SIERRA LEONE SINKS
*IMF Funds Suspended
*Drug Trafficking & Money Laundering Wahala
*US Visa Restriction
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara (Kamalo)
Sierra Leone is facing trials and tribulations in her development trajectory. Poor management of the state, characterized by endemic corruption, official ineptitude, indiscipline and reckless fiscal handling, oversized wage bill, democratic manipulations and extravagant expenses on unprofitable diaspora voyages, has plunged the country into dire economic circumstances.
Sierra Leoneans knew it all, and were fervently praying for a quick redemption from the kind of socioeconomic misery brought upon them, though their effort seems to have yielded no positive dividends just as the numerous diaspora trips by the president “to rebrand the country” have proved to be futile.
It sounds even more fearful that the country is now being caught in the middle of global drug trafficking and money laundering scandals, as well as, bitten by a suspension of funding from the International Monetary Fund, and visa restrictions from the government of the United States of America.Explicitly, countries imbued with drug trafficking and money laundering activities rob themselves of international trust and dignity. Like drug users are marginalized, stigmatized, and denied access to some societal amenities, these countries are not exempted from severe international consequences, among which are diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and legal actions.
Drug trafficking and money laundering lead to toxic diplomatic relations, which inturn can lead to global isolation, political and economic sanctions in the form of trade restrictions, asset freezing, investment bans, and cutting off, or suspension of international aid programmes, especially for donor-driven countries like Sierra Leone. Worst still, these scandals not only damage a country’s reputation badly, deter foreign investment and tourism, but its citizens are placed under increased international surveillance and scrutiny.
Though abundantly endowed with mines and mineral resources, Sierra Leone remains a donor-driven nation, and it needs a significant international support in its development drives. Funds from the IMF have always augmented the national budget, helping the government in its public spending, including the payment of salaries to its workforce. Being a debt-ridden country, the IMF’s supports help to mitigate the government’s struggle to meet debt obligations, and the withdrawal of such supports, therefore, means debt hell for the country.
Over and above, IMF’s withdrawal of funding from Sierra Leone has the propensity to plunge the small West African nation into a severe economic crisis with far-reaching social and political consequences. The country would face difficulty in its recovery trajectory, as the government’s economic base will be negatively impacted amid the depreciation of the Leone, thus leading to a worsening inflation rate. Potential defaults could also set in and leave the country to be eventually isolated from the world market. At worst, social unrest and political instability could be the last resort, ensuing from economic hardship.
We were told the visa restrictions were to take effect on Monday, June 9 2025, and for Sierra Leoneans to be banned from entering the United States alongside countries like Sudan, Somalia, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Chad, and Libya – nations known to be not in the good books of the global community – it smacks of something hideous than meets the eye, worrying trend that calls for a bold, positive action!
Ambassador Bryan David Hunt has informed Sierra Leoneans the primary motive of President Donald J. Trump is to ensure people who want to travel to the United States of America undergo thorough checking. He tags Sierra Leone as the 13th highest overstay rate country for B1, B2 Tourist and Business Visas travellers in the world and the 8th highest overstay rate for Students and Exchange Visas, stating that because of this, President Trump no longer felt he could continue to allow Sierra Leoneans to receive B1, B2 Tourists and Business Visas and Exchange and Students Visas, so, he imposed restrictions not just upon the aforementioned categories, but a wide number of immigrant visas.
Widely debated downtown, however, Hunt’s statement has been flagged as diplomatic maneuvers to pacify Sierra Leoneans, given that many countries evidently with more US overstay rate than Sierra Leone have not been restricted.
A feeling is, therefore, rife among Sierra Leoneans that the ugly development could be the result of blatant mismanagement of the state, manipulation of its hard-earned democracy, and the prevalent drug trafficking and money laundering as recently reported by the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
In essence, the current skirmishes hovering over Sierra Leone could erode its international standing, economy, and security, exposing the country and Sierra Leoneans to dishonour and shame across the world. Sierra Leone is, no doubt, sinking being in a state of flux like this – a call on the authorities to rise from slumber, roll up their sleeves and right the wrongs that may have led the nation to these embarrassing fate and development threats.