By: Nelson Adebayo Johnson
Dr Ibrahim Bangura says Sierra Leone faces pressing challenges of fiscal indiscipline and wasteful spending that continue to weigh down the economy. These are not abstract problems. They affect prices in the market, jobs for young people, and the delivery of basic services across the country.
He states that the first step is to reset the role of government in the economy. Government should not see itself as the biggest employer. That responsibility belongs to the private sector. What government must do is create an enabling environment with the right incentives so that businesses can function, invest, and employ people at scale in every district.
Dr Bangura emphasised that there are immediate actions a responsible government can take to stabilise the economy while laying the groundwork for medium- and long-term growth. Quick-impact projects can open opportunities for young people now, restore confidence, and put money into circulation in local economies.
Sierra Leone has significant opportunities that remain largely untapped. In agriculture, we must move beyond subsistence by developing value chains that connect farmers to processing, packaging, and markets. This will create real employment for young people and increase incomes in rural areas.
The same applies to the green economy and the blue economy. We have not explored these sectors as we should. With the right policy direction and investment, they can become engines of job creation and foreign exchange earnings.
“I have assembled a team ready to address these gaps,” Dr Bangura said. “Our focus is clear: stabilise the economy first, then project a coherent plan for short-, medium-, and long-term growth that puts Sierra Leoneans to work.”
The path forward requires discipline, coordination, and a commitment to private sector-led development. Sierra Leone cannot afford to keep repeating the same cycle. It is time to fix what is broken and unlock the potential that has been waiting too long.
Love not hate. Build bridges, not walls.
