Post a comment 
Presidential spokesperson Alpha Kanu has struggled to provide clarity on the mandate of the newly established Sierra Leone Railways Development and Regulatory Authority following President Julius Maada Bio’s appointment of Ing. Dr. Albert Forde as its first Director General.
Speaking during an interview with AVY Television, Kanu admitted he was not fully aware of this appointment. He suggested that the Ministry of Transport and Aviation would be best placed to explain the technical details of the appointment, noting that he only became aware of it after journalists drew his attention to the announcement.
When pressed on whether Sierra Leone currently has a functioning railway system, the presidential spokesperson responded that the government’s intention might be to work towards reintroducing one.
He further explained that any decision of such scale would have been guided by advice from the relevant transport sector institutions.
The appointment of Dr. Forde, formalized in a letter dated 19th August 2025 from the Office of the President, was made pursuant to Section 14 (1) of the Sierra Leone Railways Development and Regulatory Authority Act, 2025.
The move has sparked widespread debate among citizens, with many questioning the urgency and direction of creating a new railway regulatory body in the absence of an operational national railway.
Supporters, however, argue that the decision signals the government’s long-term vision to rebuild a sector that has been dormant for decades.
Watch Video:
