By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
Sierra Leoneans have been scammed once again by their own leaders, especially by those we believe should guide and support us in maintaining the real progress of our nation. We woke up to disturbing and deceptive news from the government of Sierra Leone. Our president is busy grandstanding and knocking his chest on behalf of Africa, even having the audacity to tell the world in Barbados how to manage energy using our local resources. What an irony! How can this man lecture the world on energy management when he cannot even provide electricity for his own country? There he stood, in front of the world, lying through his teeth.
Let me move to another topic, which is the real reason for this op-ed. Sierra Leoneans woke up to the shocking news that ships of rice had been donated by the Chinese government to the people of Sierra Leone. But what happened next defied all logic and belief. This rice has been coming into the country for almost three years now, yet no one was aware of it. Despite all the press conferences held by the Minister of Information and Civic Education, not once was this rice mentioned. Instead, the minister was busy propagating and defending governmental actions that often work against the very people who elected them.
What the people want to know now is: how come this rice has been coming in and no one was informed? Why was it shrouded in secrecy until the Minister of Agriculture was forced to inform the nation on Radio Democracy? It is appalling that during a period when the price of rice was skyrocketing, this rice was sitting somewhere undistributed while Sierra Leoneans struggled to afford their daily meals.
Even more disappointing is the role of Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, an agricultural economist, politician, and chair of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy, and Food Security. To me, Dr. Yumkella’s silence and involvement in this government make him an accomplice in the deception of Sierra Leoneans. His expertise should have been used to ensure food security for the people, not to be part of a system that keeps the people hungry while hoarding aid meant for them.
The Minister of Agriculture struggled to give a reason as to why the people were not informed about this rice stockpile. During Ramadan and Lent, we suddenly see ministers and government-connected individuals, including the First Lady and Mr. Baluwa from the Petroleum Commission, distributing hundreds, if not thousands, of bags of rice, not to the ordinary people, but to SLPP party members in Bo and other places. Why is this rice being used for political gain rather than to alleviate the suffering of the masses?
Where has the Tumabum rice project gone? What happened to the FEED SALONE initiative? These were programs that were supposed to make Sierra Leone self-sufficient in food production, yet they have vanished into thin air. Instead of implementing sustainable agricultural policies, government officials and their cronies are engaged in deceit, distributing rice meant for all Sierra Leoneans as if it were their personal property.
This is not just about rice; it is about the broader economic mismanagement and corruption within this government. According to Andrew Lavallie on the “Weekend Sunday” program with Phebean Swill, Sierra Leone exported about $1.4 billion worth of resources but only received around $40 million in return. Where has the rest of the money gone? While the president and his ministers travel like headless chickens across the world, squandering state resources, ordinary Sierra Leoneans are left to suffer.
No one dares to ask questions because the moment you do, you risk being silenced under the Cybercrime Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act, or other draconian laws designed to stifle free speech. Where are we headed as a nation? Our leaders continue to scam us, abuse our trust, and exploit our resources, leaving the people in perpetual poverty. This is not governance; this is daylight robbery.
Sierra Leoneans must wake up and hold their leaders accountable. Enough is enough. We deserve better, and we must demand better. If we do not rise against this continued deception, we will remain victims of a system that thrives on scamming its own people.
