Despite claims of a second victory by the New Direction Government in 2023 and 2028, realities have indicated that the ruling party is far from being victorious in the forthcoming elections. Public opinion has always not been in favour of the ruling party implying that Sierra Leoneans are not satisfied with the performance of government in various aspects.
The Constitution of Sierra Leone provides for two terms for a sitting President either consecutive or not. The provision does not mean a particular political party must rule, at all cost, for two terms. The two-term rule is contingent on how far a ruling party meets the needs and aspirations of the governed.
SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) came to power in 2018 amidst high public expectations. Although the government of former President Koroma made significant progress in several sectors of the economy, the loud public outcry denoted hunger, discrimination, corruption and a sky-rocketed inflation.
These aspirations were urgent and needed immediate attention. The people of Sierra Leone had no confidence in the then APC government that it would deliver the country out of the afore-mentioned anomalies.
The only alternative they could turn to was the SLPP led by President Julius Maada Bio as flag-bearer at the time.
The New Direction Government, during the 2018 campaign, presented a voluminous manifesto that created a big impression in the minds of Sierra Leoneans. The manifesto was widely believed as one that would lift this nation from the doldrums of poverty and under-development.
In spite of damaging rhetorics by the APC, the incumbent party at that time, SLPP’s manifesto resonated with the people’s desires.
SLPP was let in by the popular will, and a new government emerged. The New Government stumbled immediately upon taking over the reins of state command.
It abused, in no small measure, the cherished governance principle of continuity of sound policies and institutions left behind by predecessors.
Despite the weaknesses and failures of the former government, it however left behind solid structures that the New Direction Government would have capitalised on for effective state governance.
One of the greatest blunders on the part of the New Direction Government was its determination to wipe out the Ernest Koroma legacies.
Very important offices which should have been preserved by the Bio Administration were shut down.
Attitudinal and Behavioural Change Secretariat, Office of Diaspora Affairs and other offices relevant to nation building were shut down.
The only reason the New Direction Government could advance was that they were created by the former government. Mining companies and other corporations that were immensely contributing to the country’s economy were also targeted.
Owing to political pressure, most companies and other business institutions shut down and left. Other investors returned to their home countries owing to an unfavourable political climate. The arrest of a Lebanese investor at the country’s only international airport with hundreds of thousands of United States Dollars was a case in point.
The return of the investors left behind a weak economy characterised by inflation, and endemic shortage of foreign currency.
Of all companies, it was only SL Mining that put up one of the strongest resistance to government bully. The mining company knew that its presence in Sierra Leone was based on legal terms, and is at liberty to defend their rights. The company currently battles it out with the Sierra Leone Government in an English Court.
The New Direction’s initial stumble was further compounded by its failures in many sectors in its later years. In spite of promises to revamp the country’s economy, the New Direction Government has not sufficiently dispensed this burden.
Sierra Leone’s economy is still in its poor state evidenced by slow productive activities, low savings and consumer spending among other factors. Sierra Leone is still a primary producer and ‘price taker’ for her goods in the world market.
The ‘price taker’ position has permanently placed Sierra Leone in unfavourable terms of trade and balance of payment deficits. Annual statistics has indicated that Sierra Leone spends more on imports than it receives for her imports.
Economic experts have constantly argued that as long as a country’s expenditure is higher than its income on exports, that country would hardly ensure economic prosperity.
Sierra Leone, by all indications, falls within this economic analysis. In its almost three years in governance, New Direction has never been in a comfortable position to feed the people of Sierra Leone.
The foundation for food security is not even laid let alone providing food for the country’s teeming population. Agricultural projects left behind by the APC, notably the Youth-In-Agriculture Project, have been previously nullified by the New Direction Government.
The government has always alleged that funds meant for the farms have been siphoned off by the former government.
The Youths-in-Agriculture Project was one of the most topical issues in the defunct Commissions of Inquiry (COI).
Instead of creating the platform for the continuity of the project, government chose litigation by humbling officials in the COI.
After over a year of COI’s investigations, government is coming back with an improved version of the Youth-In- Agriculture Project.
It is now re-named the Chiefdom Youth project.
An official in the Ministry of Agriculture has said that under the Chiefdom Youth Project, the 191 chiefdoms in the country can now own farm.
Registration of youths has commenced, but many say, it is no longer in favour of the New Direction Government.
From now onwards, it is about elections and campaigns.
The most frequently asked question is: to what extent would the New Direction assure the public that it would overcome the food problem in the country with just two more years to go?
A country with weak economy, low productivity and rampant food shortages is always badly affected by the problem of inflation.
Rampant and rapid increases in the prices of goods and services have been a recurrent phenomenon in Sierra Leone for years.
The 2019 Consumer Price Index still puts inflation at double digit.
Fears are high that subsequent consumer price index reports would also spell a dark future for the country’s inflationary trend.
Inflation in Sierra Leone was further worsened when neighbouring Guinea unilaterally shut down its borders In October the previous year owing to alleged interference into Guinea’s presidential elections.
The borders were opened in March, this year after a protracted diplomatic negotiation between Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The interlude between the shutting down of Guinean borders and their opening was a difficult moment for a great many Sierra Leoneans.
The inflationary trend worsened significantly as goods previously sold Le50, 000 (fifty thousand Leones) were sold at Le80, 000 (eighty thousand Leones).
Although the Guinean border is now opened to Sierra Leoneans the effect of its closure still weighs down on the county’s economy.
The socio-economic indicators have shown that the New Direction has demonstrated visible weakness to ensure a sound economic recovery for better livelihoods.
Corruption, a flagship project of the New Direction, still remains a threat to the progress of Sierra Leone.
In 2018, the New Direction campaign was dominated by anti-corruption messages.
The campaign strategists were of the firm conviction that the persistent leakages were weak links in the Koroma administration.
They promised to change the narrative by launching an anti-corruption crusade against corruption by blocking leakages.
But, the leakages still persist as the Chief Minister and other important stakeholders have been accused of misappropriating billions of Leones of Sierra Leone’s money.
The First Lady, Fatima Bio and some officials in her office are facing ACC investigations.
It is widely expected that the Chief Minister would probably face ACC investigations.
The prevalence of these weaknesses in the New Direction Government has not whittled down their confidence to win the forthcoming elections.
But, only a miracle will save them from defeat in the 2023 elections not even 2028.