SLE1, 254,186 from various Imprest Accounts were without payment vouchers and other relevant supporting documents. Without these documents, we could not confirm whether withdrawals were utilised for the intended purposes…”

So as a Sierra Leone, what is your take on the deliverance of the said wars and what is really on the ground? Are poverty, indiscipline and corruption things of the past? Anyway, we in this medium want to urge you to ponder over it. TATA.