By Albert David:
In any democracy, accountability institutions are the backbone of transparency, integrity, and public trust. Sierra Leone’s Audit Service and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have long stood as pillars in the fight against graft, offering citizens a glimmer of hope that corruption can be checked and public resources safeguarded. Yet, recent revelations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cast a deeply troubling shadow. The independence of these institutions is being steadily undermined by political interference, particularly in the appointment and removal of senior officials.
This is not merely an administrative inconvenience; it is a devastating indictment of governance. When the neutrality of watchdog institutions is compromised, the very foundation of democratic accountability collapses. Political manipulation of appointments transforms these bodies from guardians of transparency into instruments of suppression, deception, and manipulation. It is a betrayal of the public trust, a distortion of democratic principles, and a dangerous descent into bad governance.
Investors, both domestic and foreign, rely on credible institutions to guarantee fair play. When accountability bodies are politicized, confidence evaporates. Corruption festers unchecked, deterring investment, stifling entrepreneurship, and ultimately worsening unemployment. Neutral institutions are essential for balancing power. Their capture by political interests breeds resentment, fuels divisiveness, and risks destabilizing the fragile social fabric of Sierra Leone.
Citizens begin to perceive institutions not as impartial arbiters of justice, but as weapons wielded by ruling elites. This perception intensifies ethnic, regional, and political divides, eroding national unity. Suppressing institutional independence is not governance, it is oppression. It silences dissent, manipulates accountability, and suppresses the very freedoms democracy promises.
It is profoundly unethical for any government to manipulate institutions designed to serve the people. Such interference is not only deceptive but devastating. It is manipulative in its intent, oppressive in its execution, suppressive in its consequences, and undemocratic in its essence. Sierra Leone cannot afford to normalize this erosion of integrity.
The Audit Service and ACC must be allowed to operate with full neutrality, free from political intimidation. Their independence is not a privilege granted by government, it is a constitutional necessity, a democratic right, and a moral obligation. To compromise this independence is to compromise the nation’s future.
Sierra Leone’s leaders must urgently recommit to the principles of good governance. Respecting institutional independence is not optional; it is the bedrock of national progress. Sanity and decency demand that appointments be based on merit, not political loyalty, that accountability be pursued without fear or favour, and that institutions be shielded from partisan manipulation.
Failure to do so will only deepen unemployment, exacerbate poverty, and entrench divisiveness. Worse, it will leave Sierra Leone trapped in a cycle of bad governance, where corruption thrives, trust evaporates, and democracy becomes a hollow shell.
The IMF’s warning should not be dismissed, it should be treated as a wake-up call. Sierra Leone stands at a crossroads. Either it recommits to institutional independence and democratic integrity, or it slides further into the abyss of unethical governance.
The choice is stark, the consequences are disturbing, and the urgency is undeniable. Neutrality and independence of state institutions must be respected, not tomorrow, not someday, but now. Anything less is a betrayal of the nation’s future.
